Swords actor Ian gets big film break in ‘Sing Street’

WITH a full head of hair and cutting a slim figure, Swords actor Ian Kenny is almost unrecognisable from the macho skinhead he plays in smash-hit Irish movie ‘Sing Street’. 

“I was glad to see the return of my hair but I wasn’t glad to finish filming,” says Kenny, almost two years after hanging up his Dr Martens as the antagonist Barry Bray in ‘Sing Street’, the Irish film from acclaimed director John Carney. 

“It was the worst haircut I’ve ever had – and I had a mullet!” Kenny jokes.

At a recent press screening for the film in the Vue Cinema in Liffey Valley, Carney applauded Kenny’s performance. The director of ‘Once’ and ‘Begin Again’ told the audience that Kenny “knocked it out of the park” as Barry and remarked that the young Northsider couldn’t be any more different from the thuggish youth he plays. 

“It’s a throwback to 1985,” Kenny says. “I went to a school where there were anti-bullying policies. It was very interesting to occupy a space whereby it’s every man for himself. 

“The general rule is that you do not look at Barry Bray; one wouldn’t dare. I am a pacifist by nature, I don’t have a violent bone in my body, I’ve never been in a physical confrontation so to play someone so violent and so angry was a lot of fun.” 

The character of Barry comes from a troubled home and Kenny wanted to convey his complexity.  

“I hope it came across that the reason Barry was the predator at school was that often at times he was considered prey at home. Abusive parents, neglectful parents, addicted parents. I like to think that vulnerability was shown.”

‘Sing Street’ first debuted at the renowned Sundance Film Festival in Utah. It also featured at the SXSW (South by South West) Festival in San Francisco before making its Irish debut in the Audi Dublin Film Festival. The Irish film has garnered critical acclaim worldwide.

The actor took his parents along to the premiere of the film, which boasts eight IFTA nominations. 

“Being able to bring my parents to that, a Savoy movie premiere, felt really nice,” he admits. 

Being cast as Barry came as a surprise for Kenny. 

“I went to the open casting for the lead role because it said ‘must be a very strong singer and instrumentalist’ and I can’t sing or play any instruments so I thought, ‘oh that’s perfect for me’,” he joked.

“It was only three months later or so that they had still struggled to cast a part and they went to my agent and brought me in. 

“I went to the audition and got a phone call the next day. It happened very fast. Within 24 hours John (Carney) saw my tape and said: ‘that’s him’.”

Kenny is full of praise for Carney who loosely based the film on his own teenage years. 

“John is a creative genius; he’s impulsive on the set,” Kenny says. “He gave me a lot of free reign as well as a lot of direction in equal parts. To be given that kind of trust was a huge endorsement from a director of his calibre and commercial success.”

The film features Irish actor Jack Reynor, as Brendan, older brother of the lead. Reynor has appeared in a series of Hollywood blockbusters, including ‘Transformers’ and the soon to be released ‘Macbeth’, alongside Michael Fassbender.

“Jack is someone I look up to hugely. He’s a couple of years older than me and he has achieved an astonishing amount. I would love to follow in his footsteps. He’s been a very good friend to me in terms of giving me advice.

 “To watch him work I knew was to watch a very exceptional actor.”

The role was a big break for the young Swords student but not his first brush with the acting world. Kenny landed his first gig before he could read or write.

“I pretty much tripped and fell into it,” he explains. “I couldn’t read when I first got a part in ‘Fair City’. My mam had to physically tell me the lines. It was really cool and it definitely set me on the path.”  

Between the age of four and 18, Kenny played TJ Deegan in the soap. He credits the RTÉ show for the opportunity they gave to him and that they continue to give to the Irish acting community. 

“It tends to be the butt of some jokes and stuff but as a physical undertaking to produce four 30-minute episodes per week is absolutely phenomenal. I think they do an exceptional job; it’s fantastic.”

While Kenny has his sights firmly set on a career in performing, a J1 to California and his final year in DCU are next on the cards for him. 

“If I got the opportunity to do more acting work, I’d love that. It won’t be for a lack of trying but come what may.”

The film, based in the Synge Street Christian Brother school, ends with the tribute: ‘For brothers everywhere’, and this springs to mind when Kenny talks about the deep friendships he will take from the film.

“The young cast have met up regularly since filming. All we do is rehash the memories from the set – it was once in a lifetime. I look back with an incredible fondness on the days we spent filming and the days I got to know my new set of adopted brothers.”

Katie O’Neill