Over an acting career spanning decades, Belfast native Stephen Rea has shown himself to be a versatile and prolific talent.
With unprecedented access to an internationally renowned creative figure, a new intimate documentary from RTÉ explores the development of his outlook through the actor’s life and work.
"Stephen Rea: The Fire in Me Now" follows the veteran star as he rehearses Beckett’s legendary play "Krapp's Last Tape" in Dublin, playing opposite his younger self with audio tapes he recorded over a decade ago. We travel with him, from where he grew up in north Belfast, to his family home north of Dublin, to London’s Maida Vale where he spent time as an actor, and to his beloved Donegal.
The film shows intimate conversations with friends and collaborators including actor Sinéad Cusack, director Neil Jordan, and Civil Rights activist Eamon McCann.
We meet the mischievous "messer," as he calls himself, and the reluctant interviewee.
“I was initially reluctant to do the documentary in lots of ways because I am a deeply private person, and I’ve always believed that the work has to be bigger than your ego," Rea says.
"But I did want to pay homage to the friendship and generosity of the collaborators I was lucky to find, like Nancy Meckler and Neil Jordan, who helped me personally and in my career."
He adds: "I am a proud North Belfast man, and I hope the film shows younger people in the business that no matter where you’re from, there’s not one set path to being an actor.
"It’s about being true to yourself.”
Stephen Rea pictured with Brian Friel. Courtesy of RTÉ.
Featuring archive extracts from some of Stephen Rea's most genre-defining performances over more than 50 years, spanning from his rarely seen student sketches at Queen's University Belfast in the 1960s, to his tour de force collaborations in recent years with Vicky Featherstone, former Artistic Director of the Royal Court Theatre, London, this film shines a light on the hypnotic draw of his commanding presence on stage and screen.
Titled "The Fire in Me Now," a nod to the final lines of "Krapp's Last Tape," the documentary shows that Stephen Rea's power in performance remains undimmed as he enters his seventh decade as a professional actor.
"Stephen Rea: The Fire in Me Now" is a Walk on Air Films Production commissioned by RTÉ and BBC Northern Ireland with support from Northern Ireland Screen.
"Stephen Rea: The Fire in Me Now" will air on Thursday, April 10, at 10:15 pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player, and on Thursday, April 24 at 10:40 pm on BBC Northern Ireland.
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