Ian McElhinney Quotes

Ian McElhinney

Profession : Actor

Birth : August 19, 1948

Going back to when I was younger in this business, you did something that would be screened in various places and this sort of popularity never occurred to you. Now you do these things and there are so many more platforms, there's many more things being put out on a global basis.

Ian McElhinney

One of the problems that comes up time and time again seems to be this notion of being 'pure' Irish. If you are Protestant, born in the Northern part of the island and deeply into the Protestant tradition, that somehow does not make you a legitimate Irish person. Yet there is a huge British influence in parts of the South.

Ian McElhinney

Ordinarily, when you go to see a play, an awful lot is presented in front of your eyes.

Ian McElhinney

But I love the change and the variety directing brings.

Ian McElhinney

There are still times when the person who is challenging you as an actor is also the person who sometimes challenges you as your child.

Ian McElhinney

For years, I was just Joe Bloggs. There was no excitement until 'Game of Thrones,' and then people started recognizing me.

Ian McElhinney

I was living in Britain and then America, but it wasn't until I returned to live in Ireland in the late '70s that I really became aware of Seamus Heaney. I discovered quickly that his poems are very accessible.

Ian McElhinney

Being part of 'Game of Thrones' is amazing, really incredible.

Ian McElhinney

On another level I'd unfortunately read the books. I knew Barristan had a different story in the books and I was hoping for a bit more of Barristan alive before he met his comeuppance... well, comeuppance is unfair, he didn't deserve a comeuppance.

Ian McElhinney

It's weird... I've been an actor for a long time and you can walk around more or less anonymously.

Ian McElhinney

Sometimes all you can do is sit back and be amazed.

Ian McElhinney

It's strange to be getting into your dotage and suddenly discovering that you have a fanbase.

Ian McElhinney

It's always stressful working on a new piece, but it concentrates the energy.

Ian McElhinney

I would quite like to see stories that are not necessarily to do with the violence, because I think there was quite a lot of normality in our world - but it is never reflected on the screen.

Ian McElhinney

Whatever the actor does on stage they have to be happy with it, because they are the ones doing it.

Ian McElhinney

There are certainly many British plays which go down far better with Dublin audiences than they would in Belfast.

Ian McElhinney

But I think you have to accept - as I have accepted - that the demands of TV are different than the demand of book writing.

Ian McElhinney

'Derry Girls' just has a sense of knowing exactly who these people are and also a fun memory of how things were, even in spite of all the chaos around them. It's very entertaining and it stays wonderfully buoyant because it focuses on the kids and the families.

Ian McElhinney

One of the issues with the fight scene - especially with actors - is that when the adrenaline gets going you lose the plot. Before you know it, you've hit somebody and you've hit them harder than you meant to.

Ian McElhinney

Adrenaline, swords - you just get off on it.

Ian McElhinney