Domhnall Gleeson: Actor, Writer, and… Drug Runner?

The first thing that may come to mind when someone says “Domhnall Gleeson” may be his portrayal of beloved Bill Weasley in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows  – Parts 1 and 2. Gleeson came on board the Potter family a bit later than most of the other cast, but the way he brought the eldest Weasley son to life made us all fall in love.

Since then, Gleeson has been enjoying roles in an extremely diverse collection of films. He won our hearts all over again in his role in About Time, starring alongside Rachel McAdams, and could have easily stayed in the romantic-style films and done just fine. Repetition, however, just isn’t Gleeson’s groove.

Speaking to Australian magazine the Weekly Review, Gleeson explained that one of his favorite parts of acting is challenging himself.

It’s more about just trying not to repeat yourself. That means sometimes you’ll fail and you have to be OK with that. About Time was an amazing experience for me, both personally and professionally. I adored working [with] Richard Curtis, Rachael McAdams and Bill Nighy. I was scared going to work because they’re all so bloody good at what they do. I like working with people who scare me.

After About Time, Gleeson ditched the romantic façade and went for more action-packed roles in films.

More recently, Gleeson struck a role in a little film called Star Wars. Maybe you’ve heard of it? Gleeson plays the villainous General Hux in the reboot of the world-famous franchise. Although the end of The Force Awakens leaves the status of his character unknown, he is confirmed to be in The Last Jedi, so look for him this December 15!

In his recent casting in “big-time” roles, such as Star Wars, or his upcoming film American Made – where he stars alongside none other than Tom Cruise – some are saying he has finally “broke through” the Hollywood barrier. Gleeson likes to keep it humble, however.

That’s not how you think of yourself as a person or an actor. You just try to grow as actor. If you think you’ve broken through, you’re probably an idiot and you absolutely have not.

In American Made, Gleeson plays Monty Schafer in the story of TWA Pilot Barry Seal (played by Tom Cruise), who was recruited to help diffuse an emerging communist terrorist threat in Central America. Tune into your local movie theaters on September 29! In the meantime, check out the gallery and official trailer below!

Are you excited to see what’s to come for Domhnall Gleeson? Let us know in the comments below!