Chris O’Dowd’s new series Small Town, Big Story, which was shot close to his mother’s house in rural west Ireland, returns to his Irish roots.
“I wanted a small, village-like setting for the show when I was thinking about it. I imagined my mother’s home, which is 10 miles or so outside Boyle”, he says. “I had a dream job shooting Moone Boy in Boyle,” said the actress.
The fictional small town of Drumbán is the subject of the six-part comedy. Chris based the show on his own experiences with the 2012 comedy Moone Boy, a lad and an imaginary friend, on film. “Initially, everything is fantastic for the residents”, he explains. “It’s exciting, it’s a bit of a buzz. Then eventually it’s, ‘ Argh, they’re blocking my driveway again, ‘ which is not so fun”.
“What I found funny, while filming Moone Boy, was people from the town and passers-by walking around in their best clothes or with more make-up on, just in case they were caught on camera”.
Chris also appears as the author of the book that the upcoming TV series is based on in addition to writing and directing Small Town, Big Story. “I wanted to play someone who is a complete braggart”, Chris, 45, says about the role of Jack E McCarthy. “I love a little bulls*****r, but you don’t find them any more because people can be found out so quickly on the internet”.
Christina Hendricks plays Wendy Patterson, a local girl who made it big as a TV producer in Los Angeles and moves back home after more than 20 years, while Paddy Considine stars as town doctor Séamus Proctor. Séamus and Wendy are attempting to make a twist out of the story by revealing a secret from Millennium Eve from the TV production.
Chris, who is married to TV presenter Dawn O’Porter, can thank his wife for helping Christina get involved in the project. “I was on the phone to my missus in California, and she said, ‘ You’ll never believe who was in the house today, ‘” he remembers. “And she said, ‘ Christina Hendricks! ‘ They were discussing a vintage clothing company. She seemed good on the show, and it quickly developed. She seemed perfect”.
Christina’s character Wendy has lost her Irish accent, unlike many of the people Chris comes across in real life. He says, “I meet them all the time; they sound like they have never been to Ireland and then speak in an Irish accent after ten minutes.” “I know people make a choice, and I thought her character would leave it behind”.
With Paddy, the pair bonded over the music used in the series. “There’s a nice meeting of brass and Irish music and Paddy’s character Séamus plays a trombone. Paddy and I both took trombone lessons. I wanted to be sure I understood what I was saying.
Small Town, Big Story is on Sky TV from Thursday 27 February
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Source: Mirror
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