Catherine role is filled for Tuam babies movie
Fresh from four Oscars, Element Pictures to put tragic tale on big screen
AN ACTRESS has been chosen to play hero historian Catherine Corless in an upcoming film about the Tuam babies scandal – and shooting could begin as early as this summer, the Irish Mail on Sunday has learned.
And fresh from their Oscars success last week, Dublin film company Element Pictures will now co-produce the film, the rights of which had been bought by actor Liam Neeson in 2018.
The Lost Children Of Tuam will shoot on location in Ireland and tell the story of how Corless uncovered the fact that 796 children were buried in a mass grave on the site of the mother and baby home, as first revealed in the MoS in 2014.
Some of the babies’ and toddlers’ remains were buried in a sewage tank at the home and work to excavate is also due to start soon.
Ms Corless this week confirmed the actress who will portray her on the big screen has been chosen.
She told the Irish Mail on Sunday: ‘The whole project is coming along very well. I had no idea how much work goes into making a film but I know they’ve chosen the main actors.
‘I can’t say who they are but they will make an announcement.
‘We’re delighted that Element Pictures are doing the film. We were so delighted to see them wining at the Oscars last week. That can only be good for the film now.
‘The main thing is to get the story out there. That’s always been the thing, to tell the story of these women and babies and of what happened to them.
‘The Irish Mail on Sunday started it and I’m so glad that the story continues to be told. The media, the documentary makers and now the film makers have been so important,’ she added.
Element Pictures cofounder and chief Ed Guiney confirmed the film has been given the green light. Speaking to the MoS after he arrived back from the Oscars ceremony in LA this week, he said: ‘We’re hoping to shoot this year definitely. We’re still kind of figuring out some key elements so there’s not an awful lot to say, but it’s certainly something we’re very excited about.
‘I actually can’t talk about [the lead actress], because we’re trying to figure out dates.’ Element Pictures’ Poor Things took home four Oscars last weekend, including Best Actress for Emma Stone, as well as Make-up And Hairstyling, Production Design, and Costume Design. Mr Guiney, who along with his Element co-director Andrew Lowe is the most successful film producer ever in Ireland, confirmed that Liam Neeson is a co-producer, but he will not feature in the movie.
The Ballymena man and Oscar winner first revealed in 2021 that he began collaborating with Ms Corless on the project after he was ‘filled with horror’ when he heard the story.
Ms Corless’s research led to the uncovering of the grave containing the remains of some of the children who died between 1925 and 1961 at the former Bon Secours home in Tuam, Co. Galway.
Speaking about his reaction on hearing the story, Neeson told the Late Late Show in 2021: ‘For the first time in my life, and I’ve made some 93/94 films, I never felt this way before. I was lying on my bed. I shot up straight and I thought, “I’m going to do something about this. Whatever celebrity status I have in the film world, I’m going to do something”.
‘I visited Catherine and her lovely husband, Aidan, three years ago. I spent a few hours, and I was just struck by the humility of this ordinary and extraordinary woman and her husband,’ he continued. ‘She filled me in on this extraordinary story. So, we’re going to do this film. We have a wonderful writer on board, and I told Catherine to be patient with us as the film process can take a long time. For example, Schindler’s List took 10 years to get together until we got a script.’
A source close to the project said: ‘They’re not exactly giving a date but I know that they have the main actors. They hope to film this summer.
‘They’re tight-lipped but they will be making an announcement whenever they have everything sorted. I expect that will be sooner rather than later.’
‘The project is coming along really well’