A ‘hunny’ of a fall
Domhnall Gleeson has starring roles as Pooh author A.A. Milne and several others this busy season
Domhnall Gleeson has noticed he’s drawn to period films, set in the past or a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.
“The news these days is just so full on, man, it’s so all dominating. In a way, I want to talk about life through a different lens,” says the 34-year-old Irish actor. “But I look forward to a piece where I wear some normal clothes for once.”
In the next few months, he’s traveling to a bunch of different eras: In director Doug Liman’s 1980s-set American Made (in theaters Friday), Gleeson plays CIA agent Monty Schafer, who recruits TWA pilot Barry Seal (Tom Cruise) for some illegal shenanigans. The actor stars as World War I veteran/Winnie-thePooh creator A.A. Milne in the biopic Goodbye Christopher Robin (Oct. 13). And he returns to the dark side as villainous General Hux in Star Wars: The Last Jedi (Dec. 15).
USA TODAY checked in with Gleeson — who’s also in Darren Aronofsky’s crazy mother! — about his packed fall slate: Q Tom Cruise’s Made man is based on a true-life guy. Was Monty real? A He
was a composite of different needs for the script. That role can be very thankless and I was happy that Doug and Tom wanted to make him younger, all about moving out of his cubicle, and the fact that he doesn’t really care what happens to the world as long as he gets the office he wants.
Q How much did you enjoy the father-son moments in Christopher Robin? A
I liked Will (Tilston, who plays Milne’s boy) immediately when I met him, so I knew we were going to be able to get to those places, for it to be real enough to matter to people. For those moments to mean anything, you have to see how much he’s struggling to connect with everybody around him and struggling to understand himself. Q Did you know when making mother! that it would be the most divisive film of the year? A When
I read the script, I had to stand up and take a walk every now and again to get over what I was reading. It’s not a film you can say ‘meh’ about. You want to be a part of something that shakes people to their core. Q Hux triggered the destruction of several planets in The Force Awakens before the First Order was de----
feated. Is he still ticked off in Last Jedi? A(
Laughs) I don’t think you’re going to see him sitting back with his feet up, flipping through Sky TV. There’s a lot of pressure on his shoulders: He’s always struggling to maintain position and he’s incredibly ruthless. He seems like an insomniac to me — I don’t think he’s sleeping that well. I also don’t think he deals with stuff in the best fashion all the time. Q You’re also acting alongside animated animals in next year’s Peter Rabbit.
What was that like? A I’d have to interact with a man in a blue suit or a tiny fake bunny or a rabbit in the jacket. And we also got to play around with real rabbits.
QWhat’s cuter, those rabbits or Star Wars’ Porgs? A
Oh, man, don’t make me choose. Either way lies trouble with a certain fan base. I’m going to be as diplomatic as I can be.