Screen International, in association with Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland, has unveiled the filmmakers and actors selected for the 2025 Rising Stars Ireland talent spotlight.
10 emerging actors, directors, producers and writers who are on the verge of their major professional breakthrough have been selected. Those chosen are all either Irish nationals and/or based full-time on the Island of Ireland.
Rising Stars Ireland is a biannual joint initiative from Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland and Screen International, and is an offshoot of Screen’s UK & Ireland Stars of Tomorrow programme. The inaugural edition ran in 2023.
Read more about each 2025 Rising Star below:
- Lewis Brophy (actor)
- Katelyn Rose Downey (actor)
- Niamh McCormack (actor)
- Jeanne Ní Áinle (actor)
- Ollie West (actor)
- Louise Bagnall (director)
- Nathan Fagan (writer/director)
- Evan Horan (producer)
- Cara Loftus (writer)
- Hannah Mamalis (writer/director/actor)
The selection was made by Screen’s executive editor, reviews and talent, Fionnuala Halligan, who has overseen the trade publication’s UK talent selection for the last 15 years.
The Irish film sector has continued to blossom since the inaugural edition of Rising Stars Ireland in 2023: an Oscar win for Cork’s Cillian Murphy (Oppenheimer); Small Things Like These opening the Berlinale; a ‘final five’ Oscar nomination for An Cailín Ciúin (The Quiet Girl); and the multi-award success of Kneecap.
Halligan said: “Ireland is having more than a moment on screen, as the single-monikered status of its stars attests — Barry! Cillian! Saoirse! Colin! Paul! (Admittedly, the last two might need a qualifying Farrell and Mescal.) Supported in every sense of the word by Screen Ireland, Rising Stars Ireland received more than double the number of applicants for this second iteration.”
Desiree Finnegan, chief executive, Screen Ireland said: ”It’s an exciting time to be working in Ireland, and we’re very committed to making sure our industry has the foundation, investment and support needed for it to continue to thrive into the future. We’re really looking forward to seeing what comes next for these ten Rising Stars, and where their career takes them.”
To celebrate this year’s Rising Stars, Crá’s Dónall Ó Héalai (a Screen Star of Tomorrow in 2020) dropped by the photoshoot to speak as a mentor to this year’s cohort.
Antonia Campbell-Hughes (a Screen star in 2011), who has continued to act while bursting forth as a directing talent with Donegal-shot debut feature It Is In Us All, spoke to us about their Irish Screen Life. Campbell-Hughes is now preparing to shoot Diamond Shitter in Ireland and Geneva this autumn.
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