Peter Halpin attended a show as a kid, which was produced by a local theater school, once he saw these boys and girls having so much fun on the stage Peter thought; “this is for me”. The following semester he joined the theater school and landed one of the lead roles in the end of year show.
After a few years attending this theater school a big Hollywood movie came to town called, Angela’s Ashes which was based on Frank McCourt’s Pulitzer Prize winning book. Hubbard Casting casted Peter Halpin as Frank’s brother, Malachy McCourt and it was a lot of fun working with director, Sir Alan Parker.
From there Peter Halpin went on to do films and TV shows with Neil Jordan, Lenny Abrahamson, Liam Cunningham and Simon Massey. Copious amounts of theater also with Tony Award winning Garry Hynes, John Breen and Jim Nolan.
I’m completely stunned that I won #BestActor 4 @NarcanMovie at the prestigious @Willfilm thank you to everyone who made this dream a reality pic.twitter.com/44EI1AMVJT
— Peter Halpin (@RealPeterHalpin) November 21, 2016
indieactivity: Did you study acting?
Peter Halpin: On the day of my last examination of high-school I met with Garry Hynes at Druid Theater Company for a part in John B. Keane’s classic, ‘Sive’. That coming September I was due to begin training at the Gaiety School of Acting, but when Garry offered me the job, my agent at the time said; “Why would you train to do something that you’re being offered to do?”. She was right, I did the gig and never looked back.
indieactivity: What acting technique do you use?
Peter Halpin: I ’ve always taken the method approach, but as my career has developed I have become more and more method. I find it works for me quite well. The key is being able to drop out of the character and I’m getting better at that.
indieactivity: Do you take courses to improve your craft?
Peter Halpin: Rarely, I work on myself alone and call in others when prepping for an audition at the last minute, just to have somebody to bounce off.
indieactivity: What acting books do you read?
Peter Halpin: I don’t read a lot of acting books, in fact I read the exact opposite, I read about business and developing one’s business. Acting is a business and you the actor is the director of the business, so you must approach each day as a business you are growing and nurturing.
indieactivity: How do you keep fit?
Peter Halpin: I work out, Yoga and meditate.
indieactivity: How do you create character?
Peter Halpin: I research the character inside and out, I would normally visit where the character is from to get a real feel of the characters roots. I normally record real people’s voices from there in order to help with the accent. I begin to live like them, think like them, eat like them, walk like them, BE them. It’s a very organic process, but one I relish.
indieactivity: How do you stagy fresh on a production set?
Peter Halpin: For some of my more intense characters, I never drop out of character until we are wrapped for the day, this means I don’t have to worry about dropping back into the character after breaks on set, because I’m in character all day.
indieactivity: Explain a creative choice you took on set?
Peter Halpin: Lenny Abrahamson asked me to drive a sports car (which my character drove in the movie) “as erratically as possible” – I took him at his word and nearly ran over the whole creative team and crew… Lol!
indieactivity: Describe a memorable character you played?
Peter Halpin: I played a blind gypsy who could only communicate through song and curses/spells that was a lot of fun and a great journey for me.
Peter Halpin as ‘Malachy McCourt’ in the Alan Parker film, ‘Angela’s Ashes’
indieactivity: What do you want most from a director?
Peter Halpin: To be left alone! Haha – seriously though; a director who has a strong vision, but a light touch in terms of steering actors, I find are the best directors and the easiest to work with.
indieactivity: What actor do you long to work with?
Peter Halpin: I would love to work with Daniel Day-Lewis, but now that he’s retired I guess that dream is dashed now.
indieactivity: Why?
Peter Halpin: He’s simply the best!
indieactivity: What advice do you give to actors?
Peter Halpin: Be true to yourself, be persistent and surround yourself with positive people.
indieactivity: Briefly write about your career?
Peter Halpin: Irish actor Peter Halpin launched his professional film career when he created the role of Malachy McCourt in Alan Parker’s critically acclaimed Angela’s Ashes. Among his other film and television credits he is proud to list; Fergus Doran in RTE’s medical drama The Clinic; a stirring portrayal of Joseph Hanratty in Neil Jordan’s controversial masterpiece Breakfast On Pluto; and Phil Connors in RTE/BBC’s equine drama series Rough Diamond directed by Simon Massey. Halpin garnered further credit for his role as Eugene in the multi-award winning film Garage with director Lenny Abrahamson.
Peter Halpin and Chris O’Dowd in ‘The Clinic’, directed by Liam Cunningham
Further accolades came for Halpin in the role of Commander in the feature film In-World War directed by Brant Smith. His career continued to gain momentum with his moving depiction of Bob in the film The Treatment and his dynamic interpretation of Jim in the film I Like What You Like directed by Imelda O’Reilly, he brought life and vigor to the physically challenged Pete in Media Factory’s TV pilot, On the Lig. Halpin played the mercurial Beekman in a new Biopic called The Last of the Breed.
Most recently Halpin produced and played the lead role in a new film Narcan, which won numerous awards on the film festival circuit globally, in particular “Best Actor” at Williamsburg Film Festival. Halpin recently wrapped on two other films Prerequisite where he plays an undercover detective and The Resurrection Love Song where he plays a troubled soul who is met with life changing decisions. He will also produce and play the lead role in an upcoming feature film later this year.
Gabriel Byrne and Peter Halpin backstage after performing in ‘Bloomsday on Broadway’ in New York.
Halpin’s professional stage career debuted with the infamous Druid Theatre Company as Carthalawn in their acclaimed production of Sive directed by Tony Award winning; Garry Hynes. Other stage appearances include his portrayal of Horse in The Castlecomer Jukebox produced by Red Kettle Theater Company and directed by Jim Nolan; and his dual roles as both Silvius and Le Beau in Classic Stage Ireland’s production of As You Like It. Halpin’s versatility allowed him to undertake the lead role of Gerry along with multiple other characters in John Breen’s masterpiece, Alone It Stands. He also recorded a DVD of the show with Gyre & Gimble Productions. Halpin has performed in both Macbeth and Salome with Bottom Dog Theatre Company.
In New York, he undertook the exciting role of Fixer in The Blood Red Hand directed by Kathy Gail MacGowan and thrilled audiences with his Broadway dual personas as James Joyce’s magnanimous Bloom and the irascible Stephen in an all-star production of Bloomsday on Broadway where he played opposite Gabriel Byrne.
Off-Broadway he played the psychotic Isaac in David Ireland’s masterpiece, Summertime. He played Lenny in Jim Nolan’s prolific and most recent play, Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye and he also played numerous Irish American Leaders in Her Exiled Children all with Origin Theatre Company. He wowed New York audiences and critics alike with his portrayal of Victor in The Blood Flow Game. He created the role of Backus in a charming new play called; House of Charity and now he’s working on the TV pilot version. He played the local Priest, Fr O’Dell who loves boxing and drinking pints in a comedic play called; Love In Kilnerry. He recently did a new play called Last of The Caucasians wherein he played Drake a hard drinking, Irish, ex-naval officer.
Halpin’s work in commercials gave him national face recognition as the friendly representative of Ireland’s largest bank, Allied Irish Bank (AIB) whose First Time Buyer commercial, directed by Damien O’ Donnell, aired continually for four years.
Halpin currently stars in New York Lottery’s new Take Five comedic commercial, wherein he plays a soldier in a rag tag army of 5… He also can be seen in Seamless’ commercial shot against the backdrop of New York City in which the iconic image of ‘Lunch Atop A Skyscraper’ is recreated.
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