EOIN SWEENEY

My first introduction to the world of cinema was at a very young age. My grandmother (who had been a seamstress at The Abbey Theatre in Dublin) would come up to visit and no matter how early I woke up she'd already be sitting in the living room. She replaced my Saturday and Sunday cartoons with countless hours of TCM, watching films from the golden age of Hollywood including CASABLANCA, CITIZEN KANE and REAR WINDOW amongst many. A favourite was A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE and my Granny would point out how differently Marlon Brando performed and how he represented a turning point in cinema with actors moving towards the internal world of their roles. I always had a strong interest in what made people tick and this early awareness of the craft of acting fascinated me.

In the coming years my parents would bring me to The Lyric Theatre Belfast, initially by the ear, until I saw PHILADELPHIA HERE I COME after which I was the one dragging them along! I also loved performing and was intensely involved with choirs and orchestras growing up, singing and playing trumpet, but the extent of my acting repertoire was relentlessly to mimic my dad's Dublin accent to make people laugh and playing a street urchin in my primary school's bizarre OLIVER/GREASE mashup. Performing in class was the only place I excelled in school and after a very bleak career meeting I realised it was absolutely the only thing I cared about doing.

I got into The Lir Academy on their Foundation course then spent two years as a member of The Lyric Theatre's Drama Studio where I starred in DOCTOR SCROGGY'S WAR and DARK OF THE MOON and the following year I secured a place at Royal Conservatoire Scotland (RCS) in Glasgow on the BA Acting course. During my time at RCS I wrote and performed my own work, filmed several short films and was cast in leading roles in both MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING and GLORIA. I also got my first professional acting job filming a commercial and shortly afterwards was cast as 'Andy' in the Scottish indie horror feature MERCY FALLS, gaining valuable confidence and experience. I was subsequently a finalist for the Spotlight Prize 2022 and received a graduate grant, The Mary Marquis Award for Best Performance on Screen.

Since graduation I have moved to England, making and refreshing connections with the London acting scene. I recently made my television debut in a 2024 episode of FBI INTERNATIONAL (CBS) and have worked on indie shorts, R&D's and live readings, frequently collaborating with rising Irish writer Niall McCarthy.   In Spring 2025, I will be appearing at Theatre 503 in Niall’s new play DERRY BOYS.