Barry Keoghan’s new thriller was originally meant for another Irish actor

Fans of Barry Keoghan are looking forward to his new thriller film Bring Them Down, but the role almost went to another actor.

The movie follows two farming families that live in the west of Ireland as tensions grow between them. It premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 8.

Michael – played by Christopher Abbot – lives with his ailing father Ray . He is burdened with a secret that has kept him isolated from the world, as a conflict grows with rival farmer Gary and his son Jack , played by Keoghan.

Director Christopher Andrews told Variety that the part of Jack was originally played by Paul Mescal .

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“It would have been a brilliant film either way, but it’s just part of the process of casting. And when you’re working on a budget you’re working on you can’t compete with bigger movies — such as Mad Max: Fury Road [which starred Burke] — and there are lots spinning wheels out of your control.

“But it was just a privilege to be get Chris and Barry. It was incredible. And to have them respond so well to the material — they were really engaged, so it felt really exciting. Everywhere you looked it was a win.”

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That wasn’t the only switch up made during the film’s production as well. Bring Them Down was planned to be shot in the north of England, but was switched to Wicklow for better tax credits.

The director wanted to stay as authentic to local Irish culture as possible, even having much of the film spoken in Irish.

He said: “It was very important for me for it to feel authentic and to feel like it was connected and not just transported over.”

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