‘The Banshees of Inisherin’: Colin Farrell Was Terrorized by a Dog, Donkey, and Horse While Filming the Irish Period Drama
Few actors are having as wildly diverse a year as Colin Farrell. In 2022 so far, the actor has appeared in sci-fi drama After Yang, superhero epic The Batman, and survival thriller Thirteen Lives. All three films have earned strong reviews, with Farrell’s turn as the Penguin in The Batman getting particular love from fans.
Now Farrell’s set for a fourth 2022 release. Filming The Banshees of Inisherin certainly challenged the actor, with several animal attacks on the set.
‘The Banshees of Inisherin’ reunites the stars of ‘In Bruges’
The Banshees of Inisherin is the latest film from writer-director Martin McDonagh. The filmmaker’s highest-grossing movie is 2017’s Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. But his 2008 dark comedy, In Bruges, remains a fan favorite, mostly for the comic timing and chemistry between Farrell and co-star Brendan Gleeson. Now the three men have reunited with The Banshees of Inisherin.
Whenever two actors share natural chemistry, chances are good that filmmakers and fans alike will take notice. Such was the case for In Bruges. But this new movie weaponizes fans’ love of how well these two actors work together. The Banshees of Inisherin follows the aftermath of a falling-out between longtime friends Pádraic (Farrell) and Colm (Gleeson).
Colin Farrell was victim to several animal attacks during filming
Weirdly, the falling-out of his and Gleeson’s character mirrored an off-screen relationship between Farrell and Jenny, the donkey who often accompanies his character. At one point, Jenny kicked Farrell in his left knee, with Gleeson labeling the donkey the diva on set. Farrell explained further on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.
“We were friends in the movie and we actually had a good friendship off camera to a point,” Farrell told host Stephen Colbert. “And then it just kind of fell apart two-thirds of the way through. … She kicked me. [Gleeson’s] dog bit me. There’s a horse in the film that tried to reverse me into the cart into the f**king Atlantic Ocean.”
Martin McDonagh’s movie explores the death of a friendship
As The Banshees of Inisherin covers the end of a friendship, McDonagh concedes that his movie is more of a downer than most modern movies. And as he told The Guardian, “No one really tries to make sad films any more.” And despite the lack of a romance between the two leads, McDonagh admits he wanted Pádraic and Colm’s break-up to feel like a tragic love story.
“[I wanted to imbue The Banshees of Inisherin] with all of the sadness of the breakup of a love relationship… because I think we’ve all been both parties in that equation,” McDonagh told The Guardian. “And there’s something horrible about both sides. Like knowing you have to break up with someone is a horrible, horrible thing as well. I’m not sure which is the best place to be in.”
