Domnhall Gleeson is one of those guys. You’ve seen him in something, even if you don’t know his name. He’s worked on movies, both big-tent pole franchises and Little Indies, and he’s also been on TV in shows like black mirror or Run. With an incredibly diverse career and a bright future ahead of it, now is a good time to take a look at Domnhall Gleeson’s best performances, ranked:
8 The Revenant
Frontiersman Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio) is left for dead after being mauled by a grizzly bear. Glass survives and decides to take revenge on those who left him behind. The Revenant is known for two things: is the movie that won Leo his Oscar; and also the movie with the incredible sequence where he is attacked by a bear. But there is much more to it. The film was shot by Emmanuel Luzbeki, one of the greatest filmmakers ever, and has great supporting performances from Tom Hardy and Gleeson. Gleeson plays the leader of the falling party as someone who only wants his team and him to survive, and he’ll do anything to make it happen. His integrity is what sustains the character in this not-so-fun and epic film.
7 never leave me
This sci-fi film tells the story of three young college students who ‘grew up’ on a futuristic farm, all the way to their early adulthood days when they discover what the world wants from them. Based on the book of the same name by Kazuo Ishiguro and with a script by Alex Garland, this movie has some incredible twists, which we want you to discover for yourself (no spoilers here). never leave me has an impressive cast that includes a young Keira Knightley, Carey Mulligan and Andrew Garfield. Gleeson has a small role, but one you’ll remember for his devastating and heartbreaking performance.
6 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows Part 1 & 2
What can be said about the Harry Potter franchise that hasn’t been said before? Let’s just say it has one of the best and most satisfying franchise endings and it was a trampoline for many British actors to get known. That’s how it worked for Gleeson, who in Harry Potter and the Cavities of Death (Parts 1 & 2) plays Bill Weasley, one of Ron’s (Rupert Grint) older brothers. Although it’s a smaller role, Gleeson fits right in and has one of the most emotional moments in the final film. Harry Potter also allowed Gleeson to share the screen with his father, the one and only Brendan Gleeson.
5 Star Wars: The Force Awakens
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A new generation of rebels, including Finn (John Boyega) and Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), and led by Scavenger Rey (Daisy Ridley), must unite to fight the New Empire with the help of some old warriors like Han Solo ( Harrison Ford) and Chewbacca. This was another big tent pole franchise and another supporting role for Gleeson. In Star Wars: The Force Awakens, he plays General Hux, a space Nazi who hates Kylo Ren (Adam Driver). Gleeson has a petty, jealous relationship with Driver’s character, one that could have been so named Star Wars: Mean Girls. His character is blunt and spiteful, showing us what kind of people are seduced by the power of the empire. Gleeson makes a meal of his cunning and creates a character where we cheer for his demise, and that has its merits in its own right.
4 Frank
Jon (Gleeson) is the new keyboardist of a quirky music group called The Soronprfbs. The band is led by vocalist Frank (Michael Fassbender), a man who always, always, always wears a giant papier-mâché mask. Frank was one of Gleeson’s first lead roles, as you follow him into the madness that is Frank’s world. Fassbender steals the show as Frank, but it’s through Gleeson’s character that you understand the method to the madness; the real heart behind the papier-mâché mask, and thereby the surrealism that a music band can promote. About the performance of Gleeson, the director, Lenny Abrahamson told IFTN: “I think Domhnall is a remarkable actor, and in ‘Frank’ he negotiates such a complex series of tonal shifts and changes throughout the film. Really, as an audience you have to be with him even when he does some pretty nasty stuff, and Domhnall manages to keep you there even if you really can’t approve of what he’s doing.”
3 Brooklyn
Ellis Lacey (Saoirse Ronan in an Oscar-nominated performance) is an Irish immigrant who moves to Brooklyn and falls in love with Tony (Emory Cohen). When she returns to Ireland, Jim (Gleeson) begins courting her and she must decide where and with whom she wants to have a life. Brooklyn is based on a book of the same name by Colm Tóibín, and Gleeson’s role isn’t the greatest, but he nails it. He has the hardest part in the movie because he shows up late and has to look like a real possibility to Ellis to leave his husband and go live in America. His charming, understated performance shows us why she doubts her future. Gleeson and Ronan are a fellow Irishman, Saoirse Ronan told Deadline: “I knew Domhnall before. There were a few things that we tried to work on together that we couldn’t get to, and the community at home is so small that you know everyone anyway.”
2 Ex machine
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Caleb (Gleeson) is a programmer who wins a week in the state of his CEO. There he meets the leader of his company, Nathan (Oscar Isaac), and his latest creation Eva (Alicia Vikander). Ex machine is an incredible ride, with three top performances in one of the greatest sci-fi movies of all time. The film is written and directed by Alex Garland, who has written three incredibly different parts, and Gleeson makes the most of his (Isaac and Vikander are also on top of their game). Gleeson gives a low-key performance, trying not to show all of his character’s insecurities, doubts, and his own perceived smallness (especially to his loud, macho boss), but they’re there, and he shows them to us, through small gestures and expressions that make us feel some empathy for him, even if he is far from perfect.
1 About time
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A shy English twenty-something named Tim discovers that the men in his family can go back in time. How will he use this power to change his own life? About time may seem like a gimmicky movie, but uses time travel for humor, love and heart. It starts out as a light comedy, but as the film evolves, it touches on heavier themes such as love, pain, death and memories. Gleeson is great as a protagonist, portraying the many emotions that anyone can find in life. Who would have thought that this lanky, red-haired man could make a great romantic lead? His chemistry with Mary (Rachel McAdams in one of her best performances ever) is unprecedented. Just like the one with Bill Nighy, who plays his father and has some of the most touching and sad moments. It’s a great romantic comedy, but it’s also much more. We laughed, we cried and we fell in love with Tim, Mary and their love story. It’s in large part due to Gleeson’s performance, where he shows off everything he can do as an actor and has been doing since.