Tallaght’s Richard Baneham Wins Third Oscar for Visual Effects on Avatar: Fire and Ash Irish visual effects artist Richard Baneham has secured his third Academy Award for Best Visual Effects for his work on Avatar: Fire and Ash, the latest installment in James Cameron’s science-fiction franchise. This achievement marks the culmination of his contributions to the film, which showcases groundbreaking visual innovations. Baneham, originally from Tallaght in Dublin, served as the film’s visual effects supervisor, playing a pivotal role in translating Cameron’s vision into a visually immersive experience. This Oscar win follows his previous victories for Avatar (2009) and Avatar: The Way of Water (2022). For Fire and Ash, Baneham shared the award with fellow visual effects professionals Joe Letteri, Eric Saindon, and Daniel Barrett, underscoring the collaborative nature of the project. During his acceptance speech, Baneham highlighted the immense scale of the production, acknowledging the dedication of the 2,200 artists involved in the visual effects process. He emphasized the teamwork required across departments to achieve the film’s technical and artistic success. Baneham also expressed gratitude to director James Cameron, crediting him for shaping the film’s visual direction. “Jim Cameron, go raibh míle maith agat,” he said, translating to “Jim Cameron, many thanks to you.” He described Cameron’s influence as integral to every frame of the movie, reflecting the director’s profound impact on the project. Irish political leaders swiftly praised Baneham’s accomplishment. Taoiseach Micheál Martin called the Oscar a “well-deserved win,” while Minister for Culture Patrick O’Donovan highlighted Baneham’s expertise and leadership in advancing Irish contributions to global filmmaking.#michel_martin #avatar_fire_and_ash #richard_baneham #james_cameron #patrick_odonovan
Jessie Buckley’s home town abuzz before Oscars Excitement in Killarney is reaching a fever pitch as the actor prepares to face the world’s most prestigious stage. If Buckley wins the Oscar for best actress on Sunday night, County Kerry will have no need for further proof of a long-held belief: being born in this part of Ireland is the greatest gift one could ever receive. The award would recognize her performance in Hamnet, but for Killarney, her hometown in the county known as the Kingdom, the credit will stretch back to her childhood, when she first acted in local plays. “Hollywood here we come!” declared Kerry’s Eye, a local newspaper, capturing the sense that Buckley’s journey to the 98th Academy Awards has been a collective effort fueled by her talent, determination, and deep roots. The writer John B. Keane once humorously described Kerry heritage as a divine gift with “awesome responsibility”—a sentiment that could be validated if Buckley becomes the first Irish woman to win the award. Sinead Van Bladel, a supermarket worker who crafted Buckley masks for her colleagues, said, “Everyone will tune in—she’s one of our own.” Bookmakers have positioned Buckley as the overwhelming favorite, ahead of Rose Byrne, Emma Stone, Kate Hudson, and Renate Reinsve, for her portrayal of William Shakespeare’s wife, Agnes Hathaway, in the film adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s novel. Only two Irish women have previously won acting Oscars: Brenda Fricker in 1990 for My Left Foot and Maureen O’Hara, who received an honorary Oscar in 2014. For Buckley’s family and friends, the anticipation is tinged with an unspoken question: what if she doesn’t win? “Oh God, the disappointment. We’d of course still be proud, but can you imagine the anticlimax?” said one, who declined to be named. “I don’t want to be blamed for putting a hex on it.#academy_awards #jessie_buckley #killarney #kerry #michel_martin
Lesley Manville says her stage and screen careers 'feed each other' Lesley Manville reflects on the symbiotic relationship between her stage and screen careers, highlighting how both mediums enrich her artistic expression. In the film Midwinter Break, she portrays Stella, a retired couple’s wife, whose marriage unravels during a trip to Amsterdam. Manville discussed her role and career during an interview with NPR, emphasizing her deep connection to relationship-driven storytelling. Manville, 69, spoke with Morning Edition host Michel Martin during rehearsals for Christopher Hampton’s adaptation of Les Liaisons Dangereuses at London’s National Theatre. She has balanced a dual career in theater and film for over five decades, beginning her stage journey as a teenager in the 1972 West End musical I and Albert. Her work has earned her critical acclaim, including an Emmy nomination for her portrayal of Princess Margaret in The Crown and an Oscar nod for her performance in Paul Thomas Anderson’s Phantom Thread. Her stage achievements include multiple Laurence Olivier Award nominations and two Best Actress wins, notably for her role as Jocasta in a modern retelling of Oedipus. The production, set on election night, features a large red clock counting down to polling hours. In the final moments, Manville delivers a harrowing monologue as Jocasta, recounting a secret from her past: being impregnated at 13 by the country’s leader and having her child taken. The scene, performed in silence with the clock ticking behind her, left audiences in stunned silence. Manville described the experience as deeply emotional, noting that each performance of the speech moved her profoundly.#michel_martin #national_theatre #lesley_manville #les_liaisons_dangereuses #phantom_thread
