HOLLYWOOD’S A-LIST TURNS OUT TO HONOR JORDAN, SHERIDAN & HOLMES
St. Patrick’s Day came early to Los Angeles when Neil Jordan, Jim Sheridan and David Holmes were feted Thursday night at “Oscar Wilde: Honoring Irish Writing in Film,” a celebration hosted by the US-Ireland Alliance and sponsored among others by the Irish Film Board.Jodie Foster, Anjelica Huston and Adrian Dunbar paid tribute to the honorees at The Ebell in Los Angeles. Dick Cook, Chairman of the Walt Disney Studios and member of the event’s host committee, was also on hand for what is destined to become THE annual Thursday night party before the Academy Awards®.
Among the 350 plus in attendance were Terrence Howard -- nominated for an Academy Award® for his role in Hustle & Flow -- Howard also starred in Jim Sheridan’s most recent film, Get Rich or Die Tryin’ and he’ll star with Ms. Foster in Neil Jordan’s upcoming film, The Brave One. Daryl Hannah; Colm Meaney; multiple Emmy® winning actress of Six Feet Under, Rachel Griffiths; Fionnuala Flanagan; Jeffrey Caine, nominated for an Academy Award® for screenwriting The Constant Gardener, Academy Award® nominee Martin McDonagh (Irish short film Six Shooter); Samantha Mumba; Damien Rice; David Friendly; Keith Duffy of Boyzone fame; and industry executives: Alan Bergman, Mark Zoradi and many more.
Jordan’s Breakfast on Pluto, starring Cillian Murphy and Liam Neeson, and Sheridan’s Get Rich or Die Tryin’, starring rapper 50 Cent, were both released in the US late last year. Jordan is currently in development on The Brave One for Warner Bros. The film is scheduled to begin production in the summer. Holmes just completed his work on the soundtrack for the next Steven Soderbergh film, The Good German, starring George Clooney and Cate Blanchett.
Simon Perry, CEO the Irish Film Board noted that “An event in Hollywood focused on Irish writing can resound around the world and have an untold cultural and economic impact. Naturally the Irish Film Board has been fully supportive of the US-Ireland Alliance’s smart move in drawing attention to one of the country’s great strengths.”
Naoise Barry, Film Commissioner, the Irish Film Board added: that: "This Irish party is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the depth of talent in the Irish film industry and highlight the recent increased tax incentives for film production in Ireland.” The event will annually honor the craft of writing and expand the existing ties between the entertainment industries in the U.S. and Ireland.
Other sponsors include Quinlan Private, American Airlines, The Irish Film Board, Tourism Ireland, Enterprise Ireland, The Walt Disney Studios and Palm.