Minister John O’Donoghue (TD) visits set of major TV series THE TUDORS
John O’Donoghue (TD) Minister for Arts Sport and Tourism, today visited the set of the major TV series THE TUDORS, starring Irish Golden Globe winner Jonathan Rhys-Meyers (MISSION IMPOSSIBLE III) and Sam Neill (Jurassic Park), currently filming in Ardmore Studios.THE TUDORS is a major TV series focusing on the turbulent early years of King Henry VIII's reign as King of England and is filming in Dublin, Wicklow and Ardmore Studios. The production, which received finance from the Irish Film Board, is filming in Ireland for five months and has an overall budget of c. €29 million. Over €19 million of the budget will be spent in Ireland on Irish personnel, goods and services, and 95% of the Head’s of Department on the production are Irish production talent.
Irish directors Ciaran Donnelly (Cold Feet, Proof) and Brian Kirk (Middletown) will direct episodes of the series, along with Emmy®-winning television director Charles McDougall (Desperate Housewives). Other Irish actors in the production include Maria Doyle Kennedy (TARA ROAD).
“We are delighted to see a significant increase in production activity in Ireland which is the direct result of the improvements made to the Irish tax incentive Section 481, aswell as the supplementary funding awarded to the Irish Film Board late last year” said John O‘Donoghue, Minister for Arts Sport and Tourism.
“THE TUDORS is generating major employment within the Irish film industry and has contributed approximately €19 million to the Irish economy. We’re delighted that Showtime has chosen to locate THE TUDORS in Ireland and we’d also like to congratulate the Irish co-producers Morgan O’Sullivan and James Flynn for securing this major project for Ireland" said Naoise Barry, Film Commissioner, Irish Film Board.
“We are very happy that Showtime, who previously financed The Roman Spring of Mrs Stone, have returned to film in Ireland again. We’re also very keen that Irish directors, previously nurtured by the Irish Film Board, have the opportunity to work on a major US television series in Ireland” said Morgan O’Sullivan, Producer TM Productions.
THE TUDORS is an Irish Canadian co-production produced for Showtime, in association with TM Productions, with finance from Peace Arch Entertainment and Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board. The series will be broadcast on Showtime in early 2007.