Screen International and Screen Ireland reveal 2025 Rising Stars Ireland line-up
Posted: 7th May 2025
Screen International, in association with Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland, has unveiled the filmmakers and actors selected for the 2025 Rising Stars Ireland talent spotlight.
10 emerging actors, directors, producers and writers who are on the verge of their major professional breakthrough have been selected. Those chosen are all either Irish nationals and/or based full-time on the Island of Ireland.
Rising Stars Ireland is a biannual joint initiative from Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland and Screen International, and is an offshoot of Screen’s UK & Ireland Stars of Tomorrow programme. The inaugural edition ran in 2023.
Read more about each 2025 Rising Star below:
- Lewis Brophy (actor)
- Katelyn Rose Downey (actor)
- Niamh McCormack (actor)
- Jeanne Ní Áinle (actor)
- Ollie West (actor)
- Louise Bagnall (director)
- Nathan Fagan (writer/director)
- Evan Horan (producer)
- Cara Loftus (writer)
- Hannah Mamalis (writer/director/actor)
The selection was made by Screen’s executive editor, reviews and talent, Fionnuala Halligan, who has overseen the trade publication’s UK talent selection for the last 15 years.
Halligan said:
“Ireland is having more than a moment on screen, as the single-monikered status of its stars attests — Barry! Cillian! Saoirse! Colin! Paul! (Admittedly, the last two might need a qualifying Farrell and Mescal.) Supported in every sense of the word by Screen Ireland, Rising Stars Ireland received more than double the number of applicants for this second iteration.”
Désirée Finnegan, Chief Executive of Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland, said:
"Screen Ireland is delighted to congratulate the 10 actors, directors, writers and producers selected for the second edition of Rising Stars Ireland, in partnership with Screen International. This is a time when Irish creatives are truly being recognised as a cultural force to be reckoned with. We're incredibly proud to showcase this new wave of emerging talent, both on screen and behind the camera, to the world."
The Irish film sector has continued to blossom since the inaugural edition of Rising Stars Ireland in 2023: an Oscar win for Cork’s Cillian Murphy (Oppenheimer); Small Things Like These opening the Berlinale; a ‘final five’ Oscar nomination for An Cailín Ciúin (The Quiet Girl); and the multi-award success of Kneecap.
To celebrate this year’s Rising Stars, Crá’s Dónall Ó Héalai (a Screen Star of Tomorrow in 2020) dropped by the photoshoot to speak as a mentor to this year’s cohort.
With thanks to Lis na Carrig estate for providing the location for the shoot.