EILEEN
       WALSH

At the biggest film festival in New York, a low budget film made in Ireland drew many accolades, and its star has become a contender in the Oscar race with a riveting performance.

Eileen Walsh, a native of Cork, Ireland, had no intention of becoming an actress, but after following her sister into the arts, she has received heavy acclaim in the role of Breda, a married woman lacking confidence who over the course of one evening reaches a point where her vows and willpower are put to the test. This past spring, Walsh won Best Actress at the Tribeca Film Festival for her portrayal.

Now with EDEN in limited release in New York and Los Angeles, Walsh traveled to New York and met with the Colonel to discuss EDEN, her character’s strengths and weaknesses, how she landed the role, and gives her thoughts on the arts today.

COLONEL’S CRYPT: What were the biggest challenges and strengths in playing Breda?

EILEEN WALSH: I think her strengths are a vulnerability in an interesting way because I think she’s very honest and she’s very committed to her relationships with her family. The challenge of that is to make them appeal to a modern woman as well. She’s not out to beat her husband or she’s not out to get him jealous. She’s a nice, plain girl who doesn’t aim for the stars. It was in a quiet way to make her appealing on the screen.

CC: Would you describe her then as being a content woman?

EW: I think she would aim to be content but she feels that she’s missing part of the pie. She’s missing that chunk that would make her happy. Day to day we stumble on with our daily lives and then someone would say to you “When was the last time you had sex?” You then realize that you stopped caring and that’s awful. As soon as they actually have that first fight and find that it’ll be OK, then it becomes intent.

CC: If you don’t mind dropping a spoiler here, I felt what Breda did with this sumptuous affair was wrong but was just a mistake and not something she should be punished for.

EW: Absolutely. I think there is something very important as well as she spends the entire movie focusing on her husband and on herself in trying to become more confident. I think for the night that happens when he abandons her, for her to be chosen as a man, to be felt as a sexual meaning must have felt a phenomenal relief that you are a human being outside of being a mother and that there was someone wanting to make love to her aside from it being an apology. I think it’s a great thing as the climax happens she realizes that even those she’s having these fantasies come to life, it’s not coming from the man she wants to have those with.

CC: It’s a testament to your performance in seeing that here is a woman who is committing adultery, yet the audience would feel happy for Breda as she’s going out and having these moments.

EW: Thank you. I feel it is justified although some people have told me that while he is the one who talks about it all the time, I’m the one who actually goes out and does it and it’s not right (laughs). It’s about a human being at the end of the day that needs an emotional connection and I think her Catholic guilt would forever wreck her for that one night.

CC: How did you get the role?

EW: My sister played the part originally on stage. I stabbed her in the back and I took the role from her (laughs).

CC: You’ll fit right in with Hollywood.

EW: (Laughter) She played a phenomenal Breda. I had seen the play three or four times and worked with her. I met Declan Recks and Eugene O’Neill on the set of a show they had produced in Ireland called PURE MULE. When the audition came about, I got an e-mail about it and I didn’t want to do it at first because I thought my sister would kill me. I didn’t want to break her heart. Then she phoned me that day and told me that they were looking for someone younger and she told me to go for it. She was so brilliant about it. I went to the audition that night and I knew I would be 100% guilt free in performing.

CC: Did your sister inspire you to get into acting?

EW: Yes. She left for Dublin when she was 17 and I was 10 at the time. She did theater workshops and soon I followed suit. It’s funny because I swore I would never become an actress because I saw how hard it would be. I got my first job when I was 16 and then I followed her.

CC: The film had a huge response at Tribeca and you won Best Actress at the Festival. What was your reaction to the response?

EW: Getting the film into Tribeca was such an honor and we were all so floored by it. When David Collins, the producer, phoned me to come to the festival for a couple of days, I was excited. I really wanted to come to New York but I didn’t know I was nominated. After the screenings, I went home the night before the awards so I missed them. I woke up the following morning to 18 missed calls on my mobile phone thinking “That’s unusual.” Then my house phone rings and it’s an Irish radio station on the air offering me congratulations for winning Best Actress. I had no idea. The reaction was obviously very, very lovely. However, being here in New York and seeing the response the film has gotten is such a complete thrill. I could never take it away.

CC: Being from Ireland, what is your opinion on American films and would you want to make films in this country?

EW: I’d love to. I love Maggie Gyllenhaal and the choices she makes. I love Felicity Huffman and the choices she makes. I think that there are so many incredible movies. Obviously you have the big budget films done which would be exciting to do but I think there are so many independents, fantastic scripts where it would be incredible to do something here and experience it. Just to come move here would be incredible in itself, and especially to live in a place like New York because it has such a theater spine to it. It’s a thrill for an actor to be there.

CC: New York is an actor’s town.

EW: As opposed to Los Angeles which surprised me. LA can be very intimidating where you’re famous or you’re nobody.

CC: New York you come to make art. Los Angeles you go to become famous.

EW: That’s the thing. I don’t know how I feel about the whole instant fame, BIG BROTHER, MTV type of thing that happens there. If that’s what you want, then fine, but you don’t become an actress for that. If you do, you could be famous by 21 but it’s set up where you’ll be gone by 25. That’s not what you’re interested in. Me, I need theater for my soul. That’s what gives you a long career.

CC: Would you put independent film in the same breath as theater?

EW: Absolutely.

CC: Do you think that audiences will be challenged by the film because there are a lot of people, especially in the general movie going audience, in that will see everything Breda has done, yet will consider her to be evil. Do you agree?

EW: I think so. Some people want a goodie and a baddie in their stories. When it goes off track, it probably pisses them off but life is not black and white. It’s not easy. If that’s what they think, that’s cool but they are hard rules to live by. Some people like to have everything on their plate.

CC: Do you think that films in general should have challenging plotlines that give a lot of thought like EDEN?

EW: Absolutely. One of my favorite movies is IN THE BEDROOM. To se that movie and to see that level of acting, for people to allow you to watch them unfold in front of you, there’s definitely an audience for that because it’s intelligent stuff. There’s plenty of room for all the other types of films too. You need someone to get stoned and you need that kind of romantic comedy but there’s plenty of room for a film like EDEN for an audience.

CC: What would be the ideal project for you?

EW: Anything character driven, exciting, or delicate. Anything that frightens me actually. I don’t have an exact project.

CC: What is coming up for you?

EW: I’m eight months pregnant, that’s what’s next for me.

CC: Congratulations. Do you know the sex?

EW: I already have a little girl. I don’t want to know beforehand. After I give birth and settle back home, I’ll sink to the depths of depravity and collect unemployment (laughs).

CC: Would you consider a move to New York being we talked about it earlier?

EW: Oh absolutely but we just moved to London. My husband is starting a post graduate course on art. We have plenty of friends here but I have to move with work. I wouldn’t want to jump off the deep end and come and try my luck as an actress because New York is a scary town to be unemployed in.

CC: In New York specifically and around the country, many independent filmmakers have embraced the digital medium of High Definition and Mini DV to make their films. As an actress, would you say as long as the role is challenging, you don’t care what the film is shot on?

EW: Yes but as long as it’s a good director. I remember Paul Newman, god rest his soul, talking about working with Sam Mendes on ROAD TO PERDITION that he enjoyed working with him because as an older actor, Sam still held his hand. To hear a man of such importance say that, it’s incredible.

CC: I miss him already.

EW: Me too. He was a giant.

CC: With that, I leave the last word to you.

EW: I’m very happy to talk with you and I’m glad that we’re taking time out to discuss this film. I think that anybody whose married and in a troubled relationship can relate to EDEN so hopefully people will go see it.

CC: Thank you very much Eileen.

EW: You’re welcome.

(Special thanks to Brian Clark at Falco Ink)