I was only meant to be on Fair City for a month – Matthew O'Brien on daughter's epic reaction & surprise side hustle

The Irish Sun

22-07-2025

HE might play one of Carrigstown's most slippery characters, but Matthew O'Brien says he's just as shocked by James Rafferty's twists and turns as the rest of us.
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Matthew O'Brien plays James Rafferty on RTE's Fair City
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Matthew has been acting since he was a teen
And if there's one thing Matthew has learned from his time playing the notorious Carrigstown character, it's how to keep everyone guessing — including himself.
The 40-year-old told the Irish Sun: "It's a bit of a rollercoaster, I try as best I can not to read too far ahead.
"We usually get scripts a week or two in advance, sometimes longer, sometimes shorter. I just take it as it comes."
For O'Brien, that spontaneity is part of what makes the role so electrifying, with his character James currently wrapped up in a daddy dilemma after old flame Holly arrived in Carrigstown claiming he was the father of her six-year-old child Milo.
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The actor, who joined Fair City during the
Matthew said: "James was only meant to be in the show for about one or two months, but five years later, I'm still here. It's a wonderful evolution and the writing's been very good for me."
Despite the thrill of playing one of Carrigstown's most unpredictable characters, there are moments when fiction bleeds awkwardly into real life.
When it comes to being noticed by viewers of the soap in public, O'Brien joked: "It's a lot of expletives. The charming terms of endearment that only Irish people can do.
"I get an awful lot of, excuse the language, 'little b****cks' on the street."
But O'Brien isn't fazed, adding: "He is a villain, but the way they've written him is quite good.
"He's a cheeky fecker as well. There are so many layers to him. He's so much craic to play. I describe James as traffic that just veers into oncoming traffic."
That chaotic energy contrasts with O'Brien's home life in Dublin, where he raises six-year-old daughter Luna and son Lucas who's four.
He says they're still figuring out what it means to see their dad on screen.
He explained: "My daughter, Luna, is really into it. She'll ask, 'Is that real? Did they really do that?' She doesn't know the difference between reality and fiction yet.
"When my character got married on the show, she made me re-watch it nine times. Then she asked, 'That's not really your wife daddy, is it?'"
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Matthew was originally predicted to stay on Fair City for a 'couple of months'
O'Brien says Luna has already shown signs of following in his footsteps, saying "she's taken a huge interest in acting lately" though he jokes he was secretly hoping for a more traditional path like "a dentist or a doctor".
Reflecting on his own journey, O'Brien credits his parents for giving him the freedom to pursue his passion, saying: "I was very fortunate to have parents who let me do what I felt I needed to do.
"But I do worry about it as a career. People think acting is an easy path — it's not. But it's very rewarding."
NEAR MISS
His break on Fair City almost didn't happen. Years ago, he auditioned for a different role but didn't get it.
The TV star said: "It was a juicy little part. I didn't get it and thought, 'Well, that's the end of Fair City for me'."
Then, during the Covid pandemic, he auditioned again and days later got the call from
While acting is his main gig, O'Brien is far from idle during his "down weeks" and told how he enjoys "model-making" during his spare time, making props for various shows.
He explained: 'I do a lot of model-making and custom art pieces. I make dollhouses, props — I'm a consummate potterer."
And beyond the soap set, O'Brien has shared the screen with some serious A-listers, including Golden Globe winner
Speaking on the experience, Matthew delved into detail of working on set with Farrell on Yorgos Lanthimos' comedy drama The Lobster.
A-LIST PALS
He said: "I was in a scene with him, we were in a forest for about a week, it's nuts, it was a fantastic experience.
"We shot down in Kerry. His room was about two rooms up from mine. So every morning I do that obligatory Irish nod and grunt.
"But he was so cool and lovely."
He continued: "I remember in the scene we did I was stuck in a bear trap and my leg was basically being clamped down, there's blood everywhere and I'm screaming.
"I was screaming and screaming, screaming all day and at one point I remember looking to get some feedback from Yorgo in terms of, 'is this okay?' And I remember Colin came over and he just said, 'you're doing great'.
"It was just really nice because he could see that I was looking for that little bit of reassurance."
He gushed: "What makes him such a great actor is his depth of character and his ability to access his flaws, which I think is lovely. I think he's a very open person."
Another surprising brush with fame came when Matthew worked on Sally Rooney's TV adapted series Conversations With Friends with actor
He said: "I was in a scene with Joe and he was talking to me all day and I was chatting away to him. I had no idea Joe Alwyn went out with Taylor Swift.
"And I was there busy talking about my girlfriend at the time. I was like, 'Oh yeah, are you seeing anyone?' and he goes, 'Oh yeah, I'm seeing someone. She's a singer'."
He laughed: "In my head, I was like, 'Oh, grand. She's like a bar singer', but it transpired that he was going out with Taylor f****ng Swift."
'NO GUARANTEE'
Despite the occasional celebrity run-in, O'Brien remains grounded in the fast-paced world of Irish television.
He added: "Every director is different. Every set is different. What I love about Fair City is the speed.
"We get stuck into it. Otherwise, it's a long day of doing nothing — you get paid to wait around, not just act."
As for his future on the soap, O'Brien is happy where he is but can't promise he will be sticking around in the long run.
Matthew said: "I'm not being facetious — I don't think there are any guarantees in any line of work these days. I have no idea. I take it as it comes.
"I'm grateful for what I have. That's pretty much how I approach it."
And while he's rubbing shoulders with A-listers like Colin Farrell and unknowingly swapping love-life stories with Taylor Swift's ex, Matthew says he's happiest mucking in on set — or making dollhouses at home.
Whether he's dodging plot twists or bear traps, one thing's for sure — O'Brien's not taking a second of it for granted.
He said: 'I'm just grateful to be here."
He added: "I've no idea what's coming next — but that's half the fun."
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Matthew still remains as a leading character on the hit show