"We have a brilliant industry here in Ireland and it's growing all the time." Neasa Hardiman on making Untamed for Netflix
"It was shot just outside Vancouver. There's 550,000 square kilometres of untouched rainforest in British Columbia and we were filming in the most remote places. There was one place where we filmed – when you get to the end, you'll see a beautiful waterfall – and we had to get in on horseback."
Untamed is currently top of the Netflix charts – a huge feather in Neasa's already pretty well-plumed hat – but what is the show about?
"It's six one-hours and it's a complete, nail-biting rollercoaster ride, set against the backdrop of this incredible North American wilderness. And it's actually set in Yosemite – although we filmed it outside Vancouver – and Yosemite itself is huge, it's bigger than the county of Limerick and it has the same kind of thing, this like, wild landscape."
Here's something that Neasa revealed to Brendan that you probably didn't know: every national park in the US has an FBI agent assigned to them just in case something happens and, well, an FBI investigation is needed. In Untamed, the FBI agent assigned to Yosemite is a man called Kyle Turner, played by Eric Bana, who's struggling with his own issues even before he's called to investigate the discovery of a body in the famous park:
"He's an outdoors man and he's very strong and he's kind of able for everything but he's struck by this very deep grief and he kind of has no language for what he's feeling. And so the deeper story that's there is whether we can learn to live with the kind of powerlessness that we have over the terrible tragedies that will strike us all over the course of our lives."
Neasa, Brendan tells us, began her career in RTÉ. She was hired out of college as a designer – she designed the current RTÉ logo – and then became a producer-director, working on Prime Time, the Eurovision and Fair City. She moved into working in the UK, but always stayed living in Ireland:
"I have always lived in Ireland. My husband's in Ireland, my brothers and sisters are in Ireland, my kids are in Ireland because why would you not? Do we not live in one of the loveliest places in the world and the quality of life here is amazing."
Working in the UK was a step Neasa felt she needed to take in order to get the sort of work she wanted. And when that work is a show like Happy Valley – for which she won a Bafta – you have to think the years spent commuting to the UK were worth it.
Now, of course, Neasa is directing dramas for the biggest streaming service in the known universe. How did that come about, Brendan wants to know.
"Irish people are natural storytellers. We know how to do it. It's really important that you're able to tell a good story. So we have a head start already. So if you're interested in storytelling and if you're interested in image-making and if you're interested in music and you're interested in technological innovation and all those things and you're kind of thinking, 'I don't know what to do,' consider writing and directing for the screen. It's incredibly exciting and we have a brilliant industry here in Ireland and it's growing all the time."
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The Irish Sun
4 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Key points ‘missing' from Netflix doc could prove what really happened to Amy Bradley when she vanished from cruise ship
IMPORTANT details left out of the Netflix documentary about missing American Amy Lynn Bradley could prove how she vanished on a cruise ship almost 30 years ago, an expert has claimed. Amy was 23 when she disappeared from the Royal Caribbean's Rhapsody of the Seas on March 21, 1998, during a family trip. 5 Netflix series Amy Bradley is Missing has been a huge hit with true crime fans Credit: Netflix 5 The 23-year-old was last seen on the balcony of the cabin she shared with her family Credit: Netflix 5 Author James Renner has been researching the case for his new book Credit: James Renner The case has left the true crime community scratching their heads for years, and the three-part series is one of the most-watched on the streaming service. Wannabe lawyer and true crime fan Kim Kardashian is even said to have been courted to help try and crack the case, according to TMZ, amid conspiracy theories that Amy was sex-trafficked. But author and YouTuber James Renner, who has done extensive research on the case and is set to release a new book next year, believes there could be a simpler answer. In an exclusive chat with The U.S. Sun, he said, "I think it's very interesting when you look at the facts of the case, such a small detail that doesn't seem to mean anything, but it might mean everything. "They make a big point of saying that the balcony door was ajar in the morning, but they also suggest that Amy then left the room without telling anybody. "But if you've ever been on a cruise ship, you know that there are warning plaques in your room that say, 'Do not open the cabin door when the balcony doors open.' Because the hallway is pressurized. "So, if you open that cabin door, it creates a wind tunnel. And it often causes the cabin door to slam shut. "In fact, some people have lost fingers because it slammed shut so hard. "You cannot quietly leave a cabin room with the balcony door open. It would've woken everybody up." During his research for the book, Renner says he spoke to cruise staff who were briefed about what the FBI found in the cabin when they dusted it for prints. The FBI appeal for information on the Amy Lynn Bradley case - a Virginia woman who disappeared 20 years ago He alleged, "On the railing, they found Amy's palm prints, and on the glass door, they found her footprints. "So it appears that she was sitting on the balcony with her feet against the glass. "So it's possible that she kicked off. And when she kicked off, the door opened a little bit. "I think it's possible she sat on the railing. I think what we might be looking at here is what the French call 'l'appel du vide' which we call 'call of the void.' "I think it's possible. She had a really rough night. She'd been drinking. She had a very big decision to make when she got home from that cruise ship. "And that was, does she live her life out in the open as a gay woman? Which is how she identified to everybody. "She didn't identify as bi, she identified as gay and lesbian. "So does she live that life and risk disappointing her parents and not having that close relationship? Or does she live a lie and turn her back on who she really is? So all that's going on in her mind. I think she's sitting on that balcony thinking, 'What if?' and by pushing off she causes action." Author James Renner "I think she's sitting there out on that balcony. When you're in places like that, just like when you're standing on the edge of a cliff, there is that voice inside you sometimes. that comes up and says, 'What if?' "I think she's sitting on that balcony thinking, 'What if?' and by pushing off she causes action." Renner explained that once you're overboard on a cruise ship, there is only about a 20 per cent chance you're going to survive being in the rough waters long enough to be pulled out. "So, I think that's what happened. I think it's likely she went overboard earlier when they were further from the port." He said he will discuss his theory in full in his book, A Cruise to Nowhere, which will be released next summer. He said, "I talk about some stories where eyewitness testimony was faulty, and it's because memory doesn't work like it does on TV and film, where you see this flashback in technicolor. "Every time we access a memory, we rewrite it a little bit. "These people have the best intentions. They want to help this family. But you know, they're coming at it backwards, they've been shown the picture of Amy, and then it matches up with this memory in their mind.' On the theory that Amy was kidnapped and sex-trafficked, Renner claims there is no verified account of a caucasian woman being abducted and trafficked in the Caribbean. I do think that if Amy had lived, she'd probably be with her partner Molly." Author James Renner "This would be a first, which is very unlikely," he said. "It's just not worth the trouble. A white woman is gonna stand out in Grenada, and it's not worth the risk for the people that do this. "They have plenty of women from the Dominican Republic, from Columbia, from these poor countries, that can go there and make more money than their family could in a year working a couple of weeks for these brothels." Renner met with the Bradley family while researching his book several months ago, but he alleges they cut contact with him after an initial meeting. "I came to care for the Bradley family quite a bit. Iva [Amy's mom] is the type of person that loves hard," he said. "I met with them about a year ago and was invited to their house, and had lunch with them." He claims that before he arrived, Iva told him anyone who is invited into their home was considered family, a comment he did not take lightly and he was hoping to build a relationship with them. "Unfortunately, once they learned that I knew that Amy was gay and that I had spoken to her partners, that was the last contact I had with them," he claims. The U.S. Sun has reached out to Amy's family for comment, but did not hear back. Top theories relating to Amy Bradley's disappearance From suicide to sex-trafficking, there have been many theories about what happened to the 23-year-old. Sex-trafficking/Abduction - this is the most prominent theory, as alleged witnesses have come forward to claim they have seen her with suspicious men in the Caribbean. A photograph of a woman with strikingly similar features was also posted on a sex worker website and featured in the Netflix doc. - this is the most prominent theory, as alleged witnesses have come forward to claim they have seen her with suspicious men in the Caribbean. A photograph of a woman with strikingly similar features was also posted on a sex worker website and featured in the Netflix doc. Suicide - Amy was allegedly struggling with stress after coming out as a gay woman to her family, and they found it difficult to accept. She was reportedly drinking and chain-smoking in the weeks leading up to her disappearance. She was also last seen in her family's cabin smoking on the balcony, and there is no proof she ever left. - Amy was allegedly struggling with stress after coming out as a gay woman to her family, and they found it difficult to accept. She was reportedly drinking and chain-smoking in the weeks leading up to her disappearance. She was also last seen in her family's cabin smoking on the balcony, and there is no proof she ever left. Accidental Overboard - Amy was under the influence of alcohol when she was on the balcony after a night of partying in the ship's nightclub. She may have climbed up while intoxicated and fallen overboard. However, this is considered the least likely theory due to the height of the balcony and Amy's reported fear of heights. - Amy was under the influence of alcohol when she was on the balcony after a night of partying in the ship's nightclub. She may have climbed up while intoxicated and fallen overboard. However, this is considered the least likely theory due to the height of the balcony and Amy's reported fear of heights. Voluntary Departure - It has also been suggested that Amy may have intentionally left the ship to start a new life after revealing her sexuality to her family. The documentary explores this theory as a mystery internet user with an IP address linked to Barbados would often spend minutes on pages of the website created by her family every year on Christmas and Thanksgiving. "It's very sad. I do think that if Amy had lived, she'd probably be with her partner Molly, and I hope she would've had the support of her family." Asked what drew him to the case, Renner said he likes unsolved mysteries that are "giant puzzle boxes." "It could be that they walked away to start a new life. It could be they committed suicide. It could be they were abducted. It could be they were murdered. So everything's on the table. "And those cases intrigue me because they're very rare. And, you know, one of the reasons they're still like that is because they haven't been properly investigated. "So what I like to do is just chip away at some of those other theories and see what's left. "And for me, I've narrowed [it] down, what happened to Amy Bradley ... to the point where I don't believe she ever came off that balcony. "I think it's highly likely that she is responsible for whatever took place there." Renner also previously spoke to The U.S. Sun about the now-debunked theory that Amy was taken from the ship and sex-trafficked by a bass player called Alister Douglas, known then by his nickname "Yellow". He took the same journey as Amy on the Rhapsody of the Seas and tracked Douglas down in Grenada, where the now-reverend granted him a brief interview. Douglas claimed the case had turned his life upside down, and he was still receiving hate from trolls online despite being ruled out by the FBI on more than one occasion. Tearing up, he admitted, "I've lost so many opportunities because of this," explaining that people Google his name and believe he had something to do with Amy going missing. "My inbox, my Facebook, people have been writing me horrible stuff for years." 5 Amy Bradley disappeared 27 years ago while on vacation with her parents and brother Credit: Netflix
Sunday World
6 hours ago
- Sunday World
Wednesday star says ‘weather is s***ty in Ireland' but she reveals 2am pub session
'By the end I was like singing in a pub at two in the morning with a group of people I had never met before.' ACTRESS Jenna Ortega has revealed that the downside of filming Wednesday in Ireland was the weather here – but on the plus loved partying here until the early hours. Jenna (22) appeared on American TV's Step[hen Colbert show where the host asked her where she filmed the new season of Wednesday. 'Dublin, Ireland, very different,' she told him. 'I was there for seven months, eight months. 'I love it there. I feel like if the weather wasn't so s***ty I would probably get….' Colbert interrupted her and joked 'where's my swear jar?'. Jenna Ortega plays the lead role in 'Wednesday'. Photo: Netflix News in 90 Seconds - Aug 9th The comedian agreed the weather here 'is a little rough' in Ireland and that's why you wear a 'chunky sweater' here. Asked if she loves the Irish accent, she replied: 'I actually love the Irish accent. 'I think people are just being jerks when they say they can't understand what they're saying. It's very clear. 'Even their music. I remember when I went there, I didn't like Guinness or anything like that – I hate beer – and by the end I was like singing in a pub at two in the morning with a group of people I had never met before.' Colbert smiled, 'well, Guinness is better than beer, it's a loaf of bread in a cup'. To which Jenna raved: 'Oh my God, that's what my friends says, she says it's a sandwich in a glass'. Jennea stars Wednesday Addams, a teenager who possesses psychic powers. The show, filmed in Ireland, drops on Netflix today, and Lumley says its 'slightly surreal, unreal quality sits very well on Irish shoulders." Season two of Wednesday, which started streaming this week was filmed at various locations around counties Wicklow, Dublin and Offaly. "The combination of sets and locations give it that kind of off-kilter vibe', says director Tim Burton. 'The landscape here is sensational, so beautiful, so nostalgic," adds Luis Guzmán, who plays Gomez Addams. Jenna, who plays the lead role in the series, adds: 'Ireland itself is such a wild and poetic country,' says Joanna Lumley, who plays Morticia Addams' mother, Hester Frump adds: 'Ireland itself is such a wild and poetic country.' Wednesday is based on characters from the cartoon created by cartoonist Charles Addams and the 1964 television series produced by David Levy. The first season of Wednesday, which was shot primarily in Romania, centred on Wednesday Addams as a student at Nevermore Academy, a school for outcasts. She attempts to master her emerging psychic ability, thwart a monstrous killing spree, and solve a supernatural mystery from her parents' past, all the while building close friendships with her fellow Nevermore students, such as Eugene Ottinger and Enid Sinclair. The show follows her attempts to master her psychic abilities, navigate the mysteries of Nevermore, and solve a series of murders in the nearby town of Jericho. The series is known for its gothic aesthetic and dark humour, with Wednesday's black and white wardrobe contrasting with the colourful world around her. In the second season, Wednesday returns to Nevermore and while developing her psychic abilities she must face a new tormentor and prevent Enid's death. The Addams family was also a movie released in 1991, with Anjelica Huston nominated for a Golden Globe for her performance as Morticia Addams.
Extra.ie
9 hours ago
- Extra.ie
As Wednesday premieres on Netflix, what does Jenna Ortega think of Ireland?
Jenna Ortega has opened up about filming Wednesday in Ireland — including her assessment of Guinness, the weather and the Irish accent. The star filmed season two of the Addams Family adaptation for Netflix around the country last year, with her saying that she stayed in Dublin for nearly a year. Now, with the release of the show earlier this week (on Wednesday, of course), Jenna has spoken about filming and staying in the capital, including her thoughts on the weather, our accents, and Guinness. @colbertlateshow Jenna Ortega recalls the craics of filming @wednesdaynetflix Season 2 in Ireland. #Colbert #JennaOrtega #Wednesday ♬ original sound – colbertlateshow 'I love it there,' Jenna told Stephen Colbert. 'I feel like if the weather wasn't so sh*tty, they'd probably get a ton of people coming,' she joked, before talking about her love for the Irish accent. 'I love the Irish accent. I think people are just being jerks when they say they can't understand what [Irish people] are saying. It's very clear,' with Stephen interjecting 'I don't even care what they're saying, it sounds like singing to me when they just talk.' Jenna even got to have the most Irish experience ever, saying 'I remember it was so weird when I went there I didn't even like Guinness or anything like that — I hate beer — and by the end [of filming], I was singing in a pub at two in the morning with a group of people I had never met before.' Jenna Ortega has opened up about filming Wednesday in Ireland — including her assessment of Guinness, the weather and the Irish accent. Pic: Netflix Stephen summed up Guinness pretty well, in fairness; joking to Jenna, it's like a loaf of bread in a cup' — with Jenna agreeing, saying 'that's what my friend says, she says it's like a sandwich in a glass.' The series filmed its second season in Ireland, and was camped up in Ashford studios for most of the shoot, with locations such as Powerscourt Falls in Enniskerry, Deansgrange Cemetery in Dublin and the Wicklow countryside set to play huge parts in the film. Jenna was also spotted a few times around the country during filming, which included her heading to Chappell Roan's gig in the 3Olympia theatre and cuddling up to some puppies in Wicklow. Jenna was spotted around the country during filming last month, which included her petting some puppies in Wicklow and enjoying Chappell Roan's concert in Dublin. Pic: GMCD The Irish Working Sheepdogs shared adorable photos of Jenna and the pups to their Instagram back in October, captioning the pics 'Look who popped in to say hi and see the dogs at work @jennaortega !!!' 'We were so happy to have the wonderful Jenna and friends come and see the demonstration during their stay here in Ireland.' Wednesday season two is now available on Netflix.
