:00:03. > :00:13.This programme contains some strong language and some scenes which some
:00:13. > :00:19.
:00:19. > :00:29.This programme contains some strong language and some scenes which some
:00:29. > :00:30.
:00:30. > :00:37.viewers may find upsetting. This programme contains some strong
:00:37. > :00:40.language and some scenes which some Ever since she lit up the cinema
:00:40. > :00:43.screen as Bernie, the backing singer in Alan Parker's seminal
:00:43. > :00:48.movie The Commitments, Bronagh Gallagher was determined, driven.
:00:48. > :00:53.Destined to make a life for herself on stage and on camera. The Derry
:00:53. > :00:55.born actress is picky about the parts she plays. She has worked
:00:55. > :01:05.with Hollywood A-listers like John Travolta, Glenn Close and Dustin
:01:05. > :01:25.
:01:25. > :01:27.Hoffman. Her remarkable career Music has been a passion since
:01:27. > :01:32.childhood. Well-established as a singer-songwriter, she is currently
:01:32. > :01:42.touring and promoting her second album. And loving the challenge of
:01:42. > :01:43.
:01:43. > :01:48.singing her own songs to live So what makes the down-to-earth
:01:48. > :01:51.girl from the Creggan estate such an enduring star? In an Art Show In
:01:51. > :02:01.Conversation special, we take a closer look at an amazing journey
:02:01. > :02:16.
:02:16. > :02:20.from Derry to Tinseltown. Broadway Hopefully, this year will be a
:02:20. > :02:29.great success for the reasons that it was given to the city, that it
:02:29. > :02:39.will leave a legacy of production. Yet any Joanna of business, that it
:02:39. > :02:49.shows what talent we have. That it boasts the economy in some way.
:02:49. > :03:13.
:03:13. > :03:17.And we had your own mum, who was my speech and drama teacher. She
:03:17. > :03:21.remembers you well. My parents would always try to find
:03:21. > :03:24.alternative things for us to do in the city. We were all more or less
:03:24. > :03:27.involved in arts and artistic staff. My parents would take us to the
:03:28. > :03:35.gallery and any shows that came to town.
:03:35. > :03:41.Saw this girl is Creggan born and raised, finds these like minded
:03:41. > :03:46.people in Derry, why not just stay there? I grew up and the Bogside,
:03:46. > :03:54.went to school in the Creggan, and there was a wonderful film crew
:03:54. > :04:00.working in the area. They made a fantastic award-winning film and I
:04:00. > :04:05.was babysitting at the time when the movie was being done. They were
:04:05. > :04:10.approved -- they were approached by a young director, who was making a
:04:10. > :04:14.movie, and my name was put forward. I was then offered a part in
:04:14. > :04:19.another film. I said I could not because I was going to the National
:04:19. > :04:23.Theatre, but someone spoke some sense into me. People speak about
:04:23. > :04:29.The Commitments as being your big break. But there was a substantial
:04:29. > :04:35.body of work. I was working about one year before, starting when I
:04:35. > :04:40.was 16, about four films, two on television, and some work for the
:04:40. > :04:49.BBC. Your big break his The Commitments, is that fair to say?
:04:49. > :04:53.My goodness, absolutely. How many opportunities to actors get?
:04:53. > :05:00.Working with Alan Parker, one of the world's biggest directors. How
:05:00. > :05:08.did that come about? We finished conditions, -- finished the
:05:08. > :05:11.auditions. As Alan Parker walk past, and one actress knocked a drink
:05:11. > :05:18.over another, then one of them hit me, and we were laughing and
:05:18. > :05:24.giggling. As he walked past, he saw that. We did not realise he was
:05:24. > :05:28.looking at us. And that was it. He told us that was the clincher. We
:05:28. > :05:34.just look like friends. And we still are friends. It is all about
:05:34. > :05:42.chemistry. CHEERING.
:05:42. > :05:49.I looked in the mirror and did not recognise myself. I do not know if
:05:49. > :05:57.I could get my dress off. There will be plenty of volunteers.
:05:57. > :06:03.When I -- after their audition, I was trying to get that particular
:06:03. > :06:08.Dublin accent. You have been missing rehearsals.
:06:08. > :06:14.You can see why! My mother is pregnant, my dad is in the hospital,
:06:14. > :06:21.I am the only one bringing money in. It is difficult, but hard having
:06:21. > :06:27.three backing singers when only two shore up. You are not dumping me.
:06:27. > :06:37.It was such an ensemble cast. And you were all starting to sing,
:06:37. > :06:53.
:06:53. > :07:01.MUSIC: "Destination Anywhere". It was one of the first major
:07:01. > :07:04.feature films to be shot in Dublin. The cast and crew, everyone was one
:07:04. > :07:09.and Parker is a great leader, and it was a great movie. We knew at
:07:09. > :07:19.the time it was special. following year, we have the
:07:19. > :07:37.
:07:37. > :07:44.television drama, You, Me & Marley. The character you play, she seems
:07:44. > :07:50.to be as wild as the rest of them. It is so talented.
:07:50. > :07:56.Do you think our children will be as small as us? Probably at first.
:07:56. > :08:01.And probably joy riding. They will not.
:08:01. > :08:05.It is about how education is the key. And it is what you make it
:08:05. > :08:12.yourself. If I went to university in England,
:08:12. > :08:18.although I am not going to. But if I did, would you get a job near me?
:08:18. > :08:21.I was always told us a child to get my education. Get that behind due.
:08:21. > :08:27.Because it is a freedom. If you have your exams and career behind
:08:27. > :08:32.your belt, you can go anywhere. you feel at 18, 19, you were trying
:08:32. > :08:35.to maintain links with Derry, but also being pushed further and
:08:35. > :08:40.further, because the opportunities for work were happening further
:08:41. > :08:47.away? When I look back now, I just seemed to keep going. I worked a
:08:47. > :08:50.lot. It was relentless. Covered a lot of ground, a huge theatre
:08:50. > :08:57.queues, with Theatre de Complicite. Some of my favourite work I have
:08:57. > :09:03.done. And international directors, the Japanese director, going all
:09:03. > :09:08.over the world. These huge theatre jobs. I was delighted to get work.
:09:08. > :09:14.I had then move to Dublin and was there a lot. What was driving you?
:09:14. > :09:19.Was it this year love of driving -- this year love of acting? Standing
:09:19. > :09:27.in front of the crowd? I was so thankful for the work. But I was
:09:27. > :09:34.not in the position where I could slow down. Let us move to Los
:09:34. > :09:41.Angeles, shall we? You are going to appear in 1994 in probably what has
:09:41. > :09:46.become a cult classic. Pulp Fiction. I know, it is mad.
:09:46. > :09:52.Deep -- do they use the same gun to peer Stuart years that is used to
:09:52. > :09:57.peers your nipples? That is against the problem idea. Every one of my
:09:57. > :10:01.peer since was done with an eagle. I arrived the night before from
:10:01. > :10:09.Ireland and then I was watching John Travolta up. I was pretty star
:10:09. > :10:17.struck. I was a fan of his movies. And he was so friendly and so nice,
:10:17. > :10:21.a really lovely man. Speaking about his Irish and Italian background.
:10:21. > :10:28.And his children. He became my friend. You are in probably one of
:10:28. > :10:33.the most famous movie scenes. Yes. The adrenalin needle going straight
:10:33. > :10:40.into her heart. How much of that was choreographed? Very
:10:40. > :10:44.specifically. My character was not supposed to be in that scene.
:10:44. > :10:49.Quentin Tarantino improved at a little, because he wanted it to be
:10:49. > :10:53.worth my while to be there. The rehearsal was for me to get in
:10:53. > :10:58.there and mess it up. He said something else, but we shall use
:10:59. > :11:04.that term. He said, getting there! What they were doing was so
:11:04. > :11:09.brilliant, I thought, if someone is that of their head, you would just
:11:10. > :11:19.sit there and look. That might be funnier, but I played its straight
:11:20. > :11:41.
:11:41. > :11:51.as a close to chaos. SHE SCREAMS. SHE COUGHS.
:11:51. > :11:51.
:11:51. > :11:56.Say something. Something. You spoke about being star-struck
:11:56. > :12:01.meeting John Travolta, but you were then in a scene with Dustin Hoffman
:12:01. > :12:11.in Last Chance Harvey. It is an incredible scene, ordinary dialogue,
:12:11. > :12:13.
:12:13. > :12:21.romantic comedy. Improvised. In the airport? Yes. We improvised it. It
:12:21. > :12:28.was his idea. Are you American? That is right.
:12:28. > :12:33.Don't you be messing her around. will not. She is not here, she has
:12:33. > :12:43.left for the day. You might still find her at last. I think it starts
:12:43. > :12:44.
:12:44. > :12:48.about lunchtime at this -- at the South Bank. Yes. Go and get her.
:12:48. > :12:55.You are improvising with Dustin Hoffman. Is there a moment where
:12:55. > :13:01.you pinch yourself? He makes you feel so welcome. He is a legend.
:13:01. > :13:11.There is this all consuming energy. He knows he is Dustin Hoffman and
:13:11. > :13:20.
:13:20. > :13:29.his charming with that. There are some people that have that
:13:29. > :13:34.incredible security and wealth. You can go to someone's �15 million
:13:34. > :13:39.house. But at the end of the day, they are just people. Is there a
:13:39. > :13:44.craft? Do you discuss it, speaking about how you are getting into a
:13:44. > :13:50.part or why you chose it? If you have the luxury or rehearsal, or
:13:50. > :13:55.the person is open to talking to you, not using the method, very
:13:55. > :14:05.much so. After Glenn Close short the C D -- after Glenn Close shot
:14:05. > :14:06.
:14:06. > :14:16.has seen, she came and sat down with myself and another actress.
:14:16. > :14:29.
:14:29. > :14:39.That was all right. It was more Did you get a call from George
:14:39. > :14:41.
:14:41. > :14:48.Lucas, asking to be en Star Wars? No, I rang him. I rang my agent and
:14:48. > :14:55.said Star Wars. I would love a part in Star Wars. It was one of those
:14:55. > :15:05.flukes. I thought I could be anything and it could they get a
:15:05. > :15:07.
:15:07. > :15:17.costume? The man who cast a Star Wars had come to see occasion Chalk
:15:17. > :15:18.
:15:18. > :15:23.Circle which was the first show I had done in the National Theatre
:15:24. > :15:29.the night before. I wept at and met them and they said what about a
:15:29. > :15:35.fighter pilot? I said, that is me. Whoever was supposed to play that
:15:35. > :15:45.part had pulled out. I remember them putting the costume on and
:15:45. > :15:46.
:15:46. > :15:51.they had to shrink the costume. I Captain. Tell them we wish to board
:15:51. > :15:55.at once. We are all due respect, the ambassadors for the Supreme
:15:55. > :16:03.Chancellor wish to board immediately. Yes, of course.
:16:03. > :16:12.does not want to be in Star Wars! It was a blast, it was hilarious.
:16:12. > :16:17.Instead of the past trying up, they open at and you evolve into a woman
:16:17. > :16:23.who is making the roles like a mother, a wife and I am thinking of
:16:23. > :16:30.the street. Come in at have a cup of tea. I do not want tea. You are
:16:30. > :16:35.not my father, mother, brother, sister. I will not come in. When
:16:35. > :16:40.you get the opportunity, and this opportunity came up. I had a quiet
:16:40. > :16:46.period before that. You get the script like that and you just go, I
:16:46. > :16:55.have to get his part. I have just lost the man I Love. You know what
:16:55. > :17:03.I mean. I do not need you and my mother running around. I was only
:17:03. > :17:07.trying to help you. Are you doing that for me? Yes. You have to be
:17:07. > :17:10.careful that you do not get too much in your own head because then
:17:10. > :17:16.you performance cannot come out because you are to psyched up. The
:17:16. > :17:26.greatest piece of advice I was given about acting was to tell a
:17:26. > :17:41.
:17:41. > :17:51.What? What are you doing? Let me see the scar. You bastard. How
:17:51. > :17:52.
:17:52. > :17:57.could he do that to me and the kids? You bastard! Telling that
:17:57. > :18:04.story in the flicker of the eyes. The look says it all. The script
:18:04. > :18:09.was so fantastic. For her to have that challenge as a character at to
:18:09. > :18:17.realise he has a scar and he has a scar on his tummy and that is my
:18:17. > :18:22.husband. He has faked his own death. The rules are there read. The roles
:18:22. > :18:31.and are varied. We had some harrowing scenes coming up in the
:18:31. > :18:40.later stuff. I am thinking of sinners, a tremendous row -- the
:18:40. > :18:45.role. It is based on real-life stories. Unbelievable. We can do
:18:45. > :18:55.without the noise, thank you. How is she doing? What is she doing
:18:55. > :19:04.with her feet up? They will be no screaming. If you die it will be no
:19:04. > :19:07.more than you deserve. I liked the reaction of that film and the
:19:07. > :19:12.structure it shock within the Church and expose the criminality
:19:12. > :19:18.of what was going on. The money that was being made. I think it was
:19:18. > :19:21.the first time I have heard that people really pointed the finger,
:19:21. > :19:26.did you know these children were being sold for huge money to people
:19:26. > :19:30.who could not have children? These girls were shipped off to England
:19:30. > :19:40.or whatever and the shame. They were out cast from their families.
:19:40. > :19:52.
:19:52. > :20:02.They have taken my baby. What did you tell them? That I let you want?
:20:02. > :20:05.
:20:05. > :20:12.No. You promised. And eight never made you. I panicked. Marriage.
:20:12. > :20:17.Never trust a woman who can add up faster than you. That is what my
:20:17. > :20:20.father used to say. As an actor, if you have an opportunity to tell
:20:20. > :20:25.those stories, it is a great privilege. I take that very
:20:25. > :20:31.seriously. These things did go on and they have never really been
:20:31. > :20:38.dealt with. Is that why you you would choose a role like the
:20:38. > :20:43.Protestant mother in Holy Cross., because you believe it is your duty
:20:43. > :20:49.as an actress to tell these stories to a wider audience? If you are
:20:49. > :20:54.given an opportunity and you know the piece of writing is coming from
:20:54. > :21:00.someone's research point of view and to represent people in the
:21:00. > :21:10.community, I have no problem with that. As long as I know what I am
:21:10. > :21:12.
:21:12. > :21:17.Phone the police, please. No, they will go away if we stay up here.
:21:17. > :21:27.They think there is nobody here. They will go away, I promise. They
:21:27. > :21:30.
:21:30. > :21:33.will be gone by the time the police I think she Holy Cross was such a
:21:33. > :21:41.horrendous experience for anybody that was involved on either side of
:21:41. > :21:45.it. It was so badly handled that it got into the press. It was only
:21:45. > :21:52.9/11 that took it away from headline news was that it was out
:21:52. > :22:02.of control. I wanted to understand what both communities felt like.
:22:02. > :22:02.
:22:02. > :22:08.Leave it! Are you OK? Give it a few more night. This is your home.
:22:08. > :22:18.is what you look forward to go to after work. Home is where you take
:22:18. > :22:19.
:22:19. > :22:27.things for granted like a night's sleep. Do you do much research? How
:22:27. > :22:30.do you go into a -- another mindset? I went up and met them. I
:22:30. > :22:38.think it was the community centre and I spoke to people there. What
:22:38. > :22:42.did they say to you? They felt misrepresented and they were not
:22:42. > :22:52.lead in a political way. They did not have representation or a
:22:52. > :22:53.
:22:53. > :23:03.spokesperson. Again, it is tribal. Look what you have done to her! She
:23:03. > :23:07.
:23:07. > :23:17.is just 10 years old. Does she look Pool are you? Represent yourself.
:23:17. > :23:31.
:23:31. > :23:41.You are bowling along with a hugely successful music career. Music is
:23:41. > :24:08.
:24:08. > :24:13.Eight years ago, I released my first album. I to the small band
:24:13. > :24:18.out on the road and learned a lot about the rock and roll world. It
:24:18. > :24:26.was hard going. If I had a wonderful reaction to the album.
:24:26. > :24:30.Then, I decided a couple of years ago I wanted to do it again. I
:24:30. > :24:40.wrote 10 more songs and got my dream band together and made it and
:24:40. > :24:40.
:24:40. > :25:20.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 40 seconds
:25:20. > :25:27.Do I get the feeling now that you are taking acting parts now but the
:25:27. > :25:31.passion is the music? I do both and I love it. Again, the theatre is
:25:31. > :25:36.also a huge passion and I have worked a lot in the theatre. A lot
:25:36. > :25:41.of people would not know the work I have done. It is live performance
:25:41. > :25:46.and interaction with the audience. With a film, it is very technical
:25:46. > :25:52.but it is great as well. Looking back, you have built an impressive
:25:52. > :26:00.career, couriers. They must have been sacrifices? Have there been
:26:00. > :26:06.any regrets about what you could have done? No. I really believe
:26:06. > :26:10.that everything happens for a reason. One door closes, perhaps
:26:10. > :26:17.opportunities you would have liked to have done and then it does not
:26:17. > :26:21.happen. Then you really are getting. But it reminds you there is no
:26:21. > :26:26.sense of entitlement. Humility is a great thing. I also realise that
:26:26. > :26:36.something came in their and that was meant to happen. Were you
:26:36. > :26:40.
:26:40. > :26:45.annoyed at losing out on War Horse after you played a role in the
:26:45. > :26:52.theatre was Mark it was an incredible experience. We took the
:26:52. > :26:59.show from the National and it has been running in the West End for a
:26:59. > :27:04.number of years. It was an amazing couple of years. It was hard graft.
:27:04. > :27:09.I do not at all regret any cinematic loss. I do not feel any
:27:09. > :27:13.connection to that at all. I know the people who had seen the play
:27:13. > :27:18.will have it in their hearts forever. A lot of the time it does
:27:18. > :27:28.not work on film. Spielberg sent a message to me and said they had
:27:28. > :27:33.seen the videos. They said I looked too young. I was delighted! We are
:27:33. > :27:41.very lucky to do what we do. I constantly remind myself of that.
:27:41. > :27:49.In our game, there is such huge unemployment. A lot of people break
:27:49. > :27:54.the hat and the same for music. What is really cool to me at what
:27:54. > :27:58.really is sexy is people who keep going. You do not sit in a back
:27:58. > :28:05.crying into your pint and saying I could have done that. Just keep
:28:05. > :28:14.going. If you have a will and an ability and stuff to do, do your