On the Verge: Thaddeus O’Sullivan

Thaddeus O’Sullivan is no stranger to a film set. For nearly 50 years he’s been making movies, starting with shorts in the mid-1970s, then independent films and television in the early 1990s. He’s been working ever since, and the Irish filmmaker has won awards in his home country, been nominated for the prestigious BAFTA, and even scored a 2009 Emmy nomination for directing the TV movie Into the Storm, starring Brendan Gleeson as Winston Churchill. It’s probably safe to say, though, that he’s never made a film with quite as much star power as The Miracle Club. Starring two Oscar winners in Maggie Smith and Kathy Bates, and two Oscar nominees in Laura Linney and Stephen Rea, the period drama follows several Irish Catholic women as they travel to the sacred French town of Lourdes in search of the titular miracles. The movie opens in theaters Friday, July 14th. He chatted with us during the movie’s press junket.

The cast you have assembled for this project is pretty spectacular. How did it all come together?

From the very, very early days of the project, Maggie Smith was interested and so was Kathy Bates. So when push came to shove, Laura Linney came on, and it all sort of fell into place. Once we had our ladies in place, then we could cast the rest. Steven Rea, for example, is a friend of 40 years. He will always help out.

So Maggie and Kathy were on it before you were?

Yes, so, you know, it was a question of them casting me, if you like.

Sure. But then what were the conversations like with Laura to get her involved?

It was all about character. It was all about the journey that these women made, and the dramatic change that the characters go through. It’s that the character is filtered through Lourdes, and what Lourdes means to Catholics, and what the effect is, of simply being in Lourdes. If a nonbeliever was to go to Lourdes, they still get an experience, a response to all the spirituality around, which I think is quite affecting.

There are a lot of mostly unknown actors in the cast, as well. A particular standout is Agnes O’Casey, who travels with the older women on the journey. How did you come to cast her?

So she was a find, really. (Laughs) Well, she was there to be found. She’d done a couple of really good things for television, which I’d seen. I thought she was fantastic, so when she auditioned, it was a very easy choice to make.

It’s interesting that you already had your eye on her, but what was it about her audition that set her apart?

Well, first of all, she has Irish heritage, but she’s not Irish, she was born in England. So I was worried about that. The audition required her to do that, you’re going to be Irish, do a nice accent and make it believable. Then there was a self-containment. She had a self-assurance, which I thought was remarkable in somebody so young. I also was very mindful that the company she was going to be keeping here, would she be comfortable working with these actors? We needed a strong character who could deal with all of this. I mean, one of the biggest scenes in the film is her scene. She’s surrounded by all this extraordinary star talent and holds her own for four or five pages of dialogue. She’s very centered, Agnes.

Photo courtesy of Thaddeus O’Sullivan.

How hands-on are you in the casting process? Some directors like to come in later and do the final aspects of it, whereas others like to get their hands dirty right away. Which are you?

I’m always hands-on. It’s a question of how many hands are trying to help me. I have to be honest and look at these actors. Are they right for the part? You know, no matter who they are, what they are, if they’re not right for the part, it’s just not going to work. I’ve done that before and made those mistakes, where a well-known actor was attached to a story and I should have known better. So when I spoke to both Maggie and Laura, and Kathy Bates in the first instance, their understanding of the character in the parts was really what absolutely sold me on them. Because if they’re dedicated to the character and they understand it, or the bits they don’t understand, they’re dying to find out, then we can work together.

You mentioned working with the actors on their characters. Are you a fan of actors who come in to audition, asking you questions in the room?

Yes. There are a lot of auditions that are done on tape now, and I really miss having a conversation with actors. I’d talk with all of them, not necessarily about the part. Politics, whatever was going on at the moment, was a great start to the conversation. And you get some sense of the person. Sometimes, I wouldn’t even get them to do the lines. I’d just get to know them a bit more. Then, mostly, I’m pretty confident that you know, if I know somebody, I can guess if they’ll be okay with the character. Not always, but almost always, there would be a question in there that would surprise you. It was interesting because I learned something about this character. And if I didn’t cast that person, I felt I owed it to another actor to you be responsive, be generous, do whatever you can do.

What advice would you give to actors for auditions?

Well, I’m afraid it always has to be the homework. Be off the page as much as you can. Also, I think it is good to ask questions. You need to know, are you in the right room? We all need work. We all want to make everybody happy. But you don’t want to end up on the wrong project if possible. So asking questions is good. And also it gives rise to conversations and all directors appreciate having to answer questions about the character. Unless they’re complete idiots.

–
This interview has been edited for clarity.

Looking to get your big break? Sign up or log in to Casting Networks and land your next acting role today!

You may also like:

• Now Casting: Microsoft Azure, The Hip Hop Nutcracker Tour feat. Kurtis Blow, Saweetie Music Video, Major Skinscare Brand
• Snubs and Surprises You Missed with This Year’s Emmy Noms
• Ignite Artists’ Brandi England to Host Webinar Series with Casting Networks