Irish movie star Colin Farrell made headlines not only for his award-winning performance in the indie Irish hit film The Banshees of Inisherin, but also for his praise for co-star Jenny, a miniature donkey.
Farrell was so taken by his donkey co-star that he thanked her during his Golden Globes acceptance speech for Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy. First telling the audience that Jenny was “having an early retirement,” he then quipped, “She said, ‘F–ck the film business, I’m one and done,’ so she’s gone.”
Director and screenwriter Martin McDonagh was equally effusive about the equines who appeared in his critically-acclaimed film, saying during his acceptance speech for Best Screenplay. “As some of you may know, I wrote this script for my two stars of my film, Jenny the Donkey and Minnie the Horse,” he began. “I was hoping she might’ve been nominated tonight, but she’s a female donkey and it’s the Globes.”
The film’s distributor released the featurette, “Just a Man and his Donkey”:
where Farrell describes the unique friendship his character, Pádraic, has with Jenny, as well as what it was like working with her: “Jenny was a total scene stealer.” McDonagh describes Jenny as a “proper pet” in the film, one who comes into the house and goes for walks with Pádraic.
All the attention that Farrell has lavished on Jenny did not go unnoticed by other donkey lovers and those whose mission is to protest them. The Donkey Sanctuary in Liscarroll, Ireland has reached out to the actor’s representatives, inviting him to visit the sanctuary. “I wrote to his PR representatives in the US just to say thank you first and foremost for all the wonderful commentary he’s given in interviews around Jenny the donkey and the props that he gave her during his acceptance speech at the Golden Globes and all of that, but also just to say if he was ever back home and fancied visiting us we would love to welcome him down to the Sanctuary,” Donkey Sanctuary Ireland’s country manager, Laura Foster told The Echo.
No word yet on if the busy actor, who is starring in a series based on the Batman villain The Penguin, will drop by. But one thing is certain, he will always have a place in the heart of donkey lovers.
Watch Farrell’s Golden Globes acceptance speech here:
More from News:
