John C Reilly was marching towards the glass doors of the Guinness Storehouse when he suddenly stopped in the street. It’s not time yet. He must be properly introduced.
The host teased him, eagerly welcoming the Hollywood star’s participation in the St Patrick’s Day Parade, which he turned back to the door, eager to peer in, before being hurled about frantically, hand covering his face. mouth.
The kind of silliness around has made him box office gold, but when it comes to marching in today’s parade – the first since the Covid hit – Reilly wants to emphasize that “a fool” that’s not exactly the case.
“This is a great honor for me. It may seem like a fool – appearing in a parade – but to me it has deep meaning as an Irish-American,” he said, adding that he knew the late father. his “watching somewhere right now” and he couldn’t be prouder.
He then told how his father had promised all six of his children a trip to Ireland with him, but he died before he could fulfill his promise to John.
The Step brother the star has since traveled to Ireland several times – the first time with Will Ferrell on a chartered plane to press for their film Talladega night.
When they landed, Reilly stepped down the steps and kissed the runway – a “big gesture”, he admitted, but it was “something special about being here”.
He feels “more connected to the earth here” in a way he thinks only his hometown of Chicago can and he feels “normal” here.
“You know, six feet tall and with a face like mine, you can survive in Bangkok, you know? So when you set foot in here, you feel, OK, that makes sense. All make sense.
“Everything seems to be going well for me every time I come here.
“Good things happen in Ireland, one after another if you stay open to it.
“And it’s a special place for that reason. The lyrical substance that humans have and the sense of pleasure. ”
When he grows up, he will be taken to the parade by his father and enjoy the “opportunity to hear the bagpipes”, which makes his heart “stretch with pride”.
“And it’s usually just a beautiful spring day, you know? It’s like the beginning of something annual, so I’m really looking forward to seeing that here, you know, in my own hometown. ”
Reilly was happy to show it to the American television cameras present, meekly delivering the “Happy Saint Patrick’s Day” message to the hosts at the base, despite what appeared to be some difficulty. in translation when he says Irish food rather than “scotch and pound eggs”.
How does the festival compare to Catalina Wine Spritzer, I asked him, talking about my own stream of emotions when I shine my shoes when it comes to the big challenging event in Step brother that redeemed the careers of his and Will Ferrell’s characters.
“The Catalina Mixer,” he corrects me, although he likes the sound of the Catalina Mixer—“very elegant, aristocratic version,” he said.
As for how it compares? He shrugged and smiled.
Happy to be traveling again after the lockdown – which he believes Irish people may suffer the most because we are so “sociable” – Reilly revealed he has been here for “several weeks” , no family this time.
He wants to sample some pubs and hopes to travel around the West, but doesn’t want to make too much of a plan.
However, he thinks he will appear on a “very special” show. Late evening this week, as he recalls the last time he met Saoirse Ronan and she was the person he was “most excited about” working with.
“I ran into her backstage and I thought, man, that’s someone special,” he said.
“So yeah, I hope we somehow cross the road.”
Meanwhile, meeting President Michael D Higgins today is one of the things he looks forward to most during his visit to Ireland.
He was directed to the bar at the Storehouse to try pouring a pint, and waiter Keith showed him how to hold the glass.
“45 degrees – I left the protractor at home,” he joked – before continuing to pull the perfect pin.
https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/john-c-reilly-my-father-is-somewhere-watching-over-me-now-this-parade-has-such-a-deep-meaning-for-me-41455916.html John C Reilly: ‘My dad’s out there watching over me somewhere – this parade has a deep meaning for me’
