There is a rule in Hollywood that says you should never work with children or animals, or charming Irish rogues. The latter, of course, being a peculiar combination of the former two.
It's a rule that Alicja Bachleda was obviously unaware of when the stunning 26-year old signed on for Neil Jordan's latest movie, the whimsical, mystical Ondine. All three rules would be broken in one movie.
Bachleda plays Ondine, a possible selkie - a mermaid from old Irish folklore- who can seemingly communicate with our fine finned friends. Check. Who befriends a young wheelchair-toting, wisecracking girl looking for a miracle or two. Check. And who also falls in love with the young girl's decent, hardworking and largely luckless father. Played by Colin Farrell. Checkmate.
Farrell and Bachleda became parents to Henry Taduesz Farrell last October.
"Being in Cork, for me, it was a dream place, in a time of my life when I needed peace and quiet, and somewhere that will help me to go and discover myself again. And it just happened - the nature, and the amazing energy, in that place just helped me to make some changes in my life. And as well, probably, become a bit of a different person."
That different person started life as Alicja Bachleda-Curus on May 12th, 1983 in Tampico, Tamaulipas, Mexico, her family moving a mere three months later to Krakow, Poland. By the age of 10, Alicja had made her TV debut, success in her native Poland leading her to major movie roles in Germany before her 2007 US breakthrough, Trade, brought international recognition. It also brought her to the attention of Neil Jordan when it came to casting the lead in Ondine.
Introduction by Paul Byrne.
Watch our interview below hosted by Linda O'Brien.
Watch our interview with Colin Farrell and Neil Jordan here
Try our Neil Jordan movie quiz here
Ondine is now showing at Irish cinemas nationwide