I loved the idea of taking a character most people would think is a freak and just trying to get inside his head and see the world the way he sees it.

There is a real hunger for success in America. People like to be around it, too much so when you look at the cult of celebrity over there. What I would like to see is Irish people embrace Irish cinema. I don't think that has happened yet. They [Irish film-makers] have to go away and become famous and then they have the green stamp of approval and come back.