Derry actor plays lead role in award-winning independent film
Derry actor Paul O'Doherty stars in ‘Hunting Party’, winner of ‘Best Independent Film’ at the UK National Film Awards
Derry actor Paul O'Doherty has revealed how it was ‘strange’ to be filming the award-winning film ‘Hunting Party’ with a new cast.
As well as Paul, the writer and director Danny Patrick is also a Derry native.
“Danny was tuned in, he saw potential in me, ended up writing a part for me and then gave me a main role,” he said.
“Every time I work with Danny on set, I feel we're in tune. I feel that he trusts me, I can make suggestions, and I also understand where he's coming from in terms of his writing style and his directing style. So, it really works well for me.
“He's one of those directors that I have a good time with because I feel comfortable going onto the set with him.”
Paul had previously played his character ‘Danny Doherty’ in a film in Malta.
“I'd done the film in Malta, it had been very well received, this was really a sequel and I was coming into it, but it was really strange going in to do the role again with an entirely different cast.
“The last time I'd done the film, it had a number of other Irish actors with me in it. This was over in England and I'd never worked with any of the actors before. I'd worked with the main photographer and with the director before, but none of the other actors.
“I was nervous, but I have to say, they were lovely and I had a brilliant time working with them and made a load of new friends because of it,” he added.
‘Hunting Party’ was named ‘Best Independent Film’ at the National Film Awards 2026 which took place in London on July 1.
The night was a huge success and 2.7 million public votes were cast for the 12th edition of the awards.
Paul said: “It was a great honour to get a major award for the film. A wonderful night and a great time filming as well. The cast and crew were super and made my job so much easier.
“Some of the nominations were phenomenal, heroes of mine. To walk into that room and be acknowledged as a professional with them was amazing.”
Despite being an actor for 15 years, Paul has only spent six of them in film and tv.
Paul has spent the majority of his career in theatre and said the biggest difference he noticed was the order of scenes.
He said: “When I do a play, generally the character develops. I go on stage in scene one and there's a journey that the audience and I go on together and reach a conclusion.
“The big difficulty or challenge in the film is it's episodic. Day one I could be doing the scenes from the middle of the film, the following week I could be doing something from the end of the film and the final week could be something at the very beginning.
“ It's all over the place so from my point of view, I need to have a huge grasp of the script and where the character is at each point.
“If I'm walking into a scene, I'm really having to remember what the character has gone through in previous scenes, even though I haven't filmed them yet. That's really challenging.”
Paul said the best advice he can give any young and aspiring actor is to take every opportunity.
“The way I started on this road was doing a student film for a friend of mine.
“I stepped in simply to help him to produce the film and as a result of that, not only did I gain more experience, that's how I got spotted by a director.
“You don't know the things that are going to open a door for you. I think for a young actor, take things on, it doesn't matter if it's a small piece of work or not.
“Do your absolutely best work and somewhere two years later, somebody will see that and turn around and say ‘Oh, I liked them, they were good’.”