Those looking for an adventure film that combines absurdist comedy with a traveler's guide to Ireland might want to check out Pixie, currently in theaters and on digital. In the vein of classics such as In Bruges, director Barnaby Thompson's latest project follows a fascinating young woman named Pixie (Olivia Cooke from the upcoming House of the Dragon) on a seemingly impossible journey.
It's not one she can take on alone, of course, and the perfect trio is completed by two best friends named Harland and Frank (Daryl McCormack and Ben Hardy respectively), who accidentally become a part of her plot. No matter how crazy things get, and the stakes are bound to be high when dealing with murdered mothers and gangster priests, the boys can't help but be drawn to her and loyal to each other.
Star Daryl McCormack spoke to Screen Rant about establishing a rapport with his castmates, taking in the sights of Western Ireland, and being on the receiving end of screen gunshots rather than doling them out.
What first attracted you to the role of Harland in Pixie?
Daryl McCormack: I think he was so recognizable, because growing up in a small town in the countryside, in Tipperary, there are plenty of Harlands I saw around in terms of young men who had lived their life around the town and hadn't much ambition to really go outside of the country. So, there was a naivety that I had seen in some people who I thought choose to stay there and can be completely content with staying at home and not venturing out further.
That's what drew me to playing him, because he felt familiar. Then, obviously, that becomes the comedy and the fun that happens with a friend who's just seeking adventure and to break away from the town. Then we meet Pixie, who is just a complete whirlwind and spins their life upside down.
I love the chemistry between the three of you. How did you build that chemistry offscreen, and how do you view Harland's relationship with both of them?
Daryl McCormack: I think as far as chemistry goes, it was quite simple and easy. Myself, Olivia and Ben, we just felt like we were cut from the same class. Everyone was so down to earth, and we just saw this whole film and the script as an opportunity to have fun. We knew it required us to be really comfortable with one another and get to know each other, so we went for dinners and we went for drinks in between shooting days. It was quite seamless, to be honest, the whole experience of getting to know each other.
Then as far as Harland is concerned, I think he's been so familiar with his best friend and there has always been a little bit of competition when it comes to girls. Frank has always had the edge on him, and I think it's more than he asked for in terms of meeting Pixie and being able to have some sort of relationship with her. But then to go on the journey and adventure that she brings along is unbelievable.
It sounds like you had a lot of backstory in mind for Harland. Did you discuss it with Barnaby or was it all from your mind and the script?
Daryl McCormack: That's a good question. I think we just went with what was on the page, because Barnaby was really trying to find the right people for these characters and felt like each of us had a lot of the qualities that the characters has.
In terms of backstory, me and Ben have spoken about what kind of things we've gotten up to. Ben is also from a small town outside of London, so with a lot of the things that we were talking about, we both had a similar experience. We just knew where they were coming from as friends.
With regards to Olivia, she had her own character creation. Olivia is quite a beautiful person and very kind, with beautiful eyes and everything - so I think it's very easy to get lost in her presence and to be transfixed. All of that kind of came together naturally.
The comedy and trauma of Pixie are almost absurd, and yet your characters are relatively grounded. How do you approach that dichotomy as an actor?
Daryl McCormack: Yeah, because they do go on a journey, and it's one that you don't really foresee. For me, it was easier to go with those story turns and twists, because they were always in it together. You get to see the establishment of a relationship between the three of them, and they're constantly sharing what's happening. I never really felt like I had to prepare or adapt to the changes, because it was a constant shared experience between the characters and also the actors.
Not to say that I believe Ireland really has gangster priests or anything, but it does feel a lot of the elements of the story had to take place in Ireland. Did shooting on location help inform your characters or your story?
Daryl McCormack: We shot mostly in Belfast, in Northern Ireland. I was so surprised, because I hadn't spent much time in Belfast myself, since it's about four and a half hours from where I live. So, I was shocked to see how much the outside of Belfast actually looks very much like the west of Ireland.
I think seeing all of that was so easy to imagine the story - let alone Olivia and Ben, because they didn't really grow up in Ireland. It was so easy to actually feel like we were going through these backroads on the way to Dingle. Particularly, there was a bit where then we moved from shooting in Belfast to the actual west of Ireland. We did a drive from a place called Louisburgh down to Leenane, and those are some of the shots where you just see these big, sweeping valleys and stuff. That was amazing.
The actual journey of it was very real, because for me, I remember seeing some of those views for the first time and being floored. I was like, "Wow, Ireland is a very beautiful country. I've been here 27 years, and I haven't seen this." So yeah, it was amazing.
One of my favorite scenes was Pixie opening up about her past romance, which is a huge change from how she acts when it comes to romance in the present. How do you view Harland' outlook on romance, and how does his adventure reshape it over the course of the film?
Daryl McCormack: I think Harland has struggled romantically. It felt like he had struggled a lot in school and stuff, and even just spending this much time with Pixie was an experience, and then to actually get intimate with her at one point is another experience. So, I think it's a good learning curve for him.
I could imagine that being friends with Frank, who was always the one to be successful with the girls, he was living in his shadow in a way. Now he might have had the chance to see that there are attributes that he has that are admirable or that others could like. I liked that he had something to offer as well, and he learned that from Pixie.
The church scene seemed both hilarious and potentially physically exhausting. Was that a new experience, in terms of how it was rehearsed or filmed?
Daryl McCormack: Some of it wasn't new. I had dealt with guns and stuff during Peaky Blinders, so the element of stunt work wasn't that new. But I was on the receiving end this time, in the sense that I was dodging gunshots and I was running. Peaky Blinders is more like, I'm in charge; I'm shooting. So, some of it was new. Being on the other end, and just being around the stunts more was fun.
And that was a great day, because I remember bringing my uncle on the set. He had never really been on a film set before. So I was like, "I'm bring up my uncle, so we can have a weekend together, and he can see what happens and stuff." But that was a great a great day for him to come up, because he's seeing Alec Baldwin in a priest's collar shooting guns.
What are you currently shooting?
Daryl McCormack: I'm actually doing a film called Good Luck To You, Leo Grande, which has been in the pipes for a bit. It's a two-hander film, like a comedy-drama, with Emma Thompson and I. It's about a woman in her mid-50s, who's a recent widow, that basically hires a male escort for the course of a month or so and looks for the fun and sexual exploration that she's kind of never really had. It's great. We're just about to start shooting on Monday.
You also filmed for Wheel of Time, right? How was that experience for you?
Daryl McCormack: Luckily, I got my bits done before the outbreak of COVID. I wrapped maybe around February, just before. Obviously, we were all figuring out what was going on. I think I heard by March or something, they had put a pause on filming. As much as I'm aware, they went back in November to resume shooting, and then they had to take another pose. They're going going back anytime soon now, and they should finish season one. I'm not sure if it's been greenlit or not, but they could be going into season two quite soon after that.
I the writing found so great, and the characters are so amazing. Obviously, Robert Jordan's books have so much depth and story that it's just great to see those fantasy novels be put into a series. And it feels really right that it's on Amazon for some reason. I haven't seen much of it apart from ADR bits, but from what I've seen, it looks really good and exciting.
Pixie is now playing in select theaters, on digital and on demand.