B.L. You play the dad of these two young amazing girls in this film. What was it like for you to be around them?
P.C. It was incredible; they were great kids and great to be around and very inspiring. Their performances just speak for themselves and they were very natural. They were a great find by Jim and the casting people in Ireland. They were little treasures and it was not difficult falling in love with them and pretending to be their father, because it was good for me and I enjoyed their company. We stayed in touch after the film and they are growing up quick, which is just brilliant to see.

B.L. I understand you spoiled them quite a bit on set.
P.C. Yeah just with hugs, because you can't help it. You spoil people not with gifts but by giving them all of your time and that's what it's all about.

B.L. Was Johnny a hard character to play for you especially for the fact that he he was mainly based on Jim Sheridan's life? Was there added pressure there?
P.C. No I never felt that kind of pressure because Jim never made me feel like I was playing him. Of course as an actor you bring your own baggage to a part. I had plenty of baggage at the time -- I had just lost my father about a week before we started filming. So to act out grief wasn't that difficult because I was going through it anyway. It wasn't difficult to play, it was just one of those films that I just got immersed in. Jim creates that kind of atmosphere where it's easy to lose yourself.

B.L. As the struggling actor part of the character, did you relate to that in any way?
P.C. No, I didn't at all. I am very lucky and have been quite fortunate. I started acting about four years ago. I did my first film Room for Romeo Brass and then it's been a very steady little climb ever since. There have been some lean times but I haven't experienced some of the horrors that he experiences, thank God. I can only feel privileged really.

B.L. I happen to know that you can do some pretty killer accents, which you have to display in In America. What was the one that you had the most fun with?
P.C. The Dublin one I suppose. Although my father was Irish I still had to learn the Dublin accent. When I started doing it, it was very off the Richter the scale and I had a coach help me out. I would go to bars in Dublin and have a drink and I figured if the locals couldn't figure out that I was acting I'd assume I was doing a good job.

B.L. You have mentioned that Jim Sheridan is a real hands-on director.
P.C. Oh yeah.

B.L. In what way, when did he really get in your face?
P.C. Oh for example, the scene on the stairwell where I get mugged. Jim stood in on that one with me and we rehearsed a few different things and Jim got so into it because he is a frustrated actor you know. He's one of the greatest directors in the world but I am sure he won't like me saying, he is not one of the best actors! He gets these great performances out of people. He actually stood in and mugged me and rehearsed these scenes. I don't know if they have the footage of this but they rolled the camera and he got so into it he stripped off to the waist and was there bare chested, pinning me to the wall and threatening me. He's just incredible in that way and he is literally hands-on, he even tried to strangle me.

B.L. didn't he get into bed with you too?
P.C. He did get into bed with me at one point yeah, and it was very cozy. Very cozy indeed. He got more out of that than I did by the way.

B.L. One of my favorite scenes is when the family first arrives in New York City and you all see Times Square for the first time, and the looks on everyone's faces was precious. Was that the first time you had been to New York?
P.C. I had been there once before, but it was pretty much the same thing for me. We came in and were looking everywhere; there's a lot to take in when you first arrive. It is something incredible and it is something that I had only seen in movies that made a big impact on my life so yeah, it was exciting.

B.L. What's up next for you?
P.C. I've just completed a film in England and I have a newborn who is only three weeks old, so I'm going to spend some quality time with him and then we'll see what the future brings.