Aidan Turner passed up an international dance career to pursue acting instead.
The 33-year-old’s former dance teacher Tommy Shaughnessy recently opened up about what could have been for the star.
“He was a good dancer and eventually came third in the Irish National Championships in the adult section,” he said.
Actor: Aidan pursured a career in acting and stars in the title role in Poldark | BBC
The Dubliner’s first big role was as Kili in the Hobbit when director Peter Jackson casted him in 2011.
“Next year I will have been teaching for 40 years and thousands of people would have passed through and Aidan always stood out to me as a pleasant, mannerly child,” the dance teacher told the Irish Mirror.
“He came to me when he was about 15 and he would have had experience. He would have been moving into the adult section which starts at about 16. Personality wise you couldn’t meet a nicer kid.
“I would have taught him what would have been called Latin American and Ballroom dancing but is now known as dancesport.
“His whole dance career with me would have lasted for about seven years.”
Dancer: The Dubliner started to pursue dancing at 15-years-old | BBC
Tommy admitted that it was a trip to Italy that really sparked Aidan’s interest in pursuing a dancing career.
“The last time he came to me we travelled to Italy for a big event there,” he revealed.
“I remember when we came home his wonderful mam Eileen came to me and said he had seen the great dancers in Italy and wanted to pursue a career in international dancing.
“She sat down with me and said, ‘I would really like to discuss how he can pursue a career in international dancing.’
“I went through the costs with her to get him to a world level. At the time it was a lot.
Other options: Tommy was surprised when Aidan’s mother said he was interested acting lessons | VIPIRELAND.COM
The acclaimed Ballroom and Latin teacher also revealed that he was surprised when the Aidan’s mother told him that her son was interested in acting.
“I always wanted to move the kids on and I asked her what else he might be interested in doing and that’s when she mentioned acting.
“That surprised me at the time as Aidan was a very quiet kid, he was a little bit of an introvert,” he added.
“So she took him into the Gaiety acting school at about 17 or 18 and he started to get a few jobs. The rest then they say is history.
“If dancing wasn’t going to work for him for a financial purpose he was going to do it in another art form. He was highly disciplined.”
