While she’s best known for impersonating other people, Kayleigh Trappe has a voice of her own – and she has big plans for how she’s going to use it.
The lip-sync artist is Goss.ie’s Spotlight On cover star for April, and in this exclusive interview she opens up about her journey from primary school teacher to full-time content creator, and how she got to where she is today.
Kayleigh has come a long way since she blew up online during the pandemic, having amassed over 250k followers on Instagram and 136.3k on TikTok – where she’s gained over 3.3million likes.
@kayleightrappe “Dubarrys” …My Therapist Ghosted me Podcast 🙌🏻 #fyp #foryou #comedу @voguewilliams @joannemcnallycomedy ♬ original sound – Vogue Williams
The 28-year-old was crowned the winner of Best Social Media Star at The Gossies 2024, which she has described as one of the highlights of her career so far.
Best known for her incredibly accurate lip-sync videos, Kayleigh has mastered the art of imitating celebrities and their mannerisms – from Joanne McNally and Vogue Williams, to Louis Walsh and Peter Crouch.
Born and raised by a family that was “quite traditional” in Co. Monaghan, Kayleigh decided to pursue a career in teaching after she left school, a job that she still loves to this day.
However, Kayleigh initially dreamed of becoming an actress, but her struggles with body image and self-confidence sadly held her back from performing for years.
Now in her late 20s, Kayleigh plans to make that dream a reality, and she hopes to draw on her own experiences while doing so.
While she’s been reluctant to talk about it online over fears it could portray the wrong message, everything changed for Kayleigh about six years ago when she made some big lifestyle changes – and subsequently lost six stone.
In this exclusive interview, the aspiring actress shares her hopes to write and star in a show based on her own life, which she describes as her “absolute passion project”.
Kayleigh also discusses the negative sides of social media, and why she’s been reluctant to share details about her personal life up until now.
While she’s careful not to share too much, the 28-year-old now plans to open up more to show a different side to her, as she doesn’t want to be known as a “one trick pony”.
Now living up in Dublin to pursue more opportunities, Kayleigh insists she’s up for the challenge of anything – whether that be an acting role on Fair City, a stint on reality TV, or a big presenting gig.
Having reached peak popularity on the likes of Instagram and TikTok, it’s clear Kayleigh still has plenty more to give – and the sky is the limit for Miss Trappe.
Read our full interview with Kayleigh below:
Kayleigh you have amassed a huge following online and were voted Best Social Media Star at The Gossies 2024. However, some people may not know how you started out. Could you take us back to the beginning and explain how you first started creating content?
“Yeah, I suppose with me it was always an accident, and now that I’m a wee bit older I’ve started to realise where it all stemmed from a bit more. Whereas at the time I never really understood because it wasn’t planned.
“So essentially it was lockdown and TikTok at the time was kicking off. That was kind of the point where TikTok was huge. But I remember at this point it was growing and growing, and lip syncing was growing, mostly in America. I was just drawn to the lip syncing, and then I did it for the craic, but I was always doing it for the fun and to fill my day. And then the Joanne McNally and Vogue Williams clip was the one that kind of shot me into the industry a little bit quicker. Up until that, it was always just a hobby.
“Acting would be like my baby, so without even realising it at the time, I suppose I was using my acting skills as such to do something totally random, but at the end of the day, it kind of all relates now. I used to do this thing when I was younger, I would learn off useless pieces of information for absolutely no reason. Instead of studying for my Leaving Cert, I’d be sitting in the corner learning off, like, the longest town in Wales or learning the 50 states of America just so I could say it. And just so I could have that as a party piece.
“And now doing what I’m doing, I’m also learning off really stupid pieces of information and reenacting it. So I suppose it was always in the making.”
And how long does it take you to learn something off like that?
“That’s a good question. It depends, like now genuinely it’s like second nature. I never write it out. I never look at it. I listen. I do it all with my ears. So I wouldn’t even sit down and listen to a clip a few times. First, I would just sit down, put on the clip, and just go for it. You’re never likely to get it in the first take, but after a few it just depends.
“And there’s sometimes, like, when I do a clip with a person. So with my brother, or even Patrick Kielty the other week, I would always make sure that I have that perfect in my head before I do it, because I love to get their raw reaction. If you were to do it a few times, it wouldn’t be genuine. So with those ones, it’s different. You would be practising it yourself and then doing it.
“But the words are actually half the battle. When I see other people lip syncing you can see that all they’re focusing on is remembering the words. But for me, it’s like, get the Louis Walsh voice, get the Joanne McNally eyes, or whatever it is. You know what I mean? It’s more about becoming the actual person.”
“The words are actually half the battle…”
And has there ever been one where you’re like, I actually just can’t do this?
“There’s definitely been a few people… So, for example, Abbey Clancy. I don’t think I look like her in it, but it’s more about Peter Crouch. But I’ve never given up on one I don’t think. There’s a few I have saved that I’m like, I will do them one day, but it’s not that I can’t it’s just that I haven’t done them yet.
“But I did at the start with Peter Crouch, I was like ‘oh, I don’t know, I don’t know’ and then it ended up working out really well. And there’s a few people, like Roy Keane is so saturated, as in so many people do impersonations of him. So I didn’t know whether or not I should bother, but it’s my own wee way at the end of the day.
“The is a couple of people I would be reluctant to do. I won’t tell you who, just because I don’t want to offend them. Because at the end of the day, I do draw on their little quirks, whether it’s Peter Crouch’s gums or whatever, and most of the time they like it. But there’s a few people who I’d like to do that I just don’t… even like Charlotte Tilbury, I was like how’s she going to take this? But she loved it and I’ve got great feedback from her, so that’s good. But you just don’t know sometimes.”
“In my mind you’re never going to please them all, but you have to be respectful. And I was actually talking to Mario Rosenstock about this, because he obviously does impersonations, and he was saying ‘the way I see it is, you said it’. So the person I’m impersonating, I’m not making up this information, it literally came out of their mouth. So as far as the information goes, I can’t be offending anybody.
“Now, the elements I add to you, whether it’s a bit of sass like Louis Walsh, that could be the part where you might be offended. But do you know what, so far, as far as I’ve heard anyway, it generally gets very positive reviews.
“I definitely wouldn’t be doing it if there was negative reviews out there. There’s a couple of people I haven’t heard from. I’ve never heard from Nadine Coyle, but I think she’s just probably got better things to do with her time to be honest!”
“In my mind you’re never going to please them all, but you have to be respectful”
So you’ve never gotten a direct negative response from anyone?
“No… well do you know what I’ll tell you a story. So Maura Higgins, I’ve done a few of hers, and I never heard from her the first time. And the first time her actual followers were in my DMs being like ‘leave her alone’. And at the time, I was like ‘this isn’t even offensive’. And they were quite harsh on me. But then Maura got on to me and said she loved it!
“It’s funny how Maura herself liked it, but her followers, who are so protective over her, were in the DMs. I suppose she probably does get a hard time online, but at the same time, it’s got her to where she is. And I’m sure without all that publicity, good or bad, she wouldn’t be where she is. So I don’t know, I was just very odd. But whenever she got back onto me herself, I forgot all about it then, because I just said ‘if she’s okay with it, then I’m okay with it’.
@kayleightrappe Maura Higgins…Love island is back #fyp #foryou #loveisland #irish ♬ original sound – Kayleigh Trappe
And who is your all time favourite celebrity to impersonate?
“Oh, that’s a good one. That is a good one. I do love doing Charlotte Tilbury. I do love it.
And then I think I have to always go with my go to’s Joanne and Vogue, they’re always so supportive.
“I actually met Vogue a few months ago too and she was so nice. I suppose I kind of give their content another spin as well, so it’s kind of good for them in one way. And I just love the way that they’ll like give you a pat on the back or give you a bit of support. They’re really good for it. I’m not saying that they would spend all day messaging me, but nearly after everyone I’ve done of them, they’ve always been really good. So I appreciate that so much.”
And I know you mentioned before that your first Joanne and Vogue video was the first to go viral, but what’s your favourite video you’ve ever posted?
“I never forget the Victoria Beckham one. It was like Christmas when I watched it. I had heard about the Beckham series coming out, and I just knew there’s going to be something in this for me. And I sat up and I watched it. And as soon as she started talking about the Rolls Royce, I was like, bang. I was like ‘Dad, give me your white shirt, and mum, give me your flared jeans’. The amount of messages I got asking me where I got the white shirt and it was my dads! See that’s the thing with what I do, you can manipulate anything.
“Like, I know I don’t look like Victoria Beckham or Vogue Williams, but I don’t need to look like them. I just need to show maybe those little traits about their face that they do or these little habits they have. I don’t actually have to look like them on the daily, it’s just more I have to exploit those little things about them that makes them them.”
And you mentioned your family there and I know you’ve gotten some of them involved in your videos. How have they reacted to your online fame? Do they find it weird?
“Yeah I mean they’ve always just gone along with it. And then there’s been certain things that have happened that have made them realise… like I was a teacher before, and my family would be quite traditional and practical people. And when I started this, it was always like ‘oh yeah, that’s a great hobby, but you’re a teacher.’ And then when work started coming in and jobs started coming in, they started to see the other side of it.
“My brother recently shared a post of me and him at The Late Late Show. And he said ‘From helping her hold her camera out in the garden during lockdown to The Late Late Show this week, I’m very proud of you.’ It’s so cheesy but it’s times like that, or events like The Late Late Show or whatever, they’re so happy for me. They’re always very supportive, but [they were] sceptical at the same time at the beginning.”
I know you mentioned there about teaching, you were initially a primary school teacher. Are you still doing that at the moment?
“Yeah so I took the career break last year… but I’ve always said with whatever road I go down I’d love to involve getting back into work with children. I love working with kids. And there is times in the industry that, I think it’s very important and I don’t know if enough people do it, but there is days I put aside now just to get back in the classroom to sub. And it’s not because I necessarily need to do it, it’s purely for my head.
“I feel like when I’m stressed out, if I do a day in school, I come out like a new woman. It’s crazy. Like the school I worked in for the five years, they’ve always been really supportive, and they’ve always just been like ‘Kayleigh there’s a day here, if you want it it’s yours’. And there’s days I say no, and there’s times I say yes. And it’s the beauty of teaching that you have the option of that.
“So I will never close the door on it fully, ever. This year, for the most part, I haven’t, but I’ve done a few days here and there. I’m happy and I’m lucky that I can do the two, but I know I’m being a content creator for the most part.”
“I will never fully close the door on teaching…”
And when you were full time as a teacher, were your students and their parents aware of your following? Did they ever say it to you?
“Yeah so I taught Senior Infants and First Class for the most part, so they wouldn’t have had a breeze. But there were times that I used to do wee impersonations of children, or kind of ones that they would appreciate like the Elf one for example, just purely because I knew that they would love them. And I would tell the parents, don’t be afraid to show them or whatever.
“And at the beginning, because I didn’t know where it was going to go, I kept it completely quiet. I never spoke about it. But I’ll never forget the last parent teacher meeting I did. It was like every parent nearly who came in before we’d even discussed the children they’d be talking about that, and I’d be laughing. And again, they were so good.
“The day I left, the day I finished up for summer holidays, the parents in the class I had at the time all made me like a lovely farewell present. But it was really touching, and it was very personal about the world that I was going to get it to get into, and it was so lovely. Having the parents support meant so much. And even now to this day they’d still be messaging me, and I go into school the odd day and they would be straight over like a light bulb.”
I know you said before that before you became a teacher, you initially dreamed of becoming an actress. Is that something you want to pursue now?
“Yeah, that’s the big dream. And I’ve always said it’s too far fetched, but the more and more I get involved, like I’ve done a few TV ads and I’ve done different days on sets, all pretty small for now, but that has given me such a hunger to get more involved in it.
“I did a course of Louise Kiely’s before Christmas and I loved every minute of it. So I did say social media is my number one obviously, but I would absolutely love to get involved in a show. If I was to get on a show like Derry Girls in the future, that would be my dream. Because first of all I love watching shows like that, and I do lip-syncs of shows like that, so I think to actually be in a show of some similar nature would be… you never know. We’ll hope, here’s hoping.”
“If I was to get on a show like Derry Girls in the future, that would be my dream”
You mentioned in the past that you felt a bit held back from pursuing acting years ago. Do you regret not going down that route sooner, or are you happy with the way things turned out?
“I always say what’s for you won’t go past you. I’ve said that over and over again. And I think even though I’m a little bit older now, I think I’m so happy that I did the teaching. And I think now is the right time.
“Funnily enough, when I wanted to be an actress the most was when I was younger. And I always thought I have the skills for it but I don’t have the confidence for it, because I would have struggled a lot with weight and stuff when I was younger. Honestly if a casting director knocked on my door when I was 17 and offered me a job in a movie, I probably would have said no, purely because I wouldn’t have been confident enough to do it.
“So now I feel like I have shaken off those little kind of things that would have made me fear when I was younger, and it just seems like now is the right time to do it. And I don’t regret anything from when I was younger at all because it’s all working out the way it should be now.
“My idea is to write as well. So I’d like to write about my personal upbringing, and I’d love to draw a lot more attention to body dysmorphia, but in a… not in a comical way as such but I do feel like there is comedy in taking the mick out of yourself because I did this, but also to draw attention to how it can affect you, good and bad.
“So I’ve already started working on writing there with another person, and hopefully in maybe five years or something like that, that something can come from that. But as far as acting, yeah something like Derry Girls would be amazing.”
“I don’t regret anything… because it’s all working out the way it should be now”
So your ultimate dream would be to write and star in your own show?
“It really would, yeah. Again, there’s nothing to it just now, but it’s all kind of slowly but surely coming together, and that would be an absolute passion project.
“And because it’s about what I’ve experienced too it kind of makes it a lot more emotional and motivational too to actually do it. So if I’m given the platform to do it, I’d absolutely love to.”
And speaking of TV, last year you revealed that you pulled out of appearing on Netfix’s Squid Game: The Challenge series. Eric Roberts has since talked about how difficult it was behind the scenes. Are you glad you turned it down now?
“Listen, when I watched the first round and I saw Eric’s legs burning I was like ‘there’s no way’. I probably wouldn’t have even got past that anyway. But I remember in one of the final stages of the process, you had to talk to a psychologist, he was so lovely, and he was like ‘I’m just going to tell you how it is’ and he told me a few of the risks. And I remember just at that time going, I don’t think this fits right now.
“It was last January/February, I was still teaching but I was granted the time off work, but I remember just going ‘you know what Kayleigh, you’re going to take a career break next year, wait till then, just wait’. I always trust my gut, and it just didn’t feel right.
“And Eric did so well, and I was delighted for him, but I never regretted not going on it. Do you know what I mean? I think if I am to do reality TV or TV in the future, there’ll be no question if I want to do it, but if I’m doubting it, then there’s no point.”
So if something else did come along now, now that you have more time, would you?
“I think so, depending on what it was. I don’t know what I would say yes to, or what I wouldn’t. I suppose there’s new things happening all the time. I don’t know if I’d do Big Brother, but like I wouldn’t rule out reality TV at all.”
“I wouldn’t rule out reality TV at all”
Well, I’m pretty sure Dancing with the Stars is coming back next year, so that could be a potential either?
“Yeah I’ve always been keen on it, and I watched it in particular this year because I know Laura and Katja and I thought they did so well. I have this thing in my head, I’m like for the year that’s coming, I would love a project.
“I would love a couple of months, be it either on a set acting or maybe a show like that where you dedicate a block of time to something. I’d love to have that. I’d love to have the motivation. And people say I’m some mover so you never know!”
I know you’ve built such a huge following on social media, but you’re still kind of relatively new to the industry. What’s the most surprising thing you’ve learned about the industry since you’ve become a part of it?
“I don’t know if I’d call it a surprising thing, but I think your followers see through absolutely everything. So I would just say, never chase money, and just like authenticity is so important.
“For me, like I’ve turned down quite a few things purely because either I thought it was overly saturated or the brand didn’t affiliate with me, or it just didn’t make sense with what I do. And it’s hard sometimes because at the end of the day, you’re trying to make a means from this, you know, you’re trying to make a wage from it.
“But I just say, as much as you think you’re going to get away with maybe just posting about this one day and this the next, it’s very important that your followers, they feel like they’re your friends, and it’s just very important to make sure that you’re honest with them because they’re so impressionable, especially young people. And I just want to make sure that, yes I keep it light, but I keep it real as well.
“So that’s one thing I think maybe some influencers learn to realise quick, because when you first get job offers you’re so grateful to get job offers that you feel like you’d nearly do anything, but it’s just about being very careful and selective that it aligns with you.”
“Your followers see through absolutely everything”
Another kind of dark side of the industry is you’re massively putting yourself out there on social media, and that obviously has its benefits, but it also comes with some negative attention as well. So do you have any experience of that online?
“Yes and no. I am very careful with what I do. I don’t post a lot of my personal information online. You’d have questions here and there that you just wouldn’t answer. I very rarely reply to even bad comments or if people say things I don’t like, I literally ignore everything, because I have this thing where if you reply or respond or react to one, you’re inviting ten times worse in. And that’s just the way I see things.
“So I stay fairly quiet. And people were actually saying to me last week that I give a little, but I don’t give a lot about my life. And I was like yeah, and that’s the way I like it because I don’t owe anybody my information and I stand by that. As much as I’m so grateful for the support, I don’t need to post every day or I don’t owe the followers my life story. I give it when I feel like giving it, but I don’t give into the pressure of having to post every part of my day.
“People, first and foremost, they follow me I’m assuming for my lip-syncs. So that’s the priority for me, and whether I let them in on other things, that’s another thing. But so far it’s kind of working okay. I like to kind of keep my privacy as best I can, but also find a balance.”
“I don’t owe anybody my information, and I stand by that”
“I feel like as it grows, I’ll let people in a little bit more or do more interviews, and that’s okay. But I will always be cautious of what I say. Or just again, like that, you’re very impressionable when you’re being followed online, so I just like to be careful of what I say.
“Even when I mentioned the weight loss to you earlier, I don’t really talk about it because… I will open up a little bit more about it and I get so many questions about it, but part of me is like, I don’t want to look like I’m fat shaming. I don’t want to promote diet culture, but I also want to show people how I love healthy living.
“So I always struggle with that one. I’m like, how do I please everybody with that one? So that’s why I don’t. And I would make the conscious decision maybe not to post about that purely for that reason, which is kind of sad because it’s such a big part of my life. But I will. There will come a time where I’ll open up a lot more about it. But right now, as I said I just don’t want to open up that can of worms.”
It’s a tricky one because it’s obviously a huge part of your story…
“Absolutely. Yeah, massive. Like it kind of is a centre of gravity in my life really, because it’s the reason I’m doing what I’m doing, and it held me back so much when I was younger. But it’s a case of, like, there’s no way I would say ‘go and lose weight and then become a social media influencer’. That’s not how I want it all, but that’s how it could be seen.
“So that’s why I don’t want to promote that. But it’s more about, I’m sad that losing weight is the thing that made me confident to do this and that shouldn’t be the way it is, do you know what I mean? And that’s why I wouldn’t promote it. But that probably is the truth of the matter, really.”
“I’m sad that losing weight is the thing that made me confident to do this… but that probably is the truth of the matter”
And you’ve landed some huge opportunities since you found fame on social media. What has been the highlight so far?
“I did a New Year’s resolutions list, and the top of the list was to get on The Late Late Show. More so, obviously for me, but for my parents, my parents are die hard Late Laters. And just having my family around me, up on the Late Late talking to Tommy Bowe and Donncha [O’Callaghan] and Carl [Mullan] and Patrick Kielty… I was like, this is just so good.
“And then obviously my close second would have to be winning the Gossie last month. That was amazing because I was really surprised by that one, I know everyone says that but I really was.”
@goss.ie Love Island’s @Casey O’Gorman presents @Kayleigh Trappe with the award for Best Social Media Star, sponsored by Decare Dental, at the #Gossies2024 ♬ original sound – Goss.ie
I loved in your speech how you mentioned that you always wanted to act but you never thought it was going to happen because you were from a small town in Monaghan. So what would you say to other people that struggle with small town syndrome?
“I would say that if you back yourself, you can get wherever you want to get, and especially if it’s in the realm of social media. You can do social media from anywhere in the world as long as there’s WIFI or good service.
“That was what happened to me. I didn’t have to go to Dublin, and I wasn’t at events when I started out, I was at home with my camera. And we’re big into gadgets and all these new technologies, but really, in truth, you don’t need it at all. If you just have one little thing that makes you either different from everybody else or you have another thing to offer the world, then do it.
“I would also say, like, originality is key. Don’t try to be the next Sophie Murray or the next Terrie McEvoy. Try and, yes, go into that industry of fashion or beauty if you’d like, but try to do something that separates you from the crowd. And if you feel you have it, go for it.
“If you back yourself, that’s all you need. And I was lucky to have the support of family and friends around me, but like there was a time where they were like ‘what are you doing, this is crazy’. But if it’s meant to be, it’ll be. And what’s for you, won’t go past you.”
And obviously with highlights come low lights as well. So do you have any particular lows that you can think of?
“Maybe just in general the pressure of social media, like the last couple of weeks as soon as the Late Late was finished it was great, but after that I was just a wee bit lower in myself. And you’re nearly feeling guilty about that, and you shouldn’t feel guilty for needing a break.
“And I’ve talked to some people and they’re like ‘oh, I’ve never taken a day off’ you know post, post, post, content, content, content. And I’m like, surely there’s burn out in that. And for me, I just have to have a word with myself and say ‘Kayleigh, the video can wait today’. And as much as it will help boost my numbers if I do it today, if it doesn’t suit, it won’t. So there has been days where maybe the social media, as good as it is, has got to me, and I’ve needed to take a little break, and that’s okay.”
It’s so funny because I feel like people don’t realise how hard it is, because I think it’s very easy for someone to look at your Instagram or Eric Roberts’ Instagram and be like ‘oh they have it grand’. But it takes a lot of time and effort…
“I know. And everyone is always like ‘oh, how long does it take you to learn the words?’ And I’m like learning the words doesn’t even scratch the surface! Picking the clip, editing the clip, learning how to do their face, and then posting it and making sure that it’s, especially if it’s a brand, getting the caption right, getting all that stuff right.
“It’s so much more difficult, not difficult, but time consuming than people think. But I don’t really mind if they think that. I said to someone recently like, I’m not a doctor, I’m not working those hours in the hospital, so I know I don’t understand that. But at the same time, you don’t get what I do either, and that’s okay. Because with what we do, there’s days where you could be quiet and there’s days you could be busy, but there is no off switch. There is literally none. Unless you’re really determined to put the phone away or whatever. Like Saturdays and Sundays don’t exist anymore, like they could be your busier days.
“But at the end of the day, even though it’s busy, for the most part, it’s fun. And I said, as long as I’m enjoying it and as long as it’s fun, I’ll do it forever. But if there comes a point where I don’t like it anymore, I’m happy to go back to the teaching or whatever else and just call it a day.”
“If there comes a point where I don’t like it anymore, I’m happy to go back to the teaching”
And you’ve already collaborated with some very well-known faces, but do you have a dream person you’d like to collaborate with?
“Oh I’d love to collaborate with Louis Walsh. He’s actually reached out to me before and I’ve heard from people that he’s showed Simon Cowell all the videos. I was like, that is crazy. And I’d love to meet Roy Keane, but I also had the chance to meet him one time and I ran away, so maybe not!
“But anybody and everybody really that I’ve done before, Peter Crouch and Abbey Clancy, or Vogue and Joanne would be great as well. But I’d love to meet somebody that I’ve actually done lip-syncs of and do it with them or something like that.”
@kayleightrappe Louis Walsh is my new favourite 😂 @doireanngarrihy #fyp #foryou #comedy #irish ♬ original sound – Doireann Garrihy
You seem to be on such a great career trajectory, but what’s next? What’s the next big thing?
“Hopefully now, I’m getting a lot more into presenting. I feel like naturally it’s kind of going that way, but in the background I’m going to try get into maybe auditioning for acting roles as well.
“Someone I absolutely look up to is Aisling Bea, because I admire how she does both, she does the acting and she’d be on TV and does some presenting. And I’m like, wow you know you don’t have to be an actor or a presenter or a social media person anymore. So I feel like in one way it could be a little collaboration of the three for me, and I’d love that.
“So I’m going to keep going where I’m going and see how I go, and keep opening up as well because I used to just do the videos and not speak, but now I’m really more open to showing different sides of me to get different types of jobs and different types of work. Because you don’t want to be a one trick pony, you want to show off other sides of you.”
And do you think with the acting, would it have to be a comedy or would you go for something more serious, like if Fair City offered you a role, would you go for something like that?
“I’d go for it, yeah. I wouldn’t turn down anything at all. See I wouldn’t be trained in acting, so I’ve never been specifically trained to comedy. For the course that I did, I had to do fake auditions for the likes of Kin and One Day, just for the craic I wasn’t actually auditioning, but I loved it. I was like, I love trying something different.
“Because there is a pressure with being called a comedian or always been known as the one who has to be associated with comedy. It probably is more natural to me, but jeez, no, I would love the challenge of anything.”
And what would be your ultimate goal professionally?
“Well, Cillian Murphy got the Oscar last month, so I’ll take the next one! I say I’m messing, but I’m not really. No, I said if I was to land an acting gig in something I’ve always wanted to be in, then that would be the peak really for me, to be honest. Or if I was to get a presenting gig, be it on the radio or on TV, that would be a full circle moment for me.
“And you never know, like when I was younger I would have laughed if you had told me one of those things, but now it’s like, you know what, the world is your oyster. You never know what’s coming around the corner, so I wouldn’t rule them out.”
And personally then, are you the type of person that wants the house, the kids, etc, or are you just going with the flow?
“I’m definitely going with the flow. I’m 28 and I’m in no rush. But I love kids, I have two nieces and one nephew, and I spend every minute with them that I can.
“I live in Dublin now, but I’m up and down like a yoyo just to see them as I’m very close with them. I just love kids. Kids bring me so much joy. So it’s something that I definitely want in the future, but at the same time I’m in absolutely no rush.”
And you’re properly living up in Dublin now. When did you move?
“Yeah I moved up here a couple of months ago, and I’m loving it. People think Monaghan is a million miles away, but it’s actually less than 2 hours, an hour and a half even. So it’s so accessible.
“I just said in order to be in the heart of it and to be able to take more opportunities, and you know if there’s days RTÉ ask me to come in for radio last minute, at least I can do that now. Whereas before it was like going to Croke Park, like you had to pack the packed lunch and pack up the car to head up the road for the day. Whereas now I can just kind of do it at my own leisure.
“But I do go up and down. Like if things go quieter and I don’t need to be up here for a few days, I will go home. I have my sport at home, I have my friends at home as well. But I’ve kind of adapted here, I’ve joined the gym here, I’ve got good running routes here. So I’m kind of like trying to take my life from Monaghan and replicate it up here as best I can.”
It must in a way feel like a new lease of life, because I know you were a full time teacher before, which is a very regimented job, so now being in a completely new place and being able to be more flexible in terms of your career, it must feel like a new kind of adventure?
“For sure. I struggled big time last September with the lack of structure to the day. When I had the job as a teacher, I knew I had to be in school for 9 and I could leave at like 4 or 5 or whatever. Now it’s like you’re in charge of your own schedule. I know you have your agent there telling you when you need to be there and what you need to be doing, but at the end of the day, it is up to you to get to the next step in your career.
“So I find that difficult, even like trying to decide what time I was going to eat lunch was just mental. But now I’m at the point where I’m so fully used to this kind of life now, that I’m a lot better. And being up in Dublin, if a day is quiet, it doesn’t mean that you just sit around and wait for the next thing to come.
“You can do so much more opportunities up here to make things with the day that’s quiet, make a day out of it, a productive day out of it, and that’s why I’m so glad to be up here. And it’s very motivating when I’m up here, it feels more like work, and home sometimes feels too much like home.”
And my final question now, where do you hope to see yourself five years from now?
“Five years from now I would love to see myself acting in a show that I’ve written myself, if I’m honest.
“I think it’s probably a bit mental, but you never know. I can come back and look at this interview and say ‘I did it!’
“Fingers crossed, fingers crossed. And if not, something else will come along anyways, so I’m happy with the way it’s going.”
