Sínann Fetherston sits down with Dublin actress Danielle Galligan, star of Netflix hit Shadow and Bone, and RTÉ dark comedy Obituary, to discuss fame, fashion, and ditching Instagram.
When an Irish person garners global fame, they have to walk a particularly challenging tightrope to maintain public favour; never unprofessional, but always great craic; taking on the world, with roots firmly grounded; ambitious, but without the notions.
Taking her first steps on the high-wire, Danielle Galligan seems to be doing all that and more.
A graduate of The Lir Academy of Dramatic Arts, the award-winning actress has been working steadily on both stage and screen for the past decade. This year, it seems the world has taken note.
As well as being nominated as a Rising Star at the Irish Film and Television Awards, she was listed as part of Wonderland magazine's Class of 2023, celebrating the entertainment industry's 'wunderkinds'.
"First and foremost, I'm pinching myself," she says of the accolades. "I'm so grateful that someone would even say that, it's so beautiful.
"But, also, I was like, 'I'm 30, I'm too old," she laughs. "I mean it was a real shock. It really is something I didn't think would ever happen."
Despite her flourishing list of IMDB credits and growing fandom, the Dublin woman says she is determined to keep her feet planted firmly on the ground.
"You can be so obsessed with the trajectory as opposed to the journey, and then you lose sight of what's really special and what the milestones are. You just end up chasing something that's as long as a piece of string."
"You have to take it as a cherry," she muses. "It's dessert, it's not the meal."
Although a particularly delicious cherry, the Lakelands star insists that even the success found in her biggest breaks and most cherished of roles have failed to "fix all her problems". True contentment, it turns out, is most often found in small moments.
Speaking over Zoom from Dublin's Abbey Theatre, just hours before taking to the stage in Nancy Harris's romantic comedy, Somewhere Out There You, she says the role has been exceptionally fulfilling thanks to her warm and welcoming audience.
"My Nana, who is 91 - she was the catalyst for my love of the stage, so it's all her fault - was able to come and see me on the Abbey stage on Saturday, which I thought might not ever happen again, and that was a real moment," she beams.
"To see her there, and her pride and her joy, I was like 'wow, that's success'."
When she's not on stage, the actress can be found starring in Irish productions such as RTÉ's dark-comedy series, Obituary, and crime-drama, Kin, as well as the global sensation of Netflix hit Shadow and Bone.
Based on the hugely popular book series by Leigh Bardugo, the fantasy fiction has enjoyed two popular series on the steaming platform, with Galligan starring as Nina Zenik, a fan-favourite character known for her quick wit, sweet-tooth, and strong opinions.
At time of writing, fans of the show are waiting with bated breath to find out if will be renewed for a third season, but with on-going strikes and the fickle nature of the industry, nothing is guaranteed.
"People take it for granted that if you're on Netflix then you're sorted; that's your trajectory, that's where you're going, and your star is rising, but it's not," she insists. "I learned that very early on in my career."
"No one really owes you anything and you've got to keep growing in a very personal way, and not get lost and not take anything for granted."
At present, Galligan's rising star is hovering somewhere between celebrity and fame. While her Netflix profile currently allows her to sell extra tickets to her theatre shows, another big hit could push her into trickier territory.
"I'm chill with where it's at now and I'd like it to just stay the way it is, I think," she laughs.
"I owe so much to Shadow and Bone and Netflix and all the creators on that show because I really do think it changed me as an actor, for sure, and I think it changed my journey and the trajectory of my career. It gave me all these opportunities and I don't know if they would have happened without that.
"Something like that might never happen for me again so I'm just enjoying it for what it is right now."
"It's all mad, it's all just mad," she adds, laughing. "Honest to God, I'm sitting here trying to be articulate but I don't know. It's just a job at the end of the day. It's my job and I want to do a good job."
These days, doing a 'good job' as an actress means more than pouring your heart into a role. As well as learning lines and working on their craft, stars are expected to juggle interviews with the press, social media engagement, and red carpet appearances.
This, she says, can be the most treacherous part of the balancing act.
"When we got to go to LA for the premiere [of Shadow and Bone], that felt like a once in a lifetime experience. I really enjoyed it. I love people doing my hair and makeup; you feel like a princess for a day. It's amazing and stunning and gorgeous, and I love all those actors so much, so to get to go to LA together - all that's amazing.
"Then there's another side that brings out an inner-critic because then you have to look at the pictures. You have to look at the pictures and the videos of what you said, and it's like, 'who the f**k is that girl?'," she laughs.
"So, in a way, it's great and I enjoy it for what it is, but I've never been happier to come home and sit on the couch with my boyfriend when it's over."
One trick for handling the chaos of the red carpet has been to take the focus off herself and hype up the many Irish designers she has worn to big events.
"Because of Shadow and Bone, I get to talk about Lakeland and Somewhere Out There You, but then I was like, 'OK, if people are going to be looking at me, let's look at what I'm wearing'. Aisling Kavanagh [Irish fashion designer] is a dear friend of mine and she's amazing."
"Also, it gives me a sense of pride to be wearing Irish. I'm so patriotic, in general, and it makes the carpets easier because I can talk about a person that I know."
"There's so much talent here," she continues. "Honest to God, it's so fizzy and so vibrant - there's so much exciting stuff going on in Dublin and around the country."
Overall, maintaining a balance between success and sanity has been made all the easier since stepping back from social media. As someone who experiences anxiety, ditching Instagram has become a simple way for the actress to step back.
"I didn't realise how bad I was, actually," she admits. "We see it as this vehicle for our careers in a way because we have to be sharing things and you need to be seen. There's always this scarcity mentality for actors because you're told 'no' more than you're being told 'yes'. It's always squeaky bum time," she laughs.
When her boyfriend decided to take a two week break, Galligan decided to follow suit and hasn't looked back since. These days, she's looking straight ahead and taking it one step at a time.
"My life outside of the job has become so rich and full, and that's where my focus is at the moment," she smiles.
Danielle Galligan is currently starring in Somewhere Out There You. Click here for more info.
