The UK’s Aidan Creegan
We recently sat down and spoke with the highly talented and diverse actor Aidan Creegan. He was more than happy to share with the readers his life experience in the world of acting, his love for comedy and his plans for the future. Here is what he had to say:
Please introduce yourself to the readers and how you first get into performing?
My name is Aidan Creegan and I was born in the Netherlands but my background is both Irish and Indonesian. My parents met in Germany and I consider myself a product of the flower power time. I first started performing in primary school and wanted to get into acting ever since.
What inspired you to get into this industry?
When I was in my teens, I saw a movie which made me very emotional afterwards. That feeling I had after seeing that movie was so intense that I wanted to do the same thing. To tell a story, a story that evokes emotions with people. I believe that actors with the director and the cast and crew have an amazing ability to create stories that make people happy, sad, cry. That is where I draw my inspiration from. .
What kind of training have you had, if any?
I studied the Le Coq Acting technique in Holland which is very much focused on the mask work and the use of the body in acting. They say acting is 80% physical and 20% words which I found was the case at the Le Coq School acting school. In the United Kingdom I studied acting at East 15 Acting school where the Stanislavksi Method was taught incorporated with Laban dance techniques. I’ve been fortunate to learn different methodologies and how best to approach a character and story using these methodologies.
What has been your favorite role to play so far?
There are a few. In drama school, I was performing at a major arts festival in the Netherlands and it was a children’s play. In it, I played the evil captain Black Eye. This was such a joy because you can see whether or not a kid likes you and they can be very honest about it. Another favorite role has been that of Shay Carney, a boxer in Caring and Killing playing opposite some amazing talent. This was a great role because I had to become a successful boxer both physically as well as mentally.
What has been one of your biggest achievements in your career so far?
Working with Tobias Tobbell on both From Earth and #Murderselfie were amazing productions. Not only because I got to work with a great crew but also because of great up and coming UK actors like Nikki Runeckles and Karl Hughes. Keep an eye out for these two. I’ve also had the opportunity to work on Plastic Toys, a great production where I played a New York gang leader. All in all, I’ve had the opportunity to work with some amazing talent and am very grateful for this.
What projects do you have coming up?
I am involved with a US/UK production about a dad who is looking to put up a WWE style show for his son. The movie has amazing people involved – from ex wrestlers to established actors to up and coming actors. It’s so great to be a part of that group – furthermore I am working on an online comedy sketch group which I started with a fellow acting school graduate. Comedy has always been of great interest to me and we are looking to put on more projects. I am also working on creating a trailer of the way the Indonesian part of my family made the journey and how they made it across to Europe. It’s a very interesting story which I’ve started working on with a local Dutch screen writer. Lastly, I am looking forward to continuing with these projects in the US.
Who would you most like to work with?
I’m a big fan of Christopher Nolan because his movies are so compelling and engaging to audiences. David Fincher is also up there. From a comedy/acting point of view, I’d love to work with Chris Rock or Eddie Murphy – they have been going beyond boundaries in terms of comedy and I adore their work. Furthermore, I’d love to work with Al Pacino or Bryan Cranston, their screen presence is just immense and I could learn so much from them.
What are your plans for the future?
I’m planning to continue my success into the US market –the approach to productions in the US are on a different level. Just take the writing of a show like the Sopranos, Breaking Bad and Game of Throne, is simply ground breaking. Multi layered characters, complex but understandable storylines. Great work from the writer all the way down to the actors. The plan is to be able to work in different markets and see what life puts in my path.
What is your advice to aspiring performers?
Focus on your dreams, your goals. Work hard and try to learn as much as you can. More importantly – don’t forget to enjoy the trip!
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