RTÉ announce landmark documentary on Stephen Rea

RTÉ has announced a new documentary titled Stephen Rea: The Fire in Me Now, set to air on Thursday, April 10 at 10:15 p.m. on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player.

The film offers an in-depth look at the acclaimed actor’s life, career, and creative outlook, providing rare access to Stephen Rea and his extensive body of work.

According to the logline, the documentary “follows the veteran star as he rehearses Beckett’s legendary play Krapp’s Last Tape in Dublin, playing opposite his younger self with audio tapes he recorded over a decade ago. We travel with him, from where he grew up in north Belfast, to his family home north of Dublin, to London’s Maida Vale where he spent time as an actor and to his beloved Donegal.”

Spanning over five decades, Rea’s career is explored through archive footage, from his rarely seen student sketches at Queen’s University Belfast in the 1960s to more recent collaborations with Vicky Featherstone at London’s Royal Court Theatre.

The documentary also features appearances from long-time collaborators and friends, including actor Sinéad Cusack, director Neil Jordan, and civil rights activist Eamon McCann.

Titled after a line from Krapp’s Last Tape, The Fire in Me Now reflects on Rea’s enduring presence on stage and screen as he continues performing into his seventh decade.

Stephen Rea stated: “I was initially reluctant to do the documentary in lots of ways because I am a deeply private person, and I’ve always believed that the work has to be bigger than your ego.

"But I did want to pay homage to the friendship and generosity of the collaborators I was lucky to find, like Nancy Meckler and Neil Jordan, who helped me personally and in my career. I am a proud North Belfast man, and I hope the film shows younger people in the business that no matter where you’re from, there’s not one set path to being an actor. It’s about being true to yourself.”

Stephen Rea: The Fire in Me Now is a Walk on Air Films production, commissioned by RTÉ and BBC Northern Ireland with support from Northern Ireland Screen.