ShowBiz Ireland - Gabriel Byrne may star in George Lucas' next Star Wars

Wanna Be Paparazzi & Make Easy Money?
Email us your Celebrity Digital Photos and Videos... There could be a fortune sitting in your mobile handset. If you snapped it then send it to us at:
Very. Important. Pictures.

14-06-00 news
Gabriel Byrne may star in Lucas' next Star Wars...

The Irish superstar who lost out on a Tony award recently may be in for a even greater prize. Dublin actor GABRIEL BYRNE (star of The Usual Suspects) is being lined up by Hollywood moguls for a major role in the next Star Wars movie.

The Dublin-born actor who is expected back home in Dublin later this summer revealed that the film's makers for the follow-up to the blockbuster Phantom Menace are courting him.

Byrne is currently starring in the Broadway smash of Eugene O'Neill's A Moon For The Misbegotten which finishes on July 2. He had planned to star in just one next movie, and produce another, but he's still in the dark about what his role will be in the multi-million dollar project.

"The people from Star Wars called the other day to offer me something, but I don't know what it is yet," confirmed Byrne. "It's probably already been announced on the Internet, but I still don't I know myself."

George Lucas's as yet unnamed project follows up on last year's Phantom Menace, which starred another Irishman, Liam Neeson. Attempts to try and land Byrne follows his last starring role on the silver screen when he played Satan in the �85 million special effects flick End of Days.

In an interview with The Star during the film's release, Byrne hinted that he was never going to appear in a big-budget movie again. "It was a major experience but I don't know if I would like to star in another movie of that magnitude again," said the 49 year-old star. "With a film like that (End of Days) it can be quite boring because there is so much hanging around doing nothing, which can be quite tedious."

Should Byrne decide to take up the role that's currently on the table, he'll be very popular with his two young children. The caring Dad is always is picky as to what he allows his kids to watch. Romy (7) and Jack (10) have been unable to enjoy their fathers recent roles, because he deemed both unsuitable.

However hinting that he may well take up the offer he said: "My children are too young to see this (Moon For The Misbegotten), so they'd probably prefer me to do a Star Wars Picture." The Irish Star newspaper contributed to this story.