Saipan revisits one of the most talked-about moments in Irish sporting history, but this film is far more than a football story. Set around the events of the 2002 World Cup, it focuses on the clash of personalities, pressure, and pride that surrounded the Irish camp at the time. Rather than breaking down tactics or matches, Saipan digs into the human cost of elite sport and the emotional stakes behind a moment that became part of national folklore. While rooted in the events of Ireland’s 2002 World Cup campaign, Saipan is far more than a football film.
HeyUGuys sat down with actor Éanna Hardwicke to talk about portraying footballer Roy Keane in the film, which also stars Steve Coogan as former Ireland manager Mick McCarthy. We talked about how the film explored one of the most talked-about moments in Irish sporting history.
In this interview, Hardwicke discusses his personal connection to the city of Cork, growing up with Keane as a towering local figure, and why the story is really about pressure, identity, and the relationships between strong personalities. He explains his approach to playing a real person without imitation, focusing instead on attitude, mindset, and emotional truth. Hardwicke also talks about working alongside Coogan, the influence Coogan has had on him as an actor, and collaborating with directors Glenn Leyburn and Lisa Barros D’Sa on a film that constantly surprised him. A thoughtful conversation about performance, Irish identity, and finding humanity behind the headlines.
Hardwicke reflects on his own relationship with football, admitting he’s a passionate fan rather than an expert, and explaining that what drew him to the project wasn’t the sport itself but the intense relationship between two powerful figures at the heart of the story. Playing Roy Keane carried particular weight for him, not just because of Keane’s larger-than-life presence, but because they share roots in Cork. Stepping into the shoes of someone who loomed so large during his childhood was both meaningful and personal, for him and his family.
He also discusses the process of portraying a real person, emphasizing that the goal was never a surface-level impersonation. Instead, he immersed himself in interviews, footage, and Keane’s own written accounts to understand his mindset at the time. Having such a clear perspective to work from was, he says, liberating, allowing him to focus on capturing the character’s point of view rather than inventing one from scratch. The film’s directors and script were praised for shaping a story full of unexpected detail, grounded in humanity rather than headlines.
Working alongside Steve was another highlight of the experience. The actor speaks with admiration about Steve’s skill in portraying real-life figures and how influential he has been throughout his career. Their collaboration, and the shared care taken with the material, helped shape a film that looks beyond the myth to ask deeper questions about pressure, identity, and how Ireland saw itself on the world stage at that moment in time. Congratulations on Saipan and on such a thoughtful, compelling performance.
