Episode 1768: Oscar-Nominated Director Lenny Abrahamson On ‘Normal People’, Making Sport Look Realistic On TV, His Emile Griffith Biopic, And Ken’s Concerns About Erasure

Lenny Abrahamson nearly won an Oscar for ‘Room’, and he’s currently the talk of the country with his brilliantly-directed ‘Normal People’, the Sally Rooney novel he’s brought to life with some help from the Kildare minor star in the main male role.

He talks to us today about making gaelic football look realistic on tv, the only time Paul Mescal decided to throw his weight around on-set, and also about the death earlier this year of Ron Ross, a close friend of Emile Griffith, the gay world champion boxer who is the subject of Lenny’s next movie.

Ken has some questions about the ‘Normal People’ adaptation as he ponders the place of the ‘football man’, Murph reveals his version of the GAA male sexual ideal, and – there’s sport on tv this weekend! Frances Murphy brings us the latest.

Click the image at the top of the page to play the show. Monday’s shows are free to all and Isolating with David O’Doherty is free on Mondays and Thursdays – to listen to our programming throughout the rest of the week, join the Second Captains World Service. It’s independent, commercial-free and member-led with feature interviews, breaking news, Richie Sadlier’s Player’s Chair, The Politics Podcast and lots of added extras.

Describing the early part of this week as a ‘log flume into a pit of turds’, @phlaimeaux has his fizz back, two new hats in a ‘go on the rocks’ shade of brown, and his top off.

Tops Off Thursday on Achill ??https://t.co/d6hT1nDEaI pic.twitter.com/3ZxKi4Mnil

— Second Captains (@SecondCaptains) May 14, 2020

Our big, big Second Captains World Service week continues today with @vancole9 opening up to @RichieSadlier on the Player’s Chair. Listen to the hugely powerful interview in full now at https://t.co/uxcODKouWE ??

Here’s a snippet ?? pic.twitter.com/rurFTlScsE

— Second Captains (@SecondCaptains) May 13, 2020