THE RIGHT STUFF - COLIN O'DONOGHUE INTERVIEW

Get ready to see the Mercury 7 as you’ve never seen them before!

The Right Stuff is a new series, based on the 1979 book of the same name by Tom Wolfe and the 1983 movie.   It premieres with the first two-episodes October 9, 2020 on Disney+.

The eight episode series follows the incredible story of America’s first astronauts, known as The Mercury 7 and a look at the early days of the U.S. Space Program.

“The Right Stuff” takes us behind the scenes of America’s first “reality show,” when the ambitious astronauts and their families became instant celebrities in a competition of money, fame and immortality.

Irish actor Colin O’Donoghue plays Gordon “Gordo” Cooper, the role Dennis Quaid took on in the 1983 movie. O’Donoghue (born 26 January 1981) is an Irish actor and musician best known for his role as Captain Killian “Hook” Jones in the hit ABC show, Once Upon a Time, and his role as Michael Kovak in The Rite (2011).

A native of Drogheda and a graduate of the Gaiety School of Acting in Dublin, Colin’s early career consisted of predominately theatre and television work in Ireland and the UK. In 2003, he won the Irish Film and Television Award for Best New Talent for his role as Norman in the TV movie Home for Christmas. Soon after, he had stints on Proof, Fair City, the miniseries Rebel Heart and The Clinic for Irish Television. He also appeared as Duke Philip of Bavaria in season 3 of the hit BBC/Showtime series The Tudors, where he caught the eye of many industry professionals.

Upon arriving in Los Angeles in 2010, he landed the lead role of Michael Kovak, working opposite Academy Award winner Sir Anthony Hopkins in the New Line Cinema feature, The Rite. He can also be seen in Johannes Roberts’ film Storage 24, opposite BAFTA winner Noel Clarke.

O’Donoghue says he was thrilled to be able to peel away the layers of Gordon Cooper for this series. 

I spoke with Colin O’Donoghue from his home in Ireland about The Right Stuff.