Eoin Macken is one of those people that, in industry terms, is a triple-threat. Although best known to most audiences for his acting roles, Macken also has a career as both a writer and director. His acting career has seen the Irish actor star in Merlin, The Hole in the Ground, and Till Death, whereas his directorial efforts include The Inside, Cold, and most recently, Here are the Young Men. The variety of his roles mean that Macken is always on set somewhere in some guise, with even the pandemic years unable to stop him. One of a few productions he was part of during this intense time is new horror movie, The Cellar.
Having debuted at FrightFest Glasgow and SXSW earlier this year, The Cellar is now available to watch in the UK on horror streaming giant, Shudder. Filmed on location in Roscommon, Ireland, The Cellar tells the story of parents Brian (Eoin Macken) and Keira (Elisha Cuthbert), whose daughter mysteriously vanishes in the cellar of their new house in the country. The pair soon discover that there is an ancient and powerful entity controlling their home that they will have to face, or risk losing their family’s souls forever.
When we spoke with Eoin he was hard at work in Australia on the set of the second season of US show, La Brea. With the production of episode one well underway, Macken was in high spirits as we discussed The Cellar. Our talk also turned to his own approach to both writing and directing, and the benefits that being an actor can have on both these roles, as well as his thoughts on horror as a genre and the new wave of Irish-set frights that are now appearing.
The Cellar is available to watch now on Shudder.
