THE Irish Film & Television Academy (IFTA) has announced the nominees for its annual Rising Star Award.
Actor Anthony Boyle, writer and director Aislinn Clarke, and actors Clinton Liberty and Alisha Weir are all in the running for the 2025 gong.
They will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of previous winners, which include the likes of Saoirse Ronan, Michael Fassbender, Nicola Coughlan, Domhnall Gleeson and Jamie Dornan
"I'm very happy to be nominated - it means a lot to be included in such a great year for Irish film and TV,” Boyle said as the nominees were revealed.
Born in Belfast, he graduated from the Royal West College of Music and Drama in Cardiff in 2016.
Having appeared in films including The Lost City of Z, The Journey and Tolkien, more recently he appeared in FX’s Say Nothing and the Steven Spielberg-produced Apple TV+ hit Masters of the Air.
He will be back on our screens soon playing Arthur Guinness in the Netflix production, House of Guinness.
Fellow nominee Clarke said it was “an honour” to be up for the award.
“It’s such an honour to be nominated for the IFTA Rising Star Award, which over the years has included so many of Ireland’s greatest talents,” the director said, before adding: “Is mór an onóir é a bheith san áireamh sa líon sin. Go raibh míle maith agaibh!” (Which means, ‘It is a great honour to be included in that number, thank you.)
Born in Dundalk, Co. Louth, Clarke moved to Northern Ireland as a teenager.
Her debut horror feature The Devil’s Doorway was released in 2018 and played at numerous international horror festivals.
She followed it up last year with the Irish language horror Fréwaka, which stars Clare Monnelly and Bríd Ní Neachtain, and has received two IFTA nominations.
IFTA's Rising Star Nominees 2025 (clockwise from top lef)t: Anthony Boyle, Aislinn Clarke, Alisha Weir and Clinton LibertyLiberty claims the first person he told when he got word of his nomination was his mum.
“I was in my trailer on a new project when I received the news, and the first person I told was my mum," he said.
“I’m delighted to be nominated, it’s so lovely to be recognised within the industry I love, for work I’m so proud of,” he added.
The actor grew up in Laytown, Co. Meath, and graduated from The Lir Academy in 2019.
He made his screen debut in 2016’s Handsome Devil, and appeared in five episodes of Normal People in 2020.
He followed that role with major parts in Irish/Swedish drama Red Election in 2021 and Holding in 2022, a series based on Graham Norton’s novel, which also starred Conleth Hill and Siobhán McSweeney.
In 2024, he began starring as Addam of Hull in the second season of HBO’s blockbuster Game of Thrones prequel series House of the Dragon.
Dubliner Weir is only 15 but has already amassed something of a global fanbase.
In 2022 she took the lead role in the film Matilda the Musical, based on the hit Roald Dahl book.
She received her first IFTA nomination in 2023 for that role.
Weir received her second Lead Actress nomination this year, for her work starring as the titular vampire in the 2024 horror Abigail – which was written by Irish screenwriter Stephen Shields and co-produced by Wild Atlantic Pictures.
She has also starred in Wicked Little Letters, opposite Jessie Buckley and Olivia Colman, and will next appear in the animated film The Land of Sometimes with Ewan McGregor and Helena Bonham Carter.
“I am absolutely over the moon to be shortlisted for 2025's Rising Star Award,” she said this week.
“I was studying for my upcoming junior cert mock exams when my mam came flying in to tell me the great news; my dad and my two sisters were so excited for me when I told them.
“I am absolutely thrilled and so thankful to be shortlisted.”
Selected by a special jury and sponsored by Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland, IFTA’s Rising Star Award winner will be announced at a ceremony due to take place on Friday, February 14.
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