The series, based on the best-selling book by Patrick Radden Keefe, begins with the disappearance of Jean McConville, a mother of ten who is taken from her home in 1972 by operatives from the Irish Republican Army (IRA), never to be seen again. The story follows several IRA members over the course of several decades, during the conflict called "The Troubles."
It stars Lola Petticrew, Hazel Doupe, Maxine Peake, Anthony Boyle, Josh Finan and Judith Roddy.
Boyle, who plays IRA commander Brendan Hughes, said that as these members of the IRA go to major extremes in the name of what they believe, he wanted to make sure the show didn't glorify it, but instead have the audience looking inward.
"What was always on my mind when we were making it was like I really want the audience to be with them emotionally at every turn, to not be judging them from a sort of...going 'oh I would never do that' or looking at them like heroes going 'oh I wish I could it,' but to have them on the level," Boyle told On The Red Carpet.
"We should try and say, 'why did this happen?' and put the audience, put the onus on them, put them in the driver's seat and say, 'what would you do?'"
Boyle said he's known about his character since he was a child.
"I used to walk past a mural of him going to school every day," Boyle said. "In our community, he's like a very famous figure."
Boyle said playing this iconic man was freeing for him.
"It felt like the most sort of natural performance and possibly the most honest performance I've ever given," he said.
"I'm usually doing period pieces, usually with a mustache so there was a bit of comfort there. Playing Brendan felt very natural to me."
When asked about the mustache giving him comfort, he said "I don't know what it is, I just keep playing roles with mustaches. I absolutely love it. I feel very virile, I feel strong.. I like twisting this bit, it's a good time!"
You can see Boyle and his mustache in "Say Nothing." The entire limited series is streaming now on Hulu.
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