irishfilmtv.com

Andrew Scott graced the world premiere of BLUE MOON at the Berlin International Film Festival alongside Ethan Hawke, Margaret Qualley, and director Richard Linklater on Tuesday. The film, shot in Ireland last summer, represents yet another collaboration between Linklater and Hawke, this time creating a one-scene musical drama set in 1943.

While Scott portrays composer Richard Rodgers in BLUE MOON, his casting highlights a career marked by thoughtful role selection and artistic versatility. The Dublin-born actor has built an impressive filmography that spans stage, television, and cinema, with BLUE MOON adding another notable credit alongside his fellow Irish actor Simon Delaney.

Scott’s involvement in this production follows his acclaimed performances in films like PRIDE, SPECTRE, and 1917, as well as his unforgettable television work in SHERLOCK and FLEABAG. Linklater’s musical drama unfolds within a hotel and bar setting on the opening night of OKLAHOMA! with Hawke embodying the troubled Broadway lyricist Lorenz Hart, whose credits include “The Lady Is a Tramp” and the titular song.

The director aimed to echo the craftsmanship of 1930s and 40s musical theatre, creating a film that, like a Rodgers and Hart composition, balances beauty, sadness, and humor. Scott’s portrayal of Richard Rodgers places him in a narrative exploring the creative partnership behind some of America’s most beloved standards, further demonstrating his range following recent leading roles in ALL OF US STRANGERS and RIPLEY.

Produced in association with Dublin-based Wild Atlantic Pictures, BLUE MOON competes in the main section of the Berlinale eleven years after Linklater won the Silver Bear for BOYHOOD, another Hawke collaboration. The festival’s new director, Tricia Tuttle, has expressed hope that the event’s films would take center stage despite current political discourse, with awards to be presented by a jury led by US director Todd Haynes on Saturday evening.