Toronto, ON – September 22, 2014
Actor and filmmaker Mark O’Brien will direct Who Is Hannah, a dark comedy indie short film featuring select cast members of CBC’s Republic of Doyle.
Who is Hannah is the unlikely coming of age tale about a girl who thought she had already come of age. This quirky film is based on the true story of co-writer Claire Stollery’s experience of meeting her biological father for the first time.
Stollery plays herself and stars alongside fan favourite Lynda Boyd and Canadian screen veterans Rick Roberts and Rachel Wilson. The combination of this well-loved cast and Stollery and Hastings’ dark humour will leave audiences wondering if they want to laugh or cry.
In addition, Mark is guest starring in episode three of CTV’s Saving Hope. Going into its third season, Saving Hope is a supernatural medical drama that centres around the lives of the doctors and nurses of Hope Zion Hospital.
Upcoming, Mark O’Brien will reprise his fan favourite role as Des Courtney during the sixth and final season of Republic of Doyle. Audiences will once again get a taste of Mark’s directorial side as he directed the second episode of the new season. Season six of Republic of Doyle premieres Wednesday, October 15, 2014 at 9PM/9:30NT.
Debuting in 2010, Republic of Doyle is an award winning comedy-drama series set in St. John’s, Newfoundland. The show follows private investigator and former police officer Jake Doyle (Allan Hawco) and his father Malachy Doyle (Seán McGinley) whose cases find them involved in all sorts of dealings – not all of them on the right side of the law.
Mark’s character, Des Courtney, is a young Private Investigator, going from a delinquent to a valued member of Doyle & Doyle Investigations, specializing in the technological side of things.
Mark can be recognized for his roles on several hit series including NBC’s Hannibal, where he played a recurring role as Randall Tier, a psychotic serial killer. He has also been featured on episodes of CBC’s Murdoch Mysteries and Syfy’s Warehouse 13. In 2010, Mark starred in the Sundance Film Festival selection Grown Up Movie Star alongside Orphan Black’s, Tatiana Maslany.
Recently, Mark produced and starred in DENNIS, a short psychological thriller inspired by true events. Hitchhiking the Irish Loop of Newfoundland in the summer of 2010, director Nicole Dorsey learned of a series of unsolved kidnappings and murders that occurred through the 1980s. In this short she follows the story of Dennis, played by Mark, capturing his developing psychosis. DENNIS leaves viewers privy to an unsolved case and the possible reasoning for its occurrence.
Mark’s directorial credits can be seen in select episodes of Republic of Doyle, as well as nine short films including Better People, which showcased in 10 film festivals across Canada and the United States, and Sweetieface, seen in film festivals all across the country. Both films received critical acclaim, winning multiple awards including Best Short Film at the 2013 and 2014 WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival. Mark currently has the three features in post-production including The End of Days at Godfrey Global Inventory, Len & Company and The Dark Stranger.
When he’s not busy acting and filmmaking, Mark enjoys reading and playing hockey. He holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English from Memorial University.
For more information visit:
www.imdb.com/name/nm1975628
Like Mark O’Brien on Facebook:
www.facebook.com/markobrienfanpage
Follow Mark O’Brien on Twitter:
@markobrienNL
-30-
Available for Interviews:
Mark O’Brien
For media inquiries please contact:
Pennant Media Group
Kevin Pennant [email protected]
Amira de Vera [email protected]
Toronto 416.596.2978
USA 855.596.2978
