Tullow brothers land dream roles in major Jimmy Stewart biopic filming in Cork
Conor Thornton (9) and his younger brother Aidan (7) on the set of 'Jimmy', which was filming in Cork
TWO young actors from Tullow are set to share the silver screen with Hollywood stars after landing significant roles in the highly anticipated James Stewart biopic , currently filming in Cork.
Conor Thornton (9) and his younger brother Aidan (7) have been cast as Ronald and Michael, the adopted sons of the legendary actor.
The brothers will appear alongside an impressive cast including KJ Apa from Netflix’s hit series as Jimmy Stewart, Jason Alexander from Seinfeld as Louis B Mayer, and Sarah Drew from as Hedda Hopper.
For the Thornton boys, who are both represented by Carlow-based SRL Talent Management, this marks their biggest role to date, although they’re no strangers to the camera. Both have built impressive CVs featuring commercials for major brands such as Currys and Chadwicks, as well as roles in short films selected for the Galway and Boyne Valley Film Festivals.
“It was really nice that I got to work with my own brother for the film and that we got to experience this together,” says Conor, while seven-year-old Aidan was particularly impressed with the Hollywood treatment: “It was the first time we had our own movie trailer to relax in between scenes, and the crew even delivered hot chocolate and ice cream!”
The boys’ journey into acting began at Spotlight Stage School locally, before they were taken on by agent Shauna Ray Lacey at SRL Talent Management. According to their mother Aoife McCloskey, success came quickly.
“Conor’s only been with Shauna for about a year, and Aidan not much longer than that, but they’ve been very successful in their short time,” she explains.
The three-day filming experience in Cork proved to be everything the family had hoped for. “They’re amazing roles to have. They’re very much featured roles rather than a bit here or there,” says Aoife, who was present on set alongside professional chaperones to ensure the boys’ well-being.
She was particularly impressed with how the young actors were treated by the production team and established stars. Of KJ Apa, she notes: “He’s such a lovely guy and so nice to the boys.”
She was equally taken with actresses Sarah Drew and Jen Lilley: “They’ve both done lots of Hallmark films, so they’re always on the TV at Christmas!” The professional atmosphere on set clearly made an impression. “They’re very good with kids on set. There is a chaperone, and I was there myself as well. They try to get their scenes done first because I suppose they don’t want them to miss too much school,” Aoife explains.
“The chaperones were so lovely to them on set. They were playing card games with them on their breaks, making sure that they had plenty of stretch breaks and that they weren’t working too long hours or anything like that. And they had their own trailer and everything.”
Despite the glamour of having their own trailer and being treated like seasoned professionals, it was the simple gestures that made the biggest impact. “You know what, it was just the little things, like when they got hot chocolate delivered by the crew to their trailer when they arrived on the last day,” Aoife recalls.
What strikes their mother most is how naturally the boys have taken to the professional environment. “They take it all in their stride and they would’ve no problem discussing with the director ‘What do you want me to do here?’ or ‘Maybe we should try it this way’. I don’t think there’s any notions or anything setting in yet; they’re so young, I suppose. They’re like little pros, I have to say.”
The audition process itself presented unique challenges, requiring the boys to master American accents to work alongside their international co-stars.
“They had to do an American accent for the audition because, of course, they’re acting alongside American actors, so that was a big challenge. They got a bit of dialect coaching for the audition and we were delighted to hear the news when they got the part!”
The waiting game is all part of the process. “We were delighted when we heard back about two weeks after the audition because we just put it out of our minds. We just thought, oh sure, look, we might not hear anything. And that’s the way it goes with these things; they audition and then they forget it. And if they hear back, great. And if they don’t, they move on to the next thing because they actually genuinely enjoy it.”
The boys’ school has played a crucial supportive role, helping to maintain normality despite their growing success in the entertainment industry.
“What I love about their school is they just don’t make a fuss, which is great. So the boys literally go back after filming and it’ll just be,’ oh, you’re back, that’s great’. And they provide work for them to catch up if they’re gone for more than a few days and so on. But it’s just really supportive of them; it keeps them grounded that there’s no fuss, just straight back into class and back into their childhood, which is the way it should be really.”
For Aoife and her husband, the priority remains clear. “Myself and my husband say, as long as they’re enjoying it, that’s the main thing. It’s not for everybody; it is long hours on set and there are a lot of lines to learn, but they absolutely love it. And what I would say is that the stage school has really helped their confidence. And Shauna at SRL Talent Management is always putting them forward for things – she really believes in them.”
The boys haven’t lost sight of their ultimate aspirations, either. “They always say that their dream role would be something like Kevin from ,” Aoife laughs.
With Connor also set to appear in another feature film, , scheduled for release in 2026, the Thornton brothers are building impressive careers while maintaining their childhood wonder and enthusiasm.
chronicles Stewart’s transformative years in the 1940s, from his rise as Hollywood’s award-winning leading man to his service in the US Army Air Corps during World War II, culminating in his triumphant return to Hollywood and his iconic role in .
The film is scheduled for worldwide cinema release in November 2026, when audiences will get to see Carlow’s own young talents sharing the screen with Hollywood royalty.
