Patrick Bergin

Patrick Connolly Bergin (born 4 February 1951)[2] is an Irish actor and singer perhaps best known for his leading role opposite Julia Roberts in Sleeping with the Enemy (1991) and for his stint playing the villainous Aidan Maguire in the BBC soap EastEnders from November 2017 until March 2018.

Patrick Bergin
Born
Patrick Connolly Bergin

(1951-02-04) 4 February 1951
NationalityIrish
OccupationActor, singer
Years active1970–present
Spouse(s)Paula Frazier (m. 1992; divorced)
Children1[1]

Early life

Bergin was born in Dublin. His father, Patrick Bergin snr., was a Labour Party politician,[3][4] who had once studied to be a priest with the Holy Ghost Fathers in Blackrock, Ireland.[4] Patrick is one of four sons and one daughter (Pearse, Emmet, Patrick, Allen and Siobhan Bergin).[4][5] Bergin left Dublin for London in 1973,[4] and by the time he was seventeen, was in London running a theatre group.[3] Bergin worked on building sites and at a library.[3][4] He studied at night and completed a degree in education from North London Polytechnic.[3] Bergin worked as an English teacher for several years before forming his own theatrical company because no one else would have him.[4][5]

In 1980, Bergin decided to pursue acting full-time and he found work in repertory theatre.[6] For much of the Nineties it seemed like no one in Hollywood would have him. So he made his own way; he worked in diverse films such as a trilogy of Yeats plays; Morphine and Dolly Mixtures, for which he won a BAFTA Cymru Award for Best Actor[7] and Durango, based on John B Keane's novel; hosting TnaG's Silín Draíochta; and narrating Patrick Cassidy's Famine Concert.[4] After Sleeping with the Enemy (1991), his reputation grew and he was offered the lead in Robin Hood with Uma Thurman. He describes 1996 as the lowest point in his career, a time when he rarely received any phone calls for movie roles.[4]

Acting

Internationally, his best-known role may be that of the menacing husband of Julia Roberts' character in the thriller Sleeping with the Enemy and is also known for his role as Irish terrorist Kevin O'Donnell in the film adaptation of Patriot Games. Bergin also appeared as Robin Hood in a 1991 TV film.[8] In 2013 he appeared in the Scottish film The Wee Man playing notorious Glasgow gangster Arthur 'The Godfather' Thompson. Bergin joined the BBC soap EastEnders towards the end of 2017,[9] departing in March 2018.

Music

Currently, he leads Patrick Bergin and the Spirit Merchants. They had a top 10 hit in Ireland with the song "The Knacker", released in 2003, which tells the story of a person who recycles horse carcasses and turns them into glue. As a singer Patrick collaborated with Vlad DeBriansky and appeared on the record of Jacks Last Dollar. He also appeared in the video of DJ Steve Mac's song "Paddy's Revenge".[10]

Bergin was onstage singing the Leonard Cohen song "Anthem" as Pope Francis, on his visit to Ireland, arrived in Croke Park for the Festival of Families, part of the World Meeting of Families 2018.[11]

Charity work

In 1993, Bergin bought an old church in Tipperary and converted it into a poetry centre. Bergin explained, "I've recently come to feel I can encourage children and teenagers with their writing.[6] I'm continually giving groups money to make videos, but I insist that they have a good script. I do it because it makes the difference between them doing a video or not. It doesn't cost a lot, and it gives kids an incredible boost of confidence."[6] In 1998, in response to the murder of a 14-year-old Tallaght boy, Ben Smyth, Bergin participated in setting up a special fund to sponsor young children from Tallaght.[4]

Personal life

In the early 1980s, at a wedding, he met his future wife, Paula Frazier, a British woman of Afro-Caribbean descent. Bergin and Frazier married in Trinidad and Tobago in 1992. They have a daughter named Tatiana (called Tia).[4] Bergin and his wife later divorced, whereupon he began dating Helen Goldin.[12]

Filmography

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryResultWork
1992BAFTA CymruBest Actor (Yr Actor Gorau)WonScreen Two
1992Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror FilmsBest Actor in a Supporting Role in FilmNominatedSleeping with the Enemy

References

  1. "Taking one breath at a time". independent. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  2. "Happy Birthday: Natalie Imbruglia, 38". The Times. 4 February 2013. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  3. "Patrick Bergin's 'Beastly Side' A Boon To His Career". Chicago Tribune. 13 June 1993.
  4. "Interview with the vampire". Irish Independent. 29 July 2001.
  5. "Patrick Bergin". People. 4 May 1992.
  6. "Patrick Bergin's 'Beastly Side' A Boon To His Career". Chicago Tribune. 13 June 1993.
  7. "Patrick Bergin". IMDb. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
  8. "Fox Network Gets the Jump on Big-Screen Production of 'Robin Hood'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 3 October 2010.
  9. "Patrick Bergin joins EastEnders cast". 11 September 2017. Retrieved 28 July 2020 via www.bbc.com.
  10. "Patrick Bergin's saucy Irish jig takes web by storm – News, Entertainment". The Belfast Telegraph. 4 September 2008. Retrieved 1 August 2012.
  11. "Pope Francis Arrives At Dublin's Croke Park To Patrick Bergin Singing Leonard Cohen's Anthem". Cohen Centric. 26 August 2018. Archived from the original on 27 August 2018. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
  12. Walsh, Niamh (28 May 2018). "Irish actor Patrick Bergin loved up with new girlfriend". EVOKE.ie. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
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