The father of James Martin has told of his pride for his son, who starred in the Oscar-winning short film An Irish Goodbye.
Ivan Martin told Morning Ireland, on RTÉ Radio 1, that it was wonderful to see his son on stage at the Academy Awards and that it would be a wonderful memory for James to have the whole theatre singing happy birthday to him.
Martin said that James’ mother had accompanied him to the ceremony while the remainder of the family watched it on television in Belfast. “I was watching at home with his brother and his uncle and his grandfather. It was just fantastic to see it. We couldn’t believe it when it was read out.”
The father and son have not spoken since the win, as James was attending Elton John’s annual Aids Foundation Academy Awards party.
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When asked how James would cope with the fame, his father said he would not change at all and dealt well with the media.
Last week, before one event, his mother asked was he nervous, to which James replied no, that he was “just going to work”.
James also met the James Bond producer Barbara Broccoli; another actor teased him that he was schmoozing Broccoli in a bid to be the next Bond. The actor is said to have responded: “I’m too small to be James Bond, but I’ve got all the moves, Barbara.”
