Joe McKinney
Encyclopedia
Joe McKinney is an Irish
stage
, screen
/television
actor
and voice-over
artist.
Dublin-born McKinney trained and worked as a hairdresser
for four years, before joining fringe theatre
. He trained at Inchicore VEC Dublin and worked on stage productions such as the Irish Premiere of Unidentified Human Remains and the True Nature of Love
by Brad Fraser
and Saved by Edward Bond
, both directed by Jimmy Fay, for Bedrock Productions in 1994. Other theatre productions include Joe Dowling
s production of Brendan Behan's Borstal Boy (McKinney's first paid role), and Bouncers by John Godber
, directed by Graham Watts, both 1995. Recent theatre includes Attic Improv's Spoonfed, Dublin Fringe 2005 and An Image for The Rose, which was nominated for Sexiest Fringe Show
2006.
In 1994, after featuring in a couple of commercials, McKinney starred in the famous Guinness
advert, Anticipation
, in which he danced around a pint while waiting for it to settle. Following the success of the commercial, he spent two years touring Europe making personal appearances to promote the product.
In 1997, McKinney moved to New York to pursue artistic representation and auditions. Moving back to Ireland, he also worked on a number of short films including Phone (1997) and The Boogie Man (1999), both written and directed by John Vaughan
; Area 51, (2002) written and directed by Carl Collins; Easy Street, (2003) written and directed by Shane Conaty; A Dublin Story (2003) and Past Pupil (2005), both directed by Graham Cantwell
and Nuts, (2007) written and directed by Irvine Welsh
. Feature films include The Crooked Mile (2001) and Starfish (2004), both written and directed by Stephen Kane and King Arthur
(2004), directed by Antoine Fuqua
.
Television includes RTÉ One
drama Glenroe
, in which he played property developer Dan Reilly from 1998 to 2001. In 2008, McKinney took part in RTÉ Two
observational documentary series Hollywood Trials
.
McKinney's more recent work includes the IFTA-Nominated Anton (2008), directed by Graham Cantwell
, Handheld (2009), directed by Jason Figgis
and Good Arrows (2009), directed by Irvine Welsh
and co-written by Welsh and Dean Cavanagh. In 2010 McKinney took the role of businessman Alexander Moog in October Eleven Pictures' feature film A Christmas Carol
, adapted for the screen and directed by Jason Figgis
.
In March 2009, Guinness announced that the Anticipation advert would be aired again as part of a "Classic Ads" campaign to mark the brewery's 250th anniversary. However, despite the popularity of the commercial, McKinney was excluded from the Arthur's Day celebrations which were held to mark the brewery's 250th anniversary
A Founding Member and Artistic Director of The Attic Studio, McKinney is a Reiki Master/Teacher, and a Priest after The Order of Melchizedek - Melchizedek Priesthood, and a Minister of the Universal Life Church
.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
stage
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
, screen
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
/television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and voice-over
Voice-over
Voice-over is a production technique where a voice which is not part of the narrative is used in a radio, television production, filmmaking, theatre, or other presentations...
artist.
Dublin-born McKinney trained and worked as a hairdresser
Hairdresser
Hairdresser is a term referring to anyone whose occupation is to cut or style hair in order to change or maintain a person's image. This is achieved using a combination of hair coloring, haircutting, and hair texturing techniques...
for four years, before joining fringe theatre
Fringe theatre
Fringe theatre is theatre that is not of the mainstream. The term comes from the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, which name comes from Robert Kemp, who described the unofficial companies performing at the same time as the second Edinburgh International Festival as a ‘fringe’, writing: ‘Round the fringe...
. He trained at Inchicore VEC Dublin and worked on stage productions such as the Irish Premiere of Unidentified Human Remains and the True Nature of Love
Unidentified Human Remains and the True Nature of Love
Unidentified Human Remains and the True Nature of Love is a 1989 stage play written by Canadian playwright Brad Fraser. Set in Edmonton, Alberta, the comedy-drama follows the lives of several sexually frustrated "thirty-somethings" who try to learn the meaning of love — during a time in which...
by Brad Fraser
Brad Fraser
Brad Fraser is a Canadian playwright, screenwriter and cultural commentator. He is one of the most widely produced Canadian playwrights both in Canada and internationally. Fraser's plays typically feature a harsh yet comical view of contemporary life in Canada, including frank depictions of...
and Saved by Edward Bond
Edward Bond
Edward Bond is an English playwright, theatre director, poet, theorist and screenwriter. He is the author of some fifty plays, among them Saved , the production of which was instrumental in the abolition of theatre censorship in the UK...
, both directed by Jimmy Fay, for Bedrock Productions in 1994. Other theatre productions include Joe Dowling
Joe Dowling
Joe Dowling is the Artistic Director for the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. He is also well-known for his work as Artistic Director of the Abbey Theatre in Ireland, and has directed plays in all the major theatres in Ireland as well as theatres in London, New York, Washington...
s production of Brendan Behan's Borstal Boy (McKinney's first paid role), and Bouncers by John Godber
John Godber
John Harry Godber is an English dramatist, known mainly for his observational comedies. In the 'Plays and Players Yearbook' for 1993 he was calculated as the third most performed playwright in the UK behind William Shakespeare and Alan Ayckbourn. He has a wife and 2 children.-Biography:Godber was...
, directed by Graham Watts, both 1995. Recent theatre includes Attic Improv's Spoonfed, Dublin Fringe 2005 and An Image for The Rose, which was nominated for Sexiest Fringe Show
Fringe theatre
Fringe theatre is theatre that is not of the mainstream. The term comes from the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, which name comes from Robert Kemp, who described the unofficial companies performing at the same time as the second Edinburgh International Festival as a ‘fringe’, writing: ‘Round the fringe...
2006.
In 1994, after featuring in a couple of commercials, McKinney starred in the famous Guinness
Guinness
Guinness is a popular Irish dry stout that originated in the brewery of Arthur Guinness at St. James's Gate, Dublin. Guinness is directly descended from the porter style that originated in London in the early 18th century and is one of the most successful beer brands worldwide, brewed in almost...
advert, Anticipation
Anticipation (Guinness)
Anticipation is an award-winning Irish advertisement launched by Guinness plc in 1994 to promote Guinness-brand draught stout. The advert, which appeared in print, posters, and cinema and television spots, was produced by Irish advertising agency Arks, was directed by Richie Smyth and starred the...
, in which he danced around a pint while waiting for it to settle. Following the success of the commercial, he spent two years touring Europe making personal appearances to promote the product.
In 1997, McKinney moved to New York to pursue artistic representation and auditions. Moving back to Ireland, he also worked on a number of short films including Phone (1997) and The Boogie Man (1999), both written and directed by John Vaughan
John Vaughan
John Cecil Beaumont Vaughan is a Barbadian-born Canadian cricketer. He played three One Day Internationals for Canada.-External links:...
; Area 51, (2002) written and directed by Carl Collins; Easy Street, (2003) written and directed by Shane Conaty; A Dublin Story (2003) and Past Pupil (2005), both directed by Graham Cantwell
Graham Cantwell
Graham Cantwell is an Irish film and television director. He is best known for directing feature film which achieved a three week domestic cinema release and was nominated for three Irish Film and Television Awards in 2009. His short film A Dublin Story was shortlisted for Academy Award Nomination...
and Nuts, (2007) written and directed by Irvine Welsh
Irvine Welsh
Irvine Welsh is a contemporary Scottish novelist, best known for his novel Trainspotting. His work is characterised by raw Scottish dialect, and brutal depiction of the realities of Edinburgh life...
. Feature films include The Crooked Mile (2001) and Starfish (2004), both written and directed by Stephen Kane and King Arthur
King Arthur (film)
King Arthur is a 2004 film directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by David Franzoni. It stars Clive Owen as the title character, Ioan Gruffudd as Lancelot, and Keira Knightley as Guinevere....
(2004), directed by Antoine Fuqua
Antoine Fuqua
Antoine Fuqua is an American film director. He directed the film Training Day as well as Tears of the Sun, King Arthur, Shooter and Brooklyn's Finest...
.
Television includes RTÉ One
RTÉ One
RTÉ One is the flagship television channel of Raidió Teilifís Éireann , and it is the most popular and most watched television channel in Ireland. It was launched as Telefís Éireann on 31 December 1961, it was renamed RTÉ Television in 1966, and it was renamed as RTÉ One upon the launch of RTÉ...
drama Glenroe
Glenroe
Glenroe was an Irish television drama series broadcast between September 1983 and May 2001 on RTÉ One. The programme was a spin-off from Bracken, a short-lived RTÉ drama itself spun off from The Riordans. Glenroe was broadcast on Sunday nights at 20.30, generally from September to May. The show was...
, in which he played property developer Dan Reilly from 1998 to 2001. In 2008, McKinney took part in RTÉ Two
RTÉ Two
RTÉ Two is a free-to-air general entertainment channel operated by Irish state broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann. RTÉ Two is available throughout the island of Ireland through digital terrestrial service Saorview, VHF and UHF bands, and is also available via satellite to Irish subscribers of...
observational documentary series Hollywood Trials
Hollywood Trials
Hollywood Trials was an observational documentary series which ran on RTÉ Two Ireland, in 2008.The series followed ten Irish actors trying to break into Hollywood...
.
McKinney's more recent work includes the IFTA-Nominated Anton (2008), directed by Graham Cantwell
Graham Cantwell
Graham Cantwell is an Irish film and television director. He is best known for directing feature film which achieved a three week domestic cinema release and was nominated for three Irish Film and Television Awards in 2009. His short film A Dublin Story was shortlisted for Academy Award Nomination...
, Handheld (2009), directed by Jason Figgis
Jason Figgis
Jason Figgis is a film director.He has worked on a variety of programmes for The Discovery Channel, Sky One, Sky Arts, RTÉ , SVT KSM , and Spentzos Films .-Links:* entry on IFTN...
and Good Arrows (2009), directed by Irvine Welsh
Irvine Welsh
Irvine Welsh is a contemporary Scottish novelist, best known for his novel Trainspotting. His work is characterised by raw Scottish dialect, and brutal depiction of the realities of Edinburgh life...
and co-written by Welsh and Dean Cavanagh. In 2010 McKinney took the role of businessman Alexander Moog in October Eleven Pictures' feature film A Christmas Carol
A Christmas Carol
A Christmas Carol is a novella by English author Charles Dickens first published by Chapman & Hall on 17 December 1843. The story tells of sour and stingy Ebenezer Scrooge's ideological, ethical, and emotional transformation after the supernatural visits of Jacob Marley and the Ghosts of...
, adapted for the screen and directed by Jason Figgis
Jason Figgis
Jason Figgis is a film director.He has worked on a variety of programmes for The Discovery Channel, Sky One, Sky Arts, RTÉ , SVT KSM , and Spentzos Films .-Links:* entry on IFTN...
.
In March 2009, Guinness announced that the Anticipation advert would be aired again as part of a "Classic Ads" campaign to mark the brewery's 250th anniversary. However, despite the popularity of the commercial, McKinney was excluded from the Arthur's Day celebrations which were held to mark the brewery's 250th anniversary
A Founding Member and Artistic Director of The Attic Studio, McKinney is a Reiki Master/Teacher, and a Priest after The Order of Melchizedek - Melchizedek Priesthood, and a Minister of the Universal Life Church
Universal Life Church
The Universal Life Church is a religious organization that offers anyone semi-immediate ordination as a ULC minister free of charge. The organization states that anyone can become a minister immediately, without having to go through the pre-ordination process required by other religious faiths...
.