Players at the Homeless World Cup have a “phenomenal” level of skill in football, Love/Hate star Tom Vaughan-Lawlor has said.
The actor’s latest project tells the story of an English team who travel to Rome to take part in the Homeless World Cup.
Speaking on The Pat Kenny Show, Vaughan-Lawlor said The Beautiful Game is based on a real life event.
“It’s taking homeless people from different countries and [they] represent their countries at an international football tournament,” he said.
“Our story is following the English homeless world cup team and their journey from London to the tournament in Rome where they try and win the tournament.”
🎥#TheBeautifulGame hits @Netflix on March 29th. But it's #MoreThanAFilm. Dive into the inspiring stories behind the characters. @onlymikes_'s Vinny mirrors Lisa Wrightsman's journey—both faced setbacks but found redemption at The HWC. Read Lisa's story👇https://t.co/rG5sEuPvpc pic.twitter.com/sPwHcpmY3a
— Homeless World Cup (@homelesswrldcup) March 18, 2024
The Homeless World Cup was “heavily involved” in the film’s production and Vaughan-Lawlor said he learnt a significant amount about the event.
“You have to be homeless in that particular year [to take part],” he said.
“You have to make your living as a street vendor selling a homeless paper or magazine.
“You have to be or have been an asylum seeker or be in addiction rehabilitation.
“Those are the criteria but once you qualify then they then hold trials.”
Vaughan-Lawlor said the tournament gives those who take part “structure and community”.
Rose Dugdale
Vaughan-Lawlor also stars in a film soon to be released film about Rose Dugdale, a former IRA bomber Rose Dugdale passed away at the age of 83.
Born into the British upper-class, she studied at Oxford but was radicalised by the events of Bloody Sunday.
She moved to Ireland, joined the IRA and took part in an £8 million heist of artwork from Wicklow's Russborough House.
“Baltimore is the story of Rose Dugdale, the English heiress who became an IRA volunteer,” Vaughan-Lawlor said.
“Our story focuses on the heist, the stealing of the Russborough paintings in 1974 and the aftermath of Rose Dugdale trying to escape.”
Rose Dugdale. Image: PA Images / Alamy Stock PhotoIt is not a “standard biopic” as it focuses mainly on the raid and Mr Vaughan-Lawlor describes it as a ‘meditation on art, identity, class and faith’.
“[It’s] extraordinary [she died] in the same week,” he said.
“Extraordinary timing in an extraordinary life.”
Baltimore is released in cinemas on Friday.
Main image: Tom Vaughan-Lawlor. Picture by: Alamy.com
