Celtic are a club more closely linked to the film industry than most.
From Martin Compston to James McAvoy to Gerald Butler, the word about Celtic has been well-spread in acting circles, and on-screen stars are still often spotted at Celtic Park.
Celtic’s annual Christmas advert, which has featured the likes of Brendan Rodgers and Callum McGregor, shows that football and acting don’t always intersect too well.
The beautiful game is often portrayed in films and TV, but it is rarely done well. However, a handy way to ensure it is would be getting a manager with over a thousand matches under his belt to portray a character in the dugout.
And in a film coming next summer, that is exactly what is going to happen.
Former Celtic man Mick McCarthy set to make acting debut… ‘why wouldn’t I do it?’
Mick McCarthy is a man who has seen a lot in football, with a managerial career in the professional game which lasted over 30 years.
During his playing career, which included a two-year stint at Celtic under Billy McNeill, McCarthy also made a reputation for himself, earning caps for the Republic of Ireland.
But he is now set to make his acting debut in an upcoming film called Dirty Rush, where he will portray a non-league manager.
Speaking to TalkSPORT, McCarthy vowed to take his new venture seriously – mentioning his credentials to portray someone in his old occupation.
He said: “I’m not messing around at it. I wouldn’t say ‘Yes, I’ll come and do it ‘ and then not do it properly. If I’m in it, I’m in it 100 per cent.”
“Why wouldn’t I do it? I’m playing a manager who is going to have someone who has a few problems and I’m going to have to help him out.
“I have seen it all. We [managers] have got loads of stories, and maybe we can tell things that we’ve never told anybody in the past. I’ve been through loads of things.”
McCarthy also said he is not closing the door on a return to management – having been out of a job since a brief stint at Blackpool in 2023.
Mick McCarthy starring in a film – the most international break news ever
The international break tends to create a vacuum for club football stories – this is the kind of thing that makes it more exciting.
As Celtic fans send an open letter to the club over unhappiness at transfer business, most of the stories around the club aren’t too positive at this moment in time.
Mick McCarthy acting in a film is certainly a brighter story. He is also portrayed in a separate upcoming film, Saipan, about the infamous breakdown between him and fellow ex-Celtic man Roy Keane.
This one is aiming to be released around the time of next year’s World Cup, though pre-production is yet to get underway.
Receive a digest of our best Celtic content each week direct to your mailbox
