John C Reilly joins Irish screen legends with his Oscar Wilde Award

Actor John C Reilly has said that he was thrilled to be honoured at the US-Ireland Alliance's Oscar Wilde Awards.

The annual awards ceremony is held by the US-Ireland Alliance in the run-up to the Oscars to celebrate the contribution Ireland makes to film, television, and music.

Irish American actor Reilly was presented with his Oscar Wilde Award by his friend and Step Brothers co-star Will Ferrell at the Ebell of Los Angeles on Thursday night.

Also honoured on the night were Star Wars boss Kathleen Kennedy and her husband and fellow producer Frank Marshall, and Cork actor Éanna Hardwicke.

Ferrell told the audience that "all the gifts that historically have come out of Irish society radiate from John".

In receiving his Oscar Wilde Award, Chicago-born Reilly joined Pierce Brosnan, Richard Baneham, Molly Shannon, Jamie Dornan, Mark Hamill, Jim Sheridan, Chris O'Dowd, Colin Farrell, Caitríona Balfe, Ruth Negga, Sarah Bolger, Lenny Abrahamson, Saoirse Ronan, Brendan Gleeson, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, and Neil Jordan on the honour roll.

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"So that's pretty great company to be in! I was inducted into, like, the Society of Poetry and Letters at Trinity [College Dublin] - and Oscar Wilde was also inducted into that same illustrious [society], so maybe I'm, like, following in his footsteps!"

Reilly, who visits Ireland "at least once or twice a year", laughed when asked if there would also be a statue of him in Dublin to join the one of Oscar Wilde.

"He has the most beautiful statue, I think, in all of Dublin!" he replied. "That's a really incredible statue and very colourful."

When asked about projects in the pipeline, Reilly was keeping his cards close to his chest: "[I have] a couple of things I'm developing, but I'd give away the secrets if I say - not now! If I come to promote it, then you'll be bored when I actually come out to promote it!"

"An actor's life is one of unexpected opportunities - so I'm expecting some unexpected opportunities!" he added. "Like this tonight! Who would've thought I'd be up here in this illustrious company?"

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