US-Ireland Alliance

US-Ireland Alliance instrumental in $19.5 million spend in Northern Ireland

Early groundwork laid by the US-Ireland Alliance contributed to a Universal Pictures film being made in Northern Ireland. 

Your Highness, starring Danny McBride, James Franco and Natalie Portman opened in April 2011. The $50 million production resulted in a £12 million ($19.5 million) spend in the Northern Ireland economy.

In April 2008, then-Northern Ireland Culture Minister Edwin Poots asked US-Ireland Alliance president, Trina Vargo, to arrange some meetings for him with people in the film industry in Los Angeles. The Alliance arranged several meetings, including with Universal Pictures.

Later that year, Universal began considering various European locations for its upcoming medieval comedy, Your Highness.  Northern Ireland fit the physical characteristics Universal was looking for and the incentives it offered made it an attractive option for filming.

In April 2009, First Minister Peter Robinson visited Los Angeles and met with several senior executives from Universal Pictures as well as Andrew Z. Davis, a producer of Your Highness.  At that meeting, the studio confirmed its interest in bringing the film to Northern Ireland, and First Minister Robinson gave his personal assurance that the experience of filming in Northern Ireland would meet all the studio’s expectations.

In May 2009, after several months of negotiations, it was announced that Your Highness would be filmed in Northern Ireland. 

Alliance President Trina Vargo first encountered Jimmy Horowitz, President of Universal Pictures, in 2004, when she invited him to play in a US-Ireland Alliance golf tournament in Ireland.  Though Mr. Horowitz was unable to participate, he continued to follow the work of the Alliance, which is what led Ms. Vargo to ask Universal executives to meet Minister Poots.  Mr. Horowitz recently told Trina: “I attended the meeting in April 2009 with First Minister Robinson.  It was very meaningful to the studio that the First Minister took the time to travel to Los Angeles to discuss in person the benefits of shooting in Northern Ireland. I know I speak for everyone involved with Your Highness in saying that the experience of shooting in Northern Ireland not only met, but exceeded our expectations.   We look forward to returning in the future.”

Ms. Vargo noted, “The Alliance is delighted to have played a small role in this film being produced in Northern Ireland.  We made an introduction and Northern Ireland made it’s case. Northern Ireland was chosen because of it what it had to offer and Universal chose Northern Ireland because it made good business sense for Universal.  I am a firm believer that these kinds of connections, combined with the legitimate competitiveness of the industries on the island -- as opposed to ‘hand-outs’ -- are the way forward.”  Trina noted however that she was disappointed that Northern Ireland Screen has never supported Alliance efforts in Los Angeles to promote Irish/Northern Irish film-making:  “Minister Poots had committed to sponsoring our annual Oscar Wilde event in Los Angeles.  That event facilitates introductions that lead to exactly these kinds of investments.  Shortly after Minister Poots returned from the meetings in Los Angeles, there were Ministerial changes in Northern Ireland and he was moved from the Culture portfolio.  Unfortunately, his successor, Gregory Campbell, declined to fulfill Minister Poots’ commitment to support the Oscar Wilde event.  I hope that the new Minister for Culture, Arts and Leisure in Northern Ireland will recognize the value of the event and see to it that Northern Ireland supports it going forward.”  Ms. Vargo has previously noted that the event, while beneficial to the industry and artists in Ireland, loses money for the non-profit organization every year and its continuance is under regular review.   Other examples of developments that resulted from the event include:  Academy Award winner James L. Brooks making an Irish-themed special episode of The Simpsons, which he went to Dublin to premiere;  Irish singers Paddy Casey and SJ McArdle receiving a recording contracts with Sony after a Sony executive heard them perform at the event; and Belfast singer/songwriter Duke Special being commissioned to write for and perform in National Theatre of London’s production of Mother Courage after actress Fiona Shaw saw him perform at the Hollywood event the year she was an honoree.