IRISH pop star Ronan Keating last night spoke of his excitement at being cast in the big screen adaption of Stones in His Pockets by Belfast playwright Marie Jones.
The former Boyzone singer will star alongside Antrim-born Game of Thrones actor Conleth Hill in the film of Jones's multi-award-winning stage production. Jones will adapt the screenplay and her husband Ian McElhinney will direct the production, which is expected to begin next year.
It is understood filming will take place in Leitrim and Leslie Hall House in Antrim. Keating (36) will play Jake Quinn, while Hill will reprise the role of Charlie Conlon which won him an Olivier Award for Best Actor in 2001.
The X Factor Australia judge's first film role was in the Australian film Goddess as the husband of English singer Laura Michelle Kelly's character. Last night Keating took to his Twitter page to say: "Excited to hear the news is out about Stones in His Pockets. Such an honour to be cast alongside the mighty Conleth Hill and @SerIanMc (Ian McElhinney)."
The play is set in a Co Kerry town overrun by a glamorous Hollywood film crew. The play centres on a teenager who takes his own life after he is humiliated by one of the film's female stars.
He drowns himself with stones in his pockets, devastating the town.
n adaptation: Ronan Keating and Marie Jones