Julia Roberts presents ‘Honorary Irishman’ award to actor Paul Rudd

‘Maybe I can become Irish’ says top Hollywood star at Irish event

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Julia Roberts, who presented an “Honorary Irishman” award to actor Paul Rudd at a Los Angeles bash celebrating the Irish last Thursday, told the crowd that she too would like to be Irish.

"Maybe I can become Irish?" the actress joked at the sixth annual US-Ireland Alliance's “Oscar Wilde: Honoring the Irish in Film” event.

"My middle name is Fiona, which is a step closer to being Irish than Paul Rudd was five minutes ago.

"So Yeats, Fungi the Dolphin and U2 are not enough, you want Paul Rudd too?" she asked.

After receiving the award, Rudd said that he wanted to be Irish after seeing a performance by the Pogues. He also explained how he recently took a trip to Ireland to spread his father’s ashes.

"It sounds crazy but we were bringing him home.

"To feel part of this (Irish) group, what this would have meant to my dad? It would have made him Irish too.

"Today is my father's birthday. I am so grateful, I'm honored, I'm humbled and I'm Irish."

Sarah Bolger, who played Lady Mary on “The Tudors,” was presented with the Wilde Card, an award recognizing emerging film talent.

Orlando Bloom, Molly Ringwald, Peter Gallageher, Anna Friel, and Cecelia Ahern also attended the event, which is sponsored by the Irish Film Board and Culture Ireland.

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