Jason Segel leaving the Dylan Hotel in Dublin


Actor/writer Jason Segel, best known for his roles in comedies like Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Knocked Up, has a thing for Irish musicians. Segel was in Dublin last week promoting his latest film, The Five Year Engagement, and he spoke glowingly of Van Morrison and Glen Hansard.

Morrison’s music features prominently in Engagement, and Segel says Morrison’s classic album Astral Weeks is his “favorite album of all time.”

“I’d really like to collaborate with Van Morrison more — he did a lot of music on this movie.  His songs are sort of the spirit of my soul,” Segel said.

The two have never actually met, though.

 “No, I’m afraid to meet him. I feel like you should never meet your idol,” he said.

Segel has no such fears with Hansard, an Oscar winner a few years ago for his original music in Once, which he also co-starred in.

“Yes, he is a good buddy of mine and we have performed together a few times. He actually wrote a song for The Muppets for us which we ended up not being able to use,” said Segel, who co-wrote and starred in last fall’s Muppets film.

“We have a really healthy respect for each other.”

Though Segel has never actually confirmed that he’s one half of a couple with Oscar nominee Michelle Williams, he seemed to come very close during an interview with Irish radio host Ray D’Arcy.  "I am a happy man with a big smile on my face," he said when asked about his love life, though he didn’t actually name Williams.