Allegiance, the new Iraq war military drama starring Aidan Quinn, is the hard hitting debut feature by Irish American director Mike Connors and producers Sean Mullin, John Boyle and John O'Neil. Cahir O'Doherty talks to Connors and Quinn about the film’s controversial theme -- what happens when a soldier is forced to choose between his loyalties to a deserting soldier, his unit and his fiancée?

It’s still early in 2011, but so far the Irish newcomer of the year has to be Colin O’Donoghue. The Drogheda native starred alongside Anthony Hopkins in the Exorcist-style thriller The Rite, which should be out on DVD soon. It was O’Donoghue’s film debut, and though some critics were a bit rough on the film, The Rite spent a week as the number one movie in America in January. O’Donoghue, 30, had previously starred (alongside fellow Irish thespian Jonathan Rhys Meyers) in the Showtime drama The Tudors. Prior to that, O’Donoghue had simply done theater work and television shows for Ireland’s TV network RTE. With his performance in The Rite (which also stars Irish screen veteran Ciaran Hinds), O’Donoghue certainly opened some eyes and set himself up for an interesting career. What’s next for O’Donoghue? He’s playing things coy. “I’ve got something else in the works,” he told About.com. “But I can’t talk about it.”

Aidan Quinn has a few words of advice for ‘Twilight’ heartthrob Robert Pattinson.

Aidan Quinn, 51, has been returning to Ireland all his life. Although he was born and raised in Chicago, the handsome Irish American actor with the steely blue eyes actually spent a good portion of his early life in Dublin and in Birr, Co. Offaly, located in the heart of the Irish midlands.

Irish actor Aidan Quinn, who was raised in Chicago and Rockford, as well as in Dublin and Birr, County Offaly in Ireland, gave an in-depth interview to the Chicago Tribune about his career to date and being from Ireland.

Who says it always rains in Ireland? Whilst filing his latest flick Irish American film star Aidan Quinn didn't see a drop fall.

On the film festival circuit in September is Conor McPherson’s new movie “The Eclipse,” starring Ciaran Hinds and Aidan Quinn, which opened the 2009 Los Angeles Irish Film Festival.

Even more success for the much-buzzed about Irish film “The Eclipse” – Magnolia Pictures has picked up the worldwide rights to the Conor McPherson flick, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival.

Aidan Quinn's new film, "32A" (as in the bra size), screened at the Craic Fest's gala reception in N.Y.C. on March 13. The sweetly funny Dublin-based coming-of-age film is a Quinn family affair - Aidan stars, while his sister, Marian, wrote and directed the flick.