Exclusive: “I meet people who say ‘Oh I wouldn’t cross the street to see him‘,” she said
Mrs Brown’s Boys star Eilish O’Carroll has opened up about criticism towards the show – saying she doesn’t take insults about her brother Brendan personally.
But she admitted playing the iconic role of Winnie McGoogan for so long may have stopped her from getting other roles.
Speaking exclusively to The Irish Mirror, Eilish said Mrs Brown’s Boys “is the best product that has ever hit the market”.
She said: “Mrs Brown is the best product that has ever hit the market.
“I really believe you cannot please all of the people all of the time. You can please some of the people some of the time but not all.
“Everybody has different opinions and different perceptions about what comedy is to them.”
Eilish said she “respects” people’s opinions about the show and doesn’t take it personally when people say hurtful things about her brother and show creator Brendan.
“I totally respect that. I mean, I meet people who say ‘Oh I wouldn’t cross the street to see him’.
“I get it. There are programmes on TV I don’t like.
“Not at all – if you took it personally, you wouldn’t get up in the morning.
“I never read the critics to be honest because you’re going to hear something you don’t want to hear so I don’t seek it.
“Are you seeking praise? Are you seeking it to be validated? I don’t need to seek it to be validated.
“I love the character I play. I love doing what I do. That is enough.”
But she admitted playing Winnie for so long has somewhat type-casted her.
She said: “Absolutely. The hard part is that they have this expectation that that’s all you can do.
“Also they think you’re so busy that they wouldn’t consider auditioning you.”
Eilish confirmed Mrs Brown’s Boys will also return for their annual Christmas and New Year’s specials.
But she joked she doesn’t even know if she will be cast in the episodes.
“We have a break now until October and we’ll go back and do the Christmas specials and then we’re doing another tour, which starts in November as well.
“That is going to be an Irish tour with Mrs Brown’s Boys the Musical.
“With the Christmas specials, I don’t even know if I’m in it.
“The only reason I say I will be in it is because I’m in it every year so I’m thinking there isn’t any reason why he wouldn’t have Winnie in.
“Not all of us get a chance to do it. Sometimes some of the actors – they’re not dropped – but he doesn’t have a part for them,” she added.
