Irish actress Kerry Condon shared her relief about keeping her natural accent for her role in the upcoming movie F1, during the film’s premiere in New York City on Monday, June 16.
In the film, Condon plays Kate, a technical director for a racing team owned by Ruben Cervantes, who is played by Javier Bardem. Her character works alongside Brad Pitt’s character, Sonny Hayes, a retired racer considering a return to Formula 1.
When speaking to PEOPLE at the premiere, Condon expressed her gratitude about being allowed to use her Irish accent for the role. “I was like, ‘Oh, thank God’; I had so many other things to think about,” the 42-year-old actress said.
What drew the Banshees of Inisherin star to join the F1 movie
The actress credited three major factors that attracted her to the project: producer Jerry Bruckheimer, director Joseph Kosinski, and lead actor Brad Pitt. Condon mentioned that knowing these three were involved helped her understand that the scale of the production would be significant.
Condon specifically noted her excitement about working on a Jerry Bruckheimer production, stating that his movies are known for being big, epic American productions with both action and emotion. The Irish actress, known for her compelling dramatic work, admitted she never expected to land a leading role in this type of film. She admitted she never expected to land a leading role in this type of film.
The movie follows the story of Sonny Hayes, played by Pitt, whose past catches up with him as he considers returning to Formula 1 racing. The film explores themes of competition and redemption, with seven-time F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton serving as one of the producers alongside Bruckheimer.
The relationship between Condon’s character Kate and Pitt’s Sonny appears to have a complicated start, with their first meeting not going smoothly. The story suggests an initial spark between the characters, though it becomes awkward when Sonny discovers his tryout for the team isn’t unique.
F1, written by Ehren Kruger, is scheduled to release in theaters on June 27, bringing together high-speed racing action with personal drama. During the premiere, Pitt described the unique experience of filming racing scenes, noting the strange calmness felt while hitting breaking points and turning points in the car.
