Leo Varadkar is €50 better off after he won a bizarre bet with a Hollywood star by including a quote from Mean Girls in his latest lockdown speech.
The Taoiseach has included quotes from a wide variety of popular culture in his speeches, including Seamus Heaney and Terminator.
In his last speech announcing the acceleration of the easing of restrictions, Mr Varadkar included a quote from Lord of the Rings character Samwise Gamgee, Dublin Live reports.
He said: "So, this afternoon let me end with the words of a wise man - some words of hope.
"In the end, it's only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out all the clearer."
The Taoiseach appeared on 2FM Breakfast a few days later where he received a video message from Sean Astin, the actor who played the character in Peter Jackson's epic trilogy.
He said: "Leo! Hello Leo, how are you? How's it going, man? Sean Astin here, AKA Samwise Gamgee from Lord Of The Rings.
"So Leo, Doireann and Eoghan, they told me that you quoted me in your last speech. Cool, cool, super cool.
"So you've had Terminator and Dermot Kennedy, which is great, and Heaney.
"Terminator, Dermot Kennedy, Heaney and me. That's good company.
"Now I'm going to bet you fifty quid that says you can't fit Mean Girls into the next one."
And while Leo was forced to admit he had never seen the cult classic, he must have been brushing up over the last few days.
In his announcement this evening he addressed how quickly the economy could bounce back from the current crisis.
He said: "Some have asked whether there is a limit to what we can achieve.
"My answer is that the limit does not exist. We have been here before and we know the way out."
Mean Girls fans will instantly recognise that "the limit does not exist" is a quote from the hit film.
So Leo has won his bet but with travel restrictions still in place it may be some time before he and Sean Astin can meet to collect on it.
