You now know him as Niall, the 'soundest' character in hit show Normal People, but a career in acting wasn’t always on Desmond Eastwood’s horizon.
The 27-year-old Lisburn man graduated with a 2.1 in law from Queen’s University Belfast.
And before that had never considered making his living on the stage or a screen of any kind.
Inspired by his big brother Colum to take the leap, he has now won the hearts of viewers across the UK and Ireland, including that of Derry Girls creator Lisa McGee.
In an exclusive interview with Belfast Live, Desmond said: “I really enjoyed every minute of it.
“It was nice to be given that opportunity to keep things light and have a good time, because naturally if you are performing that - you yourself are having a good time.
“My parents are delighted, it was a really nice moment for them to see me on the BBC.
“They keep asking me if Lisa McGee will give me an audition for Derry Girls some day - fingers crossed!
“Normal People probably would be my biggest break,” he added.
“I have done a few bigger productions like Vikings, Krypton and am currently in Blood with Adrian Dunbar.
“I have kind of been working up the ladder, so to speak, for the last couple of years.
“Interestingly, I did law previous to all the acting stuff.
“It was a bit of a shift for me but I think that really helped with the Normal People role in respect of going through university.
“My eldest brother is now a film maker and he also did law. Colum did law at Queen’s and went to do film making.
“He just made his first feature film at Christmas time in Belfast.
“It stars Antonia Campbell-Hughes - it’s called Black Medicine.
“I got to do a bit on that as well, which is really great to be able to work with your brother.
“It was probably his influence that gave me the courage to go for the acting I guess.”
Desmond said he graduated with “the most undeserved 2.1 of all time” from Queen’s aged 21.
“I got it by one mark. I scrapped through and then I went to Dublin for a couple of years to study there at the Gaiety School of Acting,” he explained.
And since then he has never looked back.
Roles on the stage soon led to television roles in more and more popular shows.
But he has not forgotten his start on the boards and was performing in a number of theatre roles before the productions fell victim to coronavirus.
“I was doing The Lieutenant of Inishmore with Paul Mescal, the main guy in Normal People, and it got cancelled about four performances early,” he explained.
“I was three weeks into The Little Foxes at the Gate Theatre with Downton Abbey star Elizabeth McGovern - and it got cancelled and I was supposed to be doing Juno and the Paycock by Sean O’Casey at the Olympia Theatre and it’s also been cancelled, which is bit disappointing.”
The former Friends’ School Lisburn pupil said his career in acting means he goes where the work is and because of Covid-19, has moved back from Dublin to Lisburn.
“I’ll see when this all settles, where I’ll be, I just go where the work is to be honest,” he added.
For now he is just enjoying the reaction to Normal People, in which Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones play star-crossed lovers Connell and Marianne.
“It’s been so well received,” he said.
“Everyone is just so delighted and we are all proud of it.
“I think it really smashed records there for BBC iPlayer, 21 million people watched it and previously the record was by Killing Eve,” he explained.
“The reception has been amazing. I think when we all set out to do it, first and foremost, we just wanted to serve the novel and do it justice and I think we have.
“Everyone is just really happy. We are such a tight group and we all get on so well with one another so it’s great to be able to celebrate with everyone via computer screens because we can’t meet up unfortunately.”
So, what’s next for the Normal People star?
He said: “I am eager just for things to pick back up and get back to work.
“Keep on smiling seems to be Niall’s approach to things.”
