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Glen Hansard on The Swell Season and His Breakup With Marketa Irglova

Glen Hansard.

For Glen Hansard, the sudden burst of fame he got after starring in the movie Once was a period of extreme highs and tense lows, and they’re all chronicled in the new documentary The Swell Season. The highs included an Oscar win for Best Original Song and a real-life romance with his Once co-star and bandmate Marketa Irglova, but each of those wins came with a price: Hansard and Irglova found it difficult to navigate their post-awards fame (and in one memorable conversation in the documentary, Hansard scraps with his Oscar-obsessed parents), which eventually led to several fights and the dissolution of their relationship. Hansard hasn’t given any interviews about the movie until now, but as Vulture found out, he had plenty to say about that time in his life, and how he and Irglova have moved on since — she, with new husband Tim Iseler.

Is it a little weird to watch an actor who’s essentially playing you playing yourself?
It’s a little odd, but not much more odd than hearing any guy sing your song. You know, the guy did a good job, and of course, he’s much better looking than me, which I think is hilarious. The guy looks like Colin Farrell. [Laughs.]

Glen Hansard on The Swell Season and His Breakup With Marketa Irglova