In the same week that Once The Musical scooped no fewer than eight Tony Awards, the Broadway equivalent of the Oscars, Glen Hansard has given his most personal interview yet to Hot Press.

In it, he talks candidly about his break-up with Markéta Irglova; the shocking suicide at a Swell Season gig that triggered his friendship with Eddie Vedder; how Bruce Springsteen helped him come to terms with his Oscar success; why the Irish need to grow a pair of balls; his desire to become a dad; plans for the new Frames album and, of course, the phenomenal success of Once The Musical.

What didn’t make it into the issue because of space restraints – Glen gives exceedingly good quote! – is his post-Once The Film relationship with Hollywood.

“I got offered the part of Rorschach in Watchmen,” he reveals. “I couldn’t do it because it was right at the time the Oscars were happening. I’d love to have done it because I love Alan Moore. My initial instinct said kinda ‘no’ though. For most of the movie I’d have been in a mask. And then, he was such a dead-faced killer. I'm a bit too smiley in a way for that character. The guy who eventually got the part, Jackie Earle Haley, was brilliant.

“I did an audition for the Coen Brothers' new movie about Dave Van Ronk who was one of Dylan’s Greenwich Village heroes. He was the guy who originally did ‘The House Of The Rising Sun’ before The Animals took it off him. It went well, but I didn’t get the part. A pity because I really loved the script. I met the Coens at the Oscars when they were up for No Country For Old Men – amazing characters but quite cold and difficult to read.

“I was offered a role in Five Year Engagement, but again the timing didn’t work. I’ve also been offered quite a few 'romantic Irish guy with a guitar's, but I’ve done that twice already!”

We’ll have more web exclusives from our chinwag over the coming days. In the meantime, the new issue with Glen on the cover is in shops tomorrow!

Picture courtesy of Matt McPherson, [link]www.onefansperspective.files.wordpress.com[/link]