- Robert De Niro, Kathy Bates, Gabriel Byrne and Harvey Keitel are to team up in a not particularly micro-budget film called THE BRIDGE OF SAN LUIS REY - The British and Spanish backed retelling of Thornton Wilder's 1927 Pulitzer-prize winning novel turns on the lives of five people who plunged to their deaths when the San Luis Rey bridge collapsed in 1740s Peru and also explores the lives of the people who knew them. (February 21, 2003)
- At the age of twelve, rough-and-tumble Gabriel fancied becoming a priest, and shipped off to study at a seminary in England. For four years, he half-heartedly pursued professional piety, only to be expelled after he was caught smoking in a graveyard.
- Byrne made his directing debut with 1996's THE LARK IN THE CLEAN AIR, a film he also wrote and produced.
- In 1993 Byrne again appeased his social conscience by co-producing In the Name of the Father, about the Guildford Four, another band of wronged Irishmen. The film received five Oscar nominations.
- Just as the Byrne family was convinced that Gabriel had finally found a real job--employment on a series of archaeological digs and a three-year gig as a Spanish teacher at an all-girls school--he scrapped it all to become an actor.
- At age sixteen, Byrne returned to Ireland and languished in a series of dead-end jobs that ranged from short-order cook to teddy-bear-eye installer.
- He had purchased the rights to Gerry Conlon's book Proved Innocent and had intended to play Gerry himself in IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER (1993) but decided to let Daniel Day-Lewis play the part and just serve as executive producer instead.
- In GOTHIC (1986), he walks with a limp and carries a cane because the real Lord Byron had a club foot.
- In STIGMATA (1999), when Father Kiernan (Gabriel Byrne) comes in the Vatican office to get is new assignment, we can hear a bit of Italian speaking in the back between Cardinal Daniel Houseman (Jonathan Pryce) and another priest. Translation: Rest assured, none of this will never leave this room.
- He plays Satan in END OF DAYS (1999), and plays a priest in STIGMATA (1999).
- Had many jobs before deciding on acting including an archaelogist, a teacher, a cook and a bullfighter.
- Started acting at the age of 29 and he went to America for the first time when he was 37.
- In a November 1999 interview with the New York Post claimed to have been molested by his Latin teacher while at an English seminary perparing for priesthood.
Quotes- When asked at a film festival, "Who is Keyser Soze?" replied, "During shooting and until watching the film tonight, I thought I was!" (about THE USUAL SUSPECTS (1995))
- "I would like to break out of this "dark, brooding" image, cause I'm actually not like that at all. In Ireland, brooding is a term we use for hens. A brooding hen is supposed to lay eggs. Everytime somebody says "He's dark and brooding" I think: "He's about to lay an egg"."
Awards- Cinequest San Jose Film Festival: Maverick Tribute Award (1999)
- International Fantasy Film Award: Best Actor, GOTHIC (1987)
- Jacob's Awards: Best Actor in a TV Series - Drama, BRACKEN (1979)
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