Born in Framingham, Brian Mahoney wanted to be an actor since he was a kid, but his family couldn’t afford formal theater training. He joined the US Army, hoping to attend the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in NYC, but the army made him a Cobra pilot and sent him to Germany. It was there that he first saw “Top Gun.”

Mahoney was Detective Duffy in “The Boondock Saints,” playing one of a trio of bumbling Boston police officers.

Mahoney admits he started out late in the game, but he’s catching up. He told us that he’s appearing in a scene with Matt Damon in “The Adjustment Bureau,” which is filming right now.

Mahoney sat down with Blast recently to talk about the career and his role in the sequel, “The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day.”

BLAST: What can we expect from Detective Duffy this time around?

BRIAN MAHONEY: I get to move around a lot more this time around. There’s more action with me involved.

BLAST: What’s it like re-uniting with the cast 10 years later?

BM: It was great. Sean (Sean Patrick Flanery) and Norm (Norman Reedus) are the coolest guys. It was especially special getting back with Bob Marley, and I think that translates onscreen.

Cliff Collins, who is an Oscar winner, is so good! I was so excited to work with him. I even prepared by taking some Irish dancing lessons for a scene to prepare. I never needed to actually dance, but I was ready!

BLAST: Coming from a military background to a film career is an interesting career change. You are going tell us about the transition in the book that you’re writing, “A Cobra Pilot in Hollywood.” What can you tell us here?

BM: Well, in the army it’s a whole “think, don’t feel” concept, and this was embedded in me for ten whole years. So when I made that transition into acting, it was instantly “feel, don’t think.” It was “you need to FEEL this scene.” This was so new to me, and a total challenge. So I’ll be touching on that a lot.

BLAST: You’re from Framingham originally — do you come back often?

BM: Oh yes, we do quite a bit. My wife is also from Gardner so we enjoy coming back to Massachusetts.

BLAST: For the October 30 release, what would you like to tell fans?

BM: Thank you. Thank you for all the replies all over the world we’ve received. So much has happened and we need to set some things straight, so I’m looking forward to that. Troy deserves this he really does. There was a documentary called “Overnight” that really hit Troy hard. It was hurtful, and stabbed him in the back. He deserves this comeback.

About The Author

Hillary Coughlin is a Blast correspondent

One Response

  1. Sera Finn

    Finally, an interview with Mahoney.I learned some facts that will propel me to seek even more of his film work, and the book!!! I married a special forces soldier, so I get what mahoney is saying about think, don’t feel vs feel, don’t think. I want to read his story on that. Intriguing! And it is always good to hear that a charatcer, who you wanted to know better in a movie, is coming back to give you just that, MORE! Too bad he does not dance in it! Now that would have been a treat! All in all, thanks to Blast for posting this. I had been looking for his take on the movie and this interview gave that and MORE! Blesssings!

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