Chris O'Dowd surprised drinkers at a London pub by joining a lively Irish singalong, delighting fellow patrons with his impromptu performance. The Bridesmaids star, 46, was filmed singing to The Rattlin' Bog while surrounded by friends, including his wife, writer and presenter Dawn O'Porter.
Pub singalong goes viral
Footage shared by the Irish London Centre on Instagram last week shows O'Dowd holding a pint as he joins in with the well-known Irish folk song. The actor appeared to know all the words as he sang along with the group, prompting plenty of excitement from fans watching the footage online.
The Irish London Centre joked in its caption: “I never see you at the club.” “I never see you at the London Irish Centre, screaming The Rattlin’ Bog with Primetime Emmy Award winner Chris O’Dowd?”
Fan reactions
One person commented: “He’s a legend.” Another wrote: “How does it feel to be living our dream?” A third joked: “You can take the man out of Ireland…”
Career and family life
O’Dowd was born in Boyle, County Roscommon, and later moved to England to study at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. He first rose to prominence playing Roy Trenneman in the Channel 4 sitcom The IT Crowd, which ran from 2006 to 2010.
His career went on to span both British and American film and television, with roles in Bridesmaids, This Is 40, St Vincent and Molly’s Game. He also appeared in the HBO series Girls as Thomas-John, the husband of Jemima Kirke’s character Jessa.
Away from acting, O’Dowd has continued to maintain close ties to Ireland, while he and O’Porter have made London their home. The couple married in 2012 and have two sons, Art and Valentine. The family previously lived in Los Angeles before moving back to the UK in 2024 and have since split their time between London and Margate.
O’Porter previously opened up about their marriage in an interview with The Independent, describing learning not to expect a relationship to be perfect all the time as an important part of their life together.
