North West Regional College graduate tracing the footsteps of DeNiro

A 25 years-old  local man, who took up acting two years ago when he began a HND in Performing Arts at North West Regional College (NWRC), has been awarded a place at a prestigious acting school in New York, where Robert DeNiro learned his craft.

25 years-old Oisin McCool from Bishop Street in Derry~Londonderry has been accepted into the Stella Adler Studio of Acting for the Summer.

The school boasts an impressive alumni that includes DeNiro, Marlon Brando, Salma Hayek and Kevin Costner.

Three years ago, Oisin McCool reached a crossroads in his life when he took the decision to drop out of his University Business Degree.

He commented: “I had taken the advice I had been given by teachers and careers advisors to study business, but the course just wasn’t me.

“I wondered if there was a course you could do that would make you happy.

“Deep down I knew I wanted to try acting and someone suggested I go to NWRC. Since then I’ve never looked back. I had absolutely no experience of acting and I went in blind to this new world of a HND in Performing Arts.”

Having graduated in October 2016, Oisin auditioned for his place at the Stellar school of Acting in London after spotting an advertisement on facebook.

Offering him the place, representative s from the Stellar School said they were impressed by Oisin’s “passion for acting, theatre and for life.”

Since then it has been non stop planning for New York.

Oisin said:  “For me to be able to say that I studied in the Stellar school of Acting will be phenomenal.

“But if I hadn’t done the course at NWRC I know I wouldn’t be doing this now.

“The lecturers’ approach to students is amazing. I’ve been really inspired by NWRC tutors such as Michael Poole and Carie Houston who have helped so many people to get out of their shell.

“This place and the theatre at NWRC feels like home, and will always have a place inside me.

“I’ve been able to follow my dream and devote my life to acting, and I’d tell anyone else to do the same. Whatever you sit and daydream about doing, then go for it. Do what makes you happy. Not everyone is in to books and figures.”

North West Regional College offers a number of courses at Level 2, Level 3 and HND in Performing Arts.

For more information log on to www.nwrc.ac.uk