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Martin McDonagh Has a Vision for Hope. It's Not for the Faint of Heart.

October 31, 2026 • 49m

Summary

⏱️ 12 min read

Overview

Academy Award-winning filmmaker Martin McDonagh discusses his new film Wild Horse Nine, his approach to violence and provocation in art, the evolution of his work from theater to film, and how his punk rock roots continue to inform his artistic sensibilities. The conversation explores themes of legacy, male friendship, political engagement, and the tension between creating provocative art while maintaining moral integrity.

America's Moral Ambiguity and the CIA in Chile

McDonagh discusses how Wild Horse Nine explores America's role in destabilizing Chile's democracy after President Allende's election. He reflects on growing up believing the CIA were the good guys, only to discover through research the darker reality of American intervention in Chile, which led to 15 years of fascist rule. This realization challenged his understanding of the West's moral outlook and informed the film's political perspective.

  • The film is based on real-world American intervention in Chile to destabilize democracy after Allende's election
  • McDonagh was raised to believe America and the CIA were the good guys, Russia and KGB the bad guys
  • Research into CIA activities throughout the late 20th century revealed they helped overthrow a democratically elected government
  • Characters are never mouthpieces for his politics but have to become themselves and speak authentically
" The more I sort of read up about what the CIA were up to throughout the end of the last century, and particularly with this film in Chile, you know, to destabilize and help overthrow a democratically elected government, which ended up in fascist horrors for 15 years, makes you think that you're not being told quite the truth about the West and its moral outlook, I guess. "

The Darkness and Hope in McDonagh's Work

When pressed about whether his dark worldview reflects his personal beliefs, McDonagh pushes back against the characterization. He explains that lines like "life is sad" and "the world's a pile of shit" are setups for jokes delivered by tough cop characters, not reflections of his own perspective. Despite the darkness in his work, he considers himself fundamentally happy and views the act of making art itself as inherently hopeful.

  • McDonagh insists he's actually "the happiest" despite his work appearing dark and sad
  • He never thought he'd be able to make films as a working-class kid from London
  • Questioning and disbelieving what you're told isn't dark—making art at all is always hopeful
  • Even Leonard Cohen's supposedly depressing music is actually beautiful and poetic, not depressing
" I think questioning and disbelieving what you're told for instance isn't dark and making art at all is always hopeful I think even if it's dark. "

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