Desmond Eastwood Reflects on Playing St. Patrick in ‘The Saints’

NEW YORK, NY — Actor Desmond Eastwood is reflecting on his role as St. Patrick in the second season of the acclaimed series ‘The Saints’, produced by Martin Scorsese. The new season premieres this Sunday and delves into St. Patrick’s transformation from a slave to a bishop, exploring his profound impact on Ireland and Christianity.

Eastwood described his experience portraying the legendary figure as an incredible opportunity. ‘It was an honor and a privilege. What an incredible opportunity and an experience,’ he said on Fox News’ ‘America Reports‘ on Friday. He emphasized how special it is to work with someone of Scorsese’s caliber, as he serves as an executive producer on the project.

The show’s first episode uncovers St. Patrick’s journey, beginning with his abduction by Irish raiders from Britain during his teenage years. After years of enslavement, St. Patrick escaped but chose to return to Ireland to dedicate his life to the people who had once imprisoned him. Today, he is known as the Apostle of Ireland, credited with establishing churches and schools that helped lay the foundation for Ireland’s Christian heritage.

Eastwood revealed that he auditioned for the role while traveling in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco. He said, ‘I don’t know if auditioning with a slightly more mountainous, earthy quality helped, but maybe it did.’ He noted that portraying such a transformative historical figure brought him great humility.

‘It’s a great story of transformation and finding good through hardship and pain, which I think everyone can relate to and is probably more important than ever,’ Eastwood said. Fox Nation subscribers can now stream this episode and the extensive library of content available on the network.

Fox News’ Benji Ferraro contributed to this report.