On Wednesday 18th of November, TV3's drama Red Rock introduced us to a new character by the name of Detective Rory Walsh, played by Chris Newman.

The 27-year-old actor has appeared in hit Irish TV shows such as Love/Hate, The Clinic and Aisling's Diary, as well as appearing alongside the likes of Brendan Gleeson and Cillian Murphy in Perrier's Bounty, and delivered a powerful performance as an abused student in Song For A Raggy Boy.

We managed to chat with the actor in between takes on the show to talk about the drama's popularity and his career trajectory to date.

Newstalk: Hello Chris, how're you today?

Chris Newman: I'm great, thanks.

NT: First of all, congratulations on landing the role of Detective Rory Walsh on the show. Can you tell us a little bit about the audition process for the part?

CN: Last year when they were doing the original casting, I was called in to audition for Garda Westlife. Then I was called back for David Hennessy, then Michael Hennessy! It was a long process as they searched for the perfect people. As it turns out, I wasn't right for those parts. My agent mentioned that they really liked me and would remember me. I didn't think much of it as rejection is part and parcel of this job. But then, surely enough, months later, the phone rang with an offer to play the new detective.

NT: There is a slightly different process to Red Rock than there is to other soaps, since the show only airs two days a week, and goes on a bit of a break between "seasons". What is your shooting schedule like?

CN: We shoot four episodes in each "block." Each one lasts ten days and we change director every block. Anyone in the film business will tell you that's an insane amount to shoot every day. The work load is unlike anything I'd done before so it took some adjusting to. I could get on set at 6am, have eight scenes in a row with loads of dialogue, finish at 7pm then go straight home to learn my scenes for tomorrow. We don't shoot weekends though, which is nice. We have great fun on set, though. The cast and crew are all top of their game. We spend so much time together that it's like a second family.

NT: Red Rock recently won the IFTA for Best Soap. Does that kind of thing cause a healthy rivalry between yourselves and the likes of Fair City?

CN: Fair City have been doing great work for over 20 years and we're very much the new kids on the block so to be nominated for so many IFTAs and win three was incredible. My good friend George McMahon is in Fair City so there were definitely a few texts exchanged in the build up but it's all a bit of craic!

NT: You were in the very first episode of Love/Hate, playing Robert Sheehan's unfortunate brother who gets shot almost immediately. Since then the show has become a bit of a phenomenon, but could you tell it was going to be so big even back then?

CN: What happened with Love/Hate was unprecedented. I don't think anyone could've predicted what it would become. I'd been involved in some great dramas for RTE in the past and I just saw it as another job. I knew we had a great writer and cast but the way the whole country embraced it was crazy.

NT: As well as Love/Hate, you seem to have a bit of a tendency of dying in your TV and movie roles - Saving The Titanic, Stardust, Jack & Ralph Plan A Murder, Ferocious Planet - which is kind of turning you into our own version of Sean Bean. Do you have an understanding with the Red Rock producers to hopefully not kill you off too soon?

CN: Well the first thing my mates say to me when I get a job is "Do you die in this one?" It's become a bit of a thing alright. I guess I just have one of those faces! Fingers crossed Red Rock keep me around for awhile anyway.

NT: The rights to Red Rock was recently snapped up by Amazon Prime, with all eighty episodes to be screened to American viewers. Has that news effected the talent behind the cameras, with the writers and directors, and even in front of the camera too, wanting to up their game knowing that the audience has gotten that much bigger and that much more international?

CN: It's not something we're really thinking about. I know for me personally, whether it's a school play or a Hollywood blockbuster I'm still going to give it my all. Everyone on Red Rock believes in what we're doing and are constantly excited by the scripts so we're always striving to be the best. It's just great to know more people are going to get to see it.

NT: You've recently been referred to as "Detective Dishy" on Twitter following your debut appearance. Does that kind of stuff ever effect you?

CN: It's definitely my favourite thing I've ever been called! It doesn't really effect me. It's just nice when people are nice. Everyone wants a few compliments from time to time.

NT: Can you tell us a little bit on what's going to be happening next with Detective Dishy... Sorry, Detective Walsh?

CN: Well, he's been brought in to find the mole in the station. Someone has been leaking information to local criminals. So he's got that on his plate. Then there's the pregnant girl from the cafe that he's pretty taken by. Her family aren't the most law abiding citizens in Ireland so there's an interesting couple of months ahead...

NT: And outside of Red Rock, do you have anything else coming up in the pipeline?

CN: A film I did called Shooting For Socrates is out on DVD now. It's about the Northern Irish football team who got to the World Cup in '86. I play Man Utd legend Norman Whiteside. That's all for the moment. Red Rock is taking up all my time and I'm not complaining!

Red Rock airs on TV3 every Wednesday and Thursday at 8.30pm.