Actor Brendan Gleeson has said it is "great" to see The Banshees of Inisherin on the Leaving Cert.
The Martin McDonagh film is set to become part of the curriculum from 2026 alongside Barbie.
Gleeson was caught unaware of the news when speaking to The Pat Kenny Show.
"Well thanks be to God, it makes a change from Cáca Milis," he laughed.
"I've been stuffing my face with a cake for 30 years, the poor Leaving Cert students.
"That's great, I'm glad - I'd stand over The Banshees any day".
Irish-language short film Cáca Milis, starring Gleeson, is currently an option for Leaving Cert students.
Gleeson said it is fantastic to see so much strong Irish talent in the industry.
On Cillian Murphy's recent success at award shows, he said getting the Oscar nomination is the most important thing for an actor.
"The nomination can never be taken away, that's what I took away from the whole thing," he said.
"The nomination can never be taken away and after that, it's showbiz and it is what it is.
"Either he's lucky or he's not; the point is the nomination has happened; the film will be seen everywhere.
"His performance is brilliant and is being seen."
Brendan Gleeson speaking on The Pat Kenny Show. Image: NewstalkGleeson said the nomination is 'magnificent' for the Cork actor.
"The joy of the Oscars situation for me last year with Colin [Farrell] was that you walk into a room with a kind of creative overload with a section of people who are the best in the world at what they do," he said.
"You're looking around the place and it's filled with these people and all the other stuff doesn't matter.
"It's magnificent for him to be going there and he should be there in the middle of the best of the best.
"In that room, he's in a place sharing with extraordinary creative talents like himself so it's fantastic," he added.
Gleeson praised Murphy for "flying the flag", alongside Paul Mescal, Andrew Scott and Barry Keoghan who he described as 'extraordinary' talents.
