LOS ANGELES, July 17 — Actor Brendan Coyle will join the cast of “The Rising,” an upcoming film about Ireland’s Easter Rising in 1916, according to Variety.

The “Downton Abbey” star will play the role of politician Augustine Birrell in the historical drama-thriller, produced and directed by Kevin McCann.

Colin Morgan will take the leading role in the film, portraying Easter Rising mastermind Sean McDermott, with David O’Hara playing revolutionary James Connolly.

The film will act as a prequel to the events portrayed in Neil Jordan’s 1996 film “Michael Collins” and Ken Loach’s “The Wind That Shakes the Barley” from 2006.

Coyle plays the role of John Bates in “Downtown Abbey,” for which the actor was nominated for an Emmy in the first season of the series. — AFP-Relaxnews