The creator of Derry Girls, Lisa McGee has expressed her shock after Oscar-winning director Martin Scorsese revealed he watches the show.
The screenwriter, who was born in Derry, shared a video of Martin Scorsese speaking at an event sponsored by the Economic Club of Chicago in October. Scorsese is the director of the movies Goodfellas, Wolf of Wall Street, and Taxi Driver.
Scorsese (80) responded, “I watched, the other night, Derry Girls,” when the moderator asked him what he was currently watching. The audience applauded as he raised his fist in a show of respect. After a pause, he added: “Those nuns…”
Sharing the clip on Twitter on Monday, McGee wrote: “Excuse me while I drop dead and actually die a death.”
Siobhan McSweeney, who plays Sister Michael, the eye-rolling principal of the show’s Our Lady Immaculate College, said: “Good morning. I’m ded [sic].”
A group of teenagers growing up in Derry in the 1990s were the subject of a Channel 4 comedy that became a sleeper hit and managed to gather a sizable and devoted fanbase over the course of its three seasons.
Set during the Troubles, the show was praised for offering a new perspective on the period of the IRA and loyalist ceasefires through the eyes of a group of young girls.
Viewers in the US have been able to watch episodes of the drama via Netflix.
McGee, who was given the freedom of her home city for her work on the show, received messages congratulating her on securing such a high-profile fan.
Comedian Dara Ó Briain tweeted: “And that’s it, you win. Shut it down, people, we have a winner.”
Author David Nicholls said: “Oh my God! The dream. Congratulations, Lisa!”