JUNE 2025
Photography KEVIN SINCLAIR Styling ORETTA CORBELLI
Interview DAVID GARGIULO
In the vast, untamed landscapes that double for Texas Hill Country, Eoin Macken brings to life the layered complexity of Davis Collins in Netflix’s cowboy drama Ransom Canyon.
Filming deep in New Mexico’s remote mountains, Eoin channels the physical isolation of the ranching world into a portrayal that balances rugged independence with deeply intimate rivalries. His character, Davis, embodies the enduring spirit of the American West while facing contemporary challenges that threaten both the land and the legacy it carries. Drawing from a rich career spanning modeling, acting, and directing, Eoin’s experience behind and in front of the camera informs his nuanced understanding of character and story. His performance fuses raw ruggedness with emotional depth, anchoring Ransom Canyon in a reality that feels both timeless and modern.
David Gargiulo __ Ransom Canyon is set against the backdrop of the fictional town of Texas Hill Country, a beautiful yet challenging environment. How did the setting influence your portrayal of Davis Collins?
Eoin Macken __ We actually shot in New Mexico which doubled for Texas on screen. We were way out there. For example, Davis's ranch is about three hours deep into the mountains, beyond Santa Fe, near a town called Las Vegas. It's pretty inaccessible but stunning. You're up on this hilltop set that overlooks an entire valley. Just beautiful. That kind of landscape and vastness communicates what these characters are living for and going through. They’re ranchers looking after and working these massive tracts of land. It’s incredibly isolating, and because of that, your relationships become quite specific. It’s funny because coming from Ireland, it's a big contrast. You can drive across the whole country in three or four hours. In Texas or New Mexico, you drive for that long and you haven’t even hit another town. That scale really shapes the world of these characters. It makes them feel bigger than what’s on the page, but at the same time, their emotional worlds are smaller. More focused. Because they have fewer connections. That dynamic plays out in the story too. Take my character, Davis Collins, and Josh Duhamel’s character, Staten Kirkland. We’re both fighting over the same girl. We fight over the same things because even though the physical space is massive, the emotional space is tight. The relationships are condensed. That contrast really defines the atmosphere of the show.
DG __ Let’s talk about Davis’ feuds with his brother-in-law Staten Kirkland. How did you approach portraying such rivalry?
EM __ It’s very easy to work with Josh [Duhamel]. The first scenes we had together were a couple of moments where we’re sitting down, having these man-to-man conversations that are quite competitive. Josh is a really charming person. But he’s also a very powerful presence. What’s really interesting about our characters is that they’re bound together by family. Their sons are close. And that creates a deep connection. But that closeness also naturally breeds competition. You’ve got two men who both want to be dominant in their own right. There’s mutual respect between them. But that respect is layered with a kind of dislike. In another lifetime, I think they could’ve been friends. But here, they’re being forced to get along because of family, even though they can’t stand each other. It’s a complicated dynamic. I don’t know if you’ve experienced this, but I’ve had male friendships over the years where things can become really competitive. And that competitiveness can turn into this kind of aggressive, macho energy. I think that’s exactly what you see between these two. Two men who are used to surviving on their own, who are strong and capable, but who fundamentally don’t like each other.
DG __ Going back to what you said about filming in New Mexico, even though the story is set in Texas. If I understood correctly, the town where you shot was about three hours from the nearest major city. Did you all stay out there on location? I can't imagine making that drive back and forth every day.
EM __ We actually did both. Most of us were living in Albuquerque, and the Netflix studios are pretty central, so anytime we were shooting in-studio, it was easy. But when we went out on location, especially to spots two or three hours out, we’d usually stay in those smaller towns for a few days. You don’t want to be doing a four-hour round trip every day. That just wouldn’t make sense.
DG __ Exactly. So the town of Texas Hill Country was not a built set, was it?
EM __ No. The town you see with Gracy’s Dance Hall and all the little stores. That's the town called Las Vegas. It's this small town in New Mexico. We all stayed there while filming.
DG __ I hear New Mexico is really beautiful. Did you take any time off to explore the area?
EM __ I did, yeah. But I’d actually lived in New Mexico for about five years before, so I’d already been all over. I’d gotten lost on hiking trails in the Jemez Mountains a couple of times. It's such a beautiful place. I’ve been to Georgia O’Keeffe’s old studio, I’ve done White Sands, all of it. I could probably tell you everywhere to go in New Mexico. One time in Jemez, I went hiking and decided to go off-trail, just trying to get to the top. It was warm at the bottom, but near the top there was a fresh layer of snow. And right there, in the snow, were these super clear mountain lion tracks going around this big rock, which is exactly where I’d planned to stand and take photos. I texted a buddy of mine from the show who’s an army vet and big hiker, sent him a picture of the tracks, and he was like, “Get the hell out of there. Now!” He said they looked fresh, like really fresh, and that meant the lion probably lived around that rock. Maybe even a cave nearby. So yeah, I got the hell out of there.
DG __ That’s so scary. So taking us back to Ranson Canyon, was there a particular scene or moment that you personally found the most fun or rewarding to film in the series?
EM __ I really enjoyed everything to do with the horses. That's one of the best parts about playing a rancher. Some of the most fun scenes were the ones with the horses, and honestly, I wish I’d gotten to do more riding. But my character ended up focusing more on the business side. Still, there were a couple of scenes where I was training a horse or just riding, and that’s always exciting because you never quite know what the animal’s going to do. It makes the scene feel more alive and a bit unpredictable, which I love. There’s a little chaos to it, and you’re not just thinking about acting. You’re also making sure the horse doesn’t kick you in the face! [laughs]
DG __ Did you have to train for that?
EM __ Yeah, we did a couple of weeks of training beforehand. We practiced using lassos and learned how to guide cattle in and out of pens and stuff.
DG __ You started your career as a model, and later transitioned into acting and directing. How was switching between two very different industries?
EM __ Right, so I found being a model and working in fashion to be really instructive. One of the first films I made, a documentary we sold to Irish TV, was actually about photography and the art of taking a picture. Me and a buddy, who’s also a model, interviewed photographers, stylists, producers, and models around Ireland to learn what goes into creating the composition of a photograph and all its elements. That was really interesting for me. So being involved in modeling taught me a lot about art and how images are created. Through that, I met tons of creatives. I was working in New York, London, Spain, and Los Angeles. Everyone has a different style and way of doing things. But fundamentally, you’re on set, collaborating with people. Also, I found that having your picture taken is different when it’s not just a casual snap at a party. It's part of telling a story. That really shifted my perspective. Modeling also taught me patience, because there’s a huge amount of work behind the scenes. There’s rejection, perseverance, and you learn skills that translate into acting and filmmaking; like understanding craft, communication, and presence. It might sound silly, but there’s a real craft to modeling, how you interact, move, and present yourself. I took all that into my acting work. Plus, the money I made modeling helped me take acting classes in New York, London, and LA. I probably wouldn’t have studied with [acting coach] Nina Murano in New York or worked with Vincent Chase in LA without the connections and experience I got through modeling. Bruce Weber introduced me to Nina [Murano], who then introduced me to Vincent Chase. So it all felt very interconnected. So moving into acting wasn’t a total leap. It’s obviously a different skill set, but there were enough overlapping elements that laid the groundwork for me to understand what being in front of the camera really means.
DG __ You mentioned spending several years in New Mexico. I'm guessing for different projects.
EM __ Yes.
DG __ There's been a lot of talk about studios moving productions out of LA. Would you say your experience backs that up?
EM __ Honestly, I think I’ve only actually physically shot in Los Angeles twice. And I’ve always found that LA is the epicenter of filmmaking, especially when it comes to meeting people and building connections. I’d love to shoot more in LA. But the reality is, it just ends up being so expensive.
DG __ It’d be great for you. Not just work-wise, but also because you'd get to stay close to your family and your new baby.
EM __ If we could just shoot around the corner, that’d be fantastic! [laughs] Funny enough, it was Josh [Duhamel] who had just had a little boy before we started shooting. And before I’d told anyone that me and Emanuela [Postacchini] were expecting, he started saying, “You should be a dad.” I was like, “What?” And he goes, “Yeah, I just think it’s crazy. It changes everything.” He told me that becoming a father made him way more relaxed on set, more centered. He didn’t stress over stuff as much. I have to say, during the whole course of the show, Emanuela was pregnant, and so there was this whole layer of trying to make sure she was okay while also being super excited. It really did make acting feel more relaxed. Now, being a dad definitely shifts your perspective. The way you see characters, the way you see the world; it’s different. You don’t sweat the small stuff as much. The things that used to stress you out don’t really matter in the same way anymore. Your kid becomes the priority. And yeah, I’d say it actually makes the whole experience of working even more fun. That said, now we really need everything to shoot in LA. Otherwise I’ve got to bring the baby with me everywhere! [laughs]
DG __ You say having a baby makes you calmer?
EM __ You don't have a choice! You can't have an argument with a baby. You don't win. [laughs]
DG __ It sounds like it makes people wiser. I guess we all should have more babies then! [laughs] Is there a particular director or actor you’ve worked with that has had an influence on your craft or how you approach your roles?
EM __ I’ve always loved Oliver Stone’s work. Especially his earlier films, like Salvador and Platoon. The way he went about making movies, he was just so committed. He’s a great example of how hard it is to actually make a film, but also how to still be an artist while doing it. I think at the time, he was struggling to get Platoon made, and then Salvador got some recognition and that kind of opened things up. He always tries to make these powerful films that carry this undercurrent of social commentary. He’s a really smart and antagonistic filmmaker, but everything he shoots is also visually stunning. So yeah, Oliver Stone was definitely a big one for me. And then early Tarantino. I loved that too. Also two of my favorite movies of all time are Man on Fire and True Romance. Tony Scott, man! Tony Scott and Oliver Stone were massive influences. I’ve also always been in love with Kieślowski, the Polish filmmaker. Like all the Three Colors films, The Double Life of Véronique. There’s something so poetic and emotional about his work. I am also a huge fan of Jim Sheridan, the Irish filmmaker. I’m friends with Jim now, which is kind of wild. But In the Name of the Father and The Boxer. Wow. Those are just two really wonderful films.
DG __ How do you balance your responsibilities when you’re both in front of and behind the camera?
EM __ The last movie I made was Grey Elephant. The most difficult thing about directing isn’t actually being on set; it’s getting your movie out into the world. That part is such a complicated tapestry. With Grey Elephant, I worked with a lot of the cast from The Night Shift, and I hadn’t originally intended to act in it. But I ended up acting in it anyway. And strangely, it made things easier, because I already knew the character inside out. I knew what I wanted from the character. The same thing happened when I did Leopard with Tom Hopper and Jack Reynor. I was working with people whose rhythm and cadence I already understood as actors. So I actually find it easier in some ways, because I’m watching them. I’m watching the frame. And I know what I want the shot to feel like. I also know what I need from my character to guide or shift the scene a certain way. Of course, it’s more stressful because your brain’s juggling so many things at once. But then when I go on set just as an actor, especially for a TV show, it’s kind of liberating. I only have to think about my performance, not the whole machine behind it. Directing made me appreciate everything that goes into a scene. All the moving parts. It reminded me that as an actor, you’re just one part of this big tapestry that makes the whole thing work.
DG __ Do you think that directing made you a better actor or vice versa?
EM __ I think so. Because you approach a script and a character really differently when you're looking at it from a director’s point of view. When you're acting, your character is the whole world. You’re the hero in your own universe. So your character has to be the most important thing to you, because that’s how they see the world. But when you're directing, all the characters matter. You have to see how they balance and interact with each other. So even if you know what you want for your own character, you can't be selfish about it. You’ve got to understand what the other characters need, and also what the director needs to tell the story properly. So yeah, I think it’s made me more aware, and it’s definitely made me a better actor. Because you realize that you’re serving something bigger than just your own part. You’re serving the whole story.
DG __ Do you have any upcoming projects you want to tease us with?
EM __ Yeah, I’m trying to make a project now with Lizzy Greene, who was on Ransom Canyon, which you guys have featured before. I’ve got a script I wrote a while back. And we’re trying to put that together. The film is called Abilene. It’s a True Romance meets Natural Born Killers kind of story. A violent love story and revenge thriller with a lot of heart. I’d love to shoot that with Lizzy. I think she’s really talented. We would shoot in New Mexico, which is a place I’ve always wanted to continue creating in. I also have a horror film I’m hoping to direct in Sweden called Recreation which is a wonderful script by a Swedish writer.
DG __ What about as an actor?
EM __ I’m currently working on a rom com in Ireland. It’s a really fun project. I love the shift in tone; there’s a lightness and a sense of play that comes with comedy, and I enjoy exploring that softer side of acting. If all goes well, we’re also gearing up for another season of Borderline, an Irish TV show I did about two cops on either side of the border. The writer, John Forte, creates such nuanced, layered characters, and I’m excited to dive back into that world.