When James Martin was born, doctors told his parents that he might never speak. However, he did not only learn to speak, but 31 years later, on his birthday, he walked on Hollywood’s biggest stage to collect his Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film, An Irish Goodbye. James became the first actor with Down syndrome to win an Academy Award. And, as icing on the cake, the entire audience sang “Happy Birthday” to him.
James Martin never let his condition hold him back.
James Martin’s father, Ivan Martin, is very proud of his son and revealed that he does everything with great gusto, and he’s very glad that his efforts have paid off.
“He has spent his life pushing the envelope. People are very good at saying, ’You can’t do this, and you can’t do that’… He’s done it, and he does it consistently,” he said.
Martin is the first person with Down syndrome to win not just a BAFTA but an Oscar too, and he’s very proud of himself. “It doesn’t matter if you have Down syndrome, as long as you’re doing what you do. I do what I can to be funny,” he said.
His girlfriend also supports him and says the win was a magical moment. “It shows to everyone that it’s changing your mindset on how people with disabilities can achieve as much as everyone else can,” she declared.
For the past 10 years, Martin has been working at Starbucks.
His co-workers and manager at Starbucks are very proud of Martin and his acting success, and to support him, good-luck posters were placed in the coffee chain’s city stores.
However, Martin’s dad revealed that despite the fame, he doesn’t see his son quitting his job as a barista anytime soon.
Martin caught the acting bug after he joined the Belfast-based Babosh theatre company for children with learning disabilities.
There, Martin did all types of shows, and he enjoyed every moment spent there. This was a stepping stone for him, as he later managed to land the lead role in Ups and Downs, starring alongside actress Susan Lynch.
Martin then went on to land a role in the series, Marcella, but his role in An Irish Goodbye, which won him both a BAFTA and an Oscar, is his most high-profile role to date.
Preview photo credit MICHAEL TRAN/AFP/East News, An Irish Goodbye / First Flights and co-producers
The fishing trip my wife took marked the beginning of the end for our marriage
When the trust is broken, nothing can ever be the same.
Mark started raising suspicions when his wife Lisa decided to take solo fishing trips. Somehow, Mark knew that this need to spend time away from him had something to do with their neighbor Sam, who was also an affectionate fisherman.
One day, Lisa posted what seemed like an innocent photo online, but there was something on it that convinced Mark that he had all the right to suspect his wife was involved with Sam.
On the photo, Lisa was proudly holding a branded fishing rod that Mark knew belonged to Sam. When he confronted his wife, she denied having anything to do with their neighbor and claimed she only borrowed the fishing rod, but Mark’s gut told him she wasn’t telling the truth.
He thought long and hard and realized he couldn’t get over the fact that his trust in his wife was completely shaken. He pondered the importance of transparency in a relationship and knew it lacked from his and his wife’s.
Eventually, he decided to file for divorce.
Lisa’s photo marked the beginning of the end of their relationship and became the catalyst for the collapse of their trust.
This story is yet another proof that marital bonds can be broken easily when there are hidden truths between the partners.
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