Roscommon man O’Dowd and O’Porter set up home in Los Angeles after his turn in hit romcom Bridesmaids, which propelled him to stardom.
But now the 44-year-old comedian and actor has waved goodbye to the American dream and relocated to the UK with his wife and two children.
Asked where he calls home nowadays, O’Dowd, from Boyle, says: “London. Obviously, I’m back at home all the time, and that was one of the reasons we moved from the States to the UK last summer and decided to come back to London, essentially.”
Cat Deeley has previously spoken about how concerns over gun violence influenced her and husband Patrick Kielty’s decision to relocate from America to the UK in recent years.
However, O’Dowd says there was a number of factors that led to their decision to move.
Today’s News in 90 seconds – 10th June 2024
“Honestly, I think it’s a bunch of different reasons,” he says. “Some of them are just normal middle-aged reasons – our parents are getting old, our kids are kind of starting secondary school and we always knew we would come back anyway, all that kind of craic.
“And then America for the last few years – it’s been wild.”
Discussing whether former US president Donald Trump’s second run at the Oval Office played a part in his decision to leave, O’Dowd says: “Every election cycle is just an absolute maelstrom of madness, so I wouldn’t say that it was a huge factor in it, but it definitely was a factor in the timing of it.”
Speaking at artists The Connor Brothers’ exhibition in Covent Garden, London, alongside his wife, he continues: “It’s like, there’s no harm in missing an election cycle, but more than anything, we just miss being in Ireland and being here in London, and I think that’s probably why.”
The two boys love doing plays. They go on stage and they look like they were born on it
O’Dowd’s other half, Scottish author and presenter O’Porter (45), previously revealed she turned down her husband’s Facebook friend request three times before they eventually hit it off at her 30th birthday bash in London, and the rest is history.
The pair tied the knot in 2012 with guests including Brian O’Driscoll and Amy Huberman at their wedding.
Pressed as to whether their two sons, Art (9) and six-year-old Valentine, will follow them into the world of showbiz, O’Dowd says: “The two boys love doing plays, and I wouldn’t have thought that would have been their vibe, but then they go on stage and they look like they were born on it.”
The comedian’s face instantly lights up at the sheer mention of his children.
“They’re great lads,” he adds.
Along with having shows such as The IT Crowd and State of the Union under his belt, O’Dowd has already thrown himself into his next project, Small Town, Big Story.
“I’ve got a new piece coming out soon, which I’ve just written and directed. It will be set in the north-west of Ireland and available to watch on Sky this autumn. We’re kind of handing it in right now, episode by episode.
“Dawn’s been over and back, especially during the summer, and then I’ve been over and back. It’s less intense in the autumn.”
