Gabriel Byrne On The "Nosebleed" Seats That Changed His Life

By Brian Ives

"I remember climbing up the wooden stairs," Gabriel Byrne says, when recalling his first play during a conversation with Laura Heywood (aka BroadwayGirlNYC). "To what they called 'the nosebleed section.'"

"I remember seeing the curtain go up and when all these brightly colored, costumed people came on stage, saying to my mother, 'What's that?' And she said, 'That's a play.'"

And at the curtain call, "I saw the looks on their faces. It was something that I never forgot."

It clearly made an impact on Byrne, now a star of stage and screen. He is currently nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play for "A Long Day's Journey Into Night."

Clearly, the man still believes in the power of art. "When I became a teacher, I realized that by taking a kid aside and saying, 'Hey, have a read of that book,' or 'Go see that film,' [you could make an impact]. I still really believe in that. I believe you can make a difference in a person's life by saying 'Have you read that book?' Or 'You should go see that movie.' Or 'Go see that play.'"

To see if Byrne turns his passion for art into a Tony win, watch the Tony Awards on CBS June 12 at 8 pm ET.