Brazillian actor, Rodrigo Ternevoy, who plays gay character Cristiano San Martin on the RTÉ soap, Fair City, was verbally abused at by a passer-by while filming for a mental health video in the laneway beside The George in Dublin.

The film, entitled ‘Big Boys Don’t Cry’ features a scene with Ternevoy holding hands with another man. While the scene was being shot, a man in his 30s shouted: “You fucking faggots! This is a Catholic country, fucking faggots!”

“It’s regrettable that two men can’t hold hands in Dublin for fear of ‘faggot’ being shouted at them,” the Fair City star told GCN. “All the more so in Pride Week.’’

The other man in the film, ex-GCN staff member, Aidan Quigley said: “I was really shocked when I heard it. It’s another reminder for the LGBT community that the work of organisations like BeLonG To, TENI and of course GCN is still necessary, that Pride is still necessary and that even though we’re now living in a radically different Ireland, there is still a long way to go before LGBT people feel fully accepted and safe in our community.”

Written and directed by Joe Byrne, the film aims to raise awareness around mental health and suicide prevention in men.

“It’s the first time I’ve witnessed it,” said Byrne. “It actually made me feel a little bit sick in my stomach, and a little bit angry about how close-minded that person that is. I’m still trying to process it.”

Listen to Byrne talk about the film below.

Currently, Ternevoy’s character on Fair City is going through heartbreak, as his boyfriend has announced that he’s leaving Carrigstown.