Meet Cillian O’Connor, the Irish Kid Magician with Autism Joining ‘AGT: Fantasy League’
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Cillian O’Connor first stepped on the Got Talent stage as schoolboy, captivating the audience with his effortless yet incredible magic. Despite his autism and dyspraxia, he continues to dream and inspire other kids to do the same.
O’Connor failed to snatch the main prize during his stint on Britain’s Got Talent season 16. Now, as he tries his shot on AGT: Fantasy League, he trusts magic to be his armor until he wins. Let’s get to know him better.
Magic Helped Cillian O’Connor Build His Confidence
According to his father, O’Connor became “obsessed with magic after seeing Issy Simpson’s performance on BGT. Since he was a young kid, he has always wanted to become a magician. For him, magic is a mode of “making people smile and believe.”
As a person with autism and dyspraxia, O’Connor struggled with socialization. Thankfully, magic has done its wonders and helped him improved his social skills over time. When he was 10, he became the youngest ever member of the Society of Irish Magicians. Yet, while that in itself is already a huge achievement, O’Conner wanted to broaden his horizons. Discovering his passion for magic boosted his confidence, prompting O’Connor to flaunt his tricks on television.
After freaking Simon Cowell out with his awe-inspiring BGT audition, he has amassed a mind-blowing 80 million views on social media. Since then, O’Connor has been an in-demand performer in Ireland and the UK.
“Since BGT he does a few nights in a small magic bar and people are always asking him to do parties and to perform on social media,” his dad said. “His forte is table magic; a lot of people think he’s going to do children’s magic but the stuff he’s doing is more geared towards adults.”
O’Connor did not win BGT, but he said had no bitter thoughts regarding his third-place finish. According to him, advancing to the Finals was already “a dream come true.”
He’ll Try His Luck on AGT: Fantasy League
After his impressive appearance on BGT, O’Connor believes that more doors would open for him. At present, he has no plans to take a hiatus in magic, hoping that his persistence will someday lead to a gig in Las Vegas. Ultimately, he wants to see Shin Lim and Mat Franco perform live.
Now, he’s set to compete against other talented acts on America’s Got Talent: Fantasy League. Nominated as one of the Top 40 acts, O’Connor is currently on the show’s Draft Pool.
The 14-year-old aims to show other kids with disabilities that they can dream big despite several difficulties. As he walks towards the challenging path, his mother and father will remain his no. 1 supporters.
“There were so many triggers on that stage. It just shows that if you want something and you work hard enough for it, you can do it. His life has definitely changed since he found the magic,” his mother said. “It gives him something to talk to people about. Once he puts his little magic hat on, he turns into this completely different character.”
If you want to witness Cillian O’Connor’s journey on the spinoff, be sure to tune in on the show. AGT: Fantasy League premieres Monday, Jan. 1 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC and will stream the next day on Peacock.
