LUTON-born actor Neil Jackson has gone from being self-proclaimed class clown to world-renowned actor. Not being much of an academic in school, he took an interest in acting and joined the National Youth Theatre. But as he enrolled into university in Cardiff, Wales, his passion for acting was replaced by boxing, which would come to benefit his career later. Unsatisfied with the life he was living, he reconnected with acting and created his own musical to jumpstart his acting career.
This bold move paid off as it landed him his first role as an understudy to Strindberg’s Miss Julie, from where his career took off. The 42-year-old actor has appeared in numerous American and British hit series such as BBC’s Upstairs Downstairs, HBO’s Westworld and the Amazon Prime series Absentia. Jackson also made quite an impact on the big screen landing roles in films such as Push, Quantum of Solace and more recently Welcome to Marwan, starring alongside Steve Carrell and Diane Kruger.
Glass spoke with him to find out more about his past acting experiences and future projects to come.
Neil Jackson. Photograph: Liam Bundy
How did you first get involved in performing arts and acting?
I was studying sports science in University and boxing competitively and working as a bouncer in clubs and, ultimately, not happy. I had acted in school plays when I was younger and remember enjoying that so much, but I had no idea how to course correct to get back into acting and so was advised to write something that could be performed. I started writing a play, that became a musical.
Over the course of about eight months I would write the script and come up with songs (sung mainly into a dictaphone while I was working on the door of clubs), and then I would take the train from Cardiff to London to record the music with some friends. We submitted the finished script and CD of the musical to a writing contest and it came third. This caught the attention of a producer who asked to see a prepared read through in London, so I rented a hall and got some actors together and a piano and we read and sang the script to the producer.
His name is Michael Armstrong and used to teach acting at RADA before starting his own acting course. He offered me a scholarship to his pert-time acting course, which was every Sunday for two years. So I moved to London and studied with Michael. Upon graduation, I got an agent from the showcase we performed.
Neil Jackson. Photograph: Liam Bundy
Starring in multiple hit series with Absentia being the most recent one and bigscreen movies including Push and Nocturnal Animals, which one was the most memorable and why?
Every job is memorable for completely different reasons. Fighting James Bond in Quantum of Solace was a childhood dream come true. Push was an amazing action movie and I got to do some really cool fight scenes. It was fun meeting Amy Adams and working with Tom Ford on Nocturnal Animals. But my most memorable job will always be my first ever TV gig, working on a British Sunday night show called Heartbeat.
I had watched this show with my family as I was growing up, so to be cast in it and standing on set with those actors I had grown up with was a very special and nerve wracking experience. They were so welcoming and helpful. That job gave me the confidence that I could have a career in the industry; that I could belong.
Neil Jackson. Photograph: Liam Bundy
You’ve worked with quite a lot of impressive people such Amy Adams, Chris Evans and of course Daniel Craig in Quantum of Solace. Is there anybody else you would love to work with in the future?
At this stage in my career I just want to work with good people. Impressive people are lovely, but it means nothing to me if they’re not friendly and kind.
Neil Jackson. Photograph: Liam Bundy
What’s the funniest thing that has ever happened on set or while filming?
I was doing a scene with Dominic Monaghan in Flash Forward. I was supposed to be intimidating him and then open a fresh bottle of gin and drink a very large glass. We’d rehearsed the scene with a bottle of water and the director wanted the “gin” pour to be sizable; maybe three shots worth. I then got handed the prop bottle and walked on set for the first filmed take. The scene went great. I then cracked the seal on the new bottle and poured a hefty amount into a glass. I finished the scene and threw the glass of liquid down my throat and my eyes crossed. The prop master had accidentally given me the bottle of actual gin. I barely held my composure for the rest of the take, and then burst out laughing. I was certainly a little looser on the next takes!
Neil Jackson. Photograph: Liam Bundy
Working on both British and American productions, what’s the most obvious difference between both?
The food. I was working on an American TV series that had a permanent sandwich truck outside the sound stage, as well as a coffee van for constant lattes and cappuccinos. There was also a donut bar full of pastries and such, and a juice/smoothie counter. And then there were the meals on top of that, which were lavish. I went straight from that to the UK to work on a BBC drama where the craft services comprised solely of a tea urn. If you were hungry mid-morning before lunch, have more tea. Then, around four o’clock, they would bring round some biscuits. A very different experience.
Neil Jackson. Photograph: Liam Bundy
You’re a man of many talents as you’ve also been involved in screenwriting and directing, which aspect of the industry do you prefer working in the most?
Each present different challenges to me. I get the most complete creative satisfaction from directing something that I’ve written. But I love that feeling of turning up on set as an actor and working with the other actors and director to hone a scene over hours and then walking away feeling like we created something honest and authentic.
Neil Jackson. Photograph: Liam Bundy
Aside from acting you were also quite a talented boxer, correct us if we’re wrong but this led to your initial break into the acting world as well?
I was a competitive amateur boxer for five years, boxing out of Cardiff, where I went to university to study sports. My younger brother, Iain, was also a professional boxer, having fought in 50 professional bouts. The musical that I ended up writing that got me in to acting was about boxing. Then my first TV role, on Heartbeat, was playing a boxer. I have also written a feature film about boxing called After The Lights that I will be directing next year. So boxing has always been a big part of my life.
You’ve also been dipping your toe into music with your debut album The Little Things, how would you describe your sound? If you’d have to choose between music and acting, which one would it be?
My music is very singer/songwriter and that album is very dear to me. After a rough experience in the film industry, I wanted to create something that was solely my creative voice, my creative vision, without any external interference or pressure. The album was produced by a dear friend, Nick Mailing, and was all recorded live and acoustic. It turned out great and it means a lot to me when I hear from people in Germany or Japan or wherever that they are listening to my music and it’s bringing them some sense of joy. I contemplated taking time off from acting to tour with the album and play music, but acting drew me back in, so my music took more of a back seat … for the time being.
You’ve been in the industry for quite some time, what’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
To set my own personal level of compromise for each job, each moment. To know what I want to get out of each moment and where that line is for me that I will not cross. That could be creatively or financially, but it’s important for me to know what my level of compromise is always.
Throughout your career, what are the biggest challenges you have faced?
Uncertainty. There is no natural maturation in the film industry. I can have an amazing year, working on incredible projects, and then, for no apparent reason, not book another job or work for a year. My mentor, Michael Armstrong, calls them Champagne and water days. One day I could be on the set of a huge project and the next I could be without a job and without the prospect of one on the horizon. Managing that sense of uncertainty is, for me, the biggest challenge of being in this industry.
What have been the high points of your career so far?
In 2017 I was living in London. I hadn’t worked for almost six months when I got a call saying that Robert Zemeckis wanted to talk to me. I had taped an audition for him several weeks before and he wanted to chat on the phone about the role. So, on a rainy Monday, I sat in my flat in London and waited for him to call. I’d been a huge fan of his movies since first seeing Who Framed Roger Rabbit when I was 10 years old. My phone rang and I had the most wonderful conversation with Bob. I then found out a week later that I had been given the role in Welcome To Marwen. I burst into tears. It had been a rough year for me and to get that news was just incredible. To then stand on set and be directed by one of my idols was incredible. I now proudly have an original Who Framed Roger Rabbit Poster signed by Bob that hangs on my wall.
What does the future hold for Neil Jackson? Are there any new projects on the horizon? Can you tell us about your experience on Welcome to Marwen?
Welcome to Marwen was like being a kid and stepping into the biggest of sandboxes. It’s a beautiful script about a very harrowing and beautiful story. Every morning, Bob would stand in front of all of the cast and crew and “act out” the scenes we were about to create using a model set and action figures. His wonder and enthusiasm would ignite us all. He’s a very collaborative director and welcomed creative input from all of the actors.
There is one pivotal moment in the film where I am having a heated moment with Steve Carell’s character. We had improvised some dialogue that brought us to this point and, just as this pivotal moment happens (I’m trying not to give too much away) I did this very broad comedic voice on a line. I didn’t know if it would work, but it felt right and so I went for it. They called cut and I waited anxiously for the verdict.
Bob came walking out from video village with a big smile on his face, chuckling. He loved the voice and moment so much that he decided he would give it its own special shot. There’s a huge vulnerability to trying new and challenging things on set. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don’t. To have that moment work and get validated by Bob meant the world to me.
Neil Jackson. Photograph: Liam Bundy
by Lupe Baeyens
Photographer: Liam Bundy
Styling: Thomas Ramshaw
Grooming: Meredith Lacosse
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