Entertainment Spotlight: Neil Jackson, Stargirl
You may recognize actor, writer, and producer Neil Jackson from Absentia, and The CW’s new DC superhero series Stargirl. On the film side, Neil starred alongside Steve Carrell in Welcome To Marwan, as well as in Quantum of Solace, Nocturnal Animals, and You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger. An ex-amateur boxing champion, Neil worked as a personal trainer before becoming an actor. He is also an accomplished guitar player and song writer. His first album, The Little Things, was released in 2013. Neil took a few minutes to chat with us about Stargirl, his dog Rosco, and his upcoming projects. Check it out:
Is there a scene or moment from Stargirl that you’re most excited for fans to see?
There are so many fun scenes in this show that I think people will love, but there’s a standout moment in the first episode where all of the Justice Society of America (Starman, Flash, Green Lantern, HourMan, Wildcat etc.) face off in an epic battle against a team of their greatest enemies…including Solomon Grundy. He’s a fully CG Hulk-type villain and is AMAZING!
What’s your favorite character arc or storyline on Absentia?
At the end of last season (spoiler alert), Jack professed his love for Alice, only to have her reject him. She then was killed after we discover that she was working with the enemy. As we start season three, Jack is not only mourning the loss of that love, and her death, but also mourning the person he thought he knew, and he’s having to do all of this alone, as no-one knows about his affair. It’s heartbreaking to see him struggle.
Can you tell us about the character that you play in The King’s Man?
I’m afraid I can’t say too much for fear of Matthew Vaughn putting out a hit on me, but I play a very pivotal character in the story. I just saw some of the edit and it looks amazing. The film has all the fun and heart of the first films, but with the dramatic weight of WWI and the horror of trench warfare.
Do you have any fun facts about the making of Stargirl that fans would be surprised to find out?
During lunch we would sometimes have karaoke. It was a fun bonding experience to eat your food while members of the crew sang their favorite tunes. Nelson Lee, who plays Dragon King, did a particularly memorable rendition of “Wind Beneath My Wings.”
What did you do with your free time on set?
I hate being in my trailer, so I usually hang around on set and watch the other scenes. After almost 20-years in the business, I’m still fascinated by the process, so I love watching the machine at work.
Do you have any secret skills or talents?
I love cooking. Every Sunday I make a roast chicken with all the trimmings. It’s a British tradition.
How did you prepare for your role in The King’s Man?
My role in the film is very physical and I was hired to be my own stunt-double so there was a lot of stunt training. There’s an amazing hand-to-hand fight sequence that (for reasons I can’t spoil) required us to stay in a crouched position throughout. That was so brutal on the knees. I would come home from work every morning (we shot at night) and have to put bags of frozen veggies on my knees to take the swelling down.
Can you tell us about a time you bombed (e.g. in an audition)?
I was auditioning for a lead role in the first Transformers movie. It was just me and the casting director in the room. The scene was during a battle and my character was a soldier who was evading attacks whilst calling for air support. The casting director was particularly dead-pan and, when she dryly called action I just went for it. I was rolling on the floor evading laser strikes from imaginary robots whilst screaming into an imaginary radio for an air strike. She would read the other lines in the blandest monotone, which just made the experience all the more absurd. After a couple of minutes of this I just started laughing. She, however, didn’t find it amusing.
What’s the funniest photo that you have on your phone?
I mostly have photos of my dog, Rosco, on my phone right now. He’s a beautiful Formosan Mountain Dog from Taiwan and just last week he graduated puppy class. He wore his mortar-board in celebration :)
What are you most excited about right now?
Directing my first feature film. I have two scripts of mine in active development, so whichever one gets traction first will be the one I will direct first. I am incredibly passionate about both stories and cannot wait to bring them to life.
Thanks, Neil! Catch Stargirl on Tuesdays at 8pm on The CW.
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