Award-winning actor and activist, Tommy Jessop, has just released his autobiography. He took time out to talk about his incredible career (so far) with Able Magazine.
Interview by Tom Jamison
Tell us a bit about your new memoir, ‘A Life Worth Living’…
A Life Worth Living is all about my entire life story. It starts from when I was born, up to this very day, and it might contain growing up, audition tips, puns and facts, football, my TV and film career, award ceremonies, speaking up in Parliament and going behind the scenes as well.
Why did you choose to call it ‘A Life Worth Living’?
I chose A Life Worth Living because I really do want to show other people that life with Down’s syndrome can be fun, exciting and really is worth living.
What’s more important to you, acting or campaigning for the rights of people with Down’s syndrome?
A mixture of the two. Acting is my greatest passion in life. It is when I feel most free, but it has been really important to campaign for the rights of people with Down’s syndrome to make their own choices in life and live their lives to the full. I think being in Line of Duty gave me the chance to speak up for us. I’ve done that in Parliament and in the media and hopefully made a difference.
Did you always want to be an actor? How did you land the role in your first film, ‘Coming Down the Mountain’?
I actually wanted to become a footballer and play for Newcastle United, but when I was about 10 years old, I decided to become an actor. My parents didn’t listen when I first told them, but someone called Martin really did listen to what I wanted out of life. He found me an audition and that was how it all began. There is lots more about this in the book!
You seem to specialise in very intense roles, such as in The Fighter, Hamlet and Terry Boyle in Line of Duty. You seem to be able to take on a range of emotions and endure very physical scenes. How do you prepare?
Well, I talk about this quite a bit in my book. I enjoy thinking myself into a role and finding out what that person’s emotions might be. Although I have to keep saying to myself that it’s not real.
Who are some of your favourite actors you’ve worked with? What did you learn from them?
Nicholas Hoult because I enjoyed teasing him a lot in our scenes.
Apart from him, I would say all of them, because they really are good company, and we do tend to have a laugh when we are not actually acting.
What did Nicholas Hoult and others learn from you?
Seeing how professional I really am, apparently.
Is being on television and in films all you hoped it would be?
Yes, it is actually!
Tell us a bit about the Blue Apple Theatre and why you co-founded it...
We strongly believe that theatre is important because we really do want other people to discover and show off their skills and talents on stage, make good friends, and be part of a theatre family.
I became the co-founder of the Blue Apple Theatre because my mum was looking around at other theatre groups like Chickenshed in London for me to join, but they were too far away. Then she came across an article in the Evening Standard written by Bill Nighy about a theatre company in London, and we decided we should set up one ourselves.
Blue Apple Theatre mixes us all up in plays, dance and singing. Some of us have Down’s syndrome, some have autism or other learning disabilities, and some are students or graduates. We have put on around 39 quite ambitious productions here and internationally, including lots of Shakespeare, Frankenstein, The Snow Queen, and plays about hate crime and other issues. The next play is Animal Farm in July.
You’ve been the first actor with Down’s syndrome to do many things – what might be the next first?
Well, the next first could be becoming the very first person with Down’s syndrome to be Bond, James Bond, shaken but a bit stirred – or a superhero.
