IN CONVERSATION WITH JAMES NELSON JOYCE
interview by JANA LETONJA
James Nelson Joyce has an exciting year ahead. First, we’ll be seeing him in Disney+ series ‘A Thousand Blows’, and later in the BBC1 series ‘This City is Ours’. Most recently, we’ve been able to watch him in ‘Bird’ alongside Barry Keoghan, which received a 7 minute standing ovation at last year’s Cannes Film Festival.
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You have a massive year ahead with several exciting projects lined up. Can you walk us through the role you’re playing in ‘A Thousand Blows’, and what can audiences expect from this project?
I play Edward ‘Treacle’ Goodson in ‘A Thousand Blows’. He’s a bare-knuckle boxer, who is the brother of ‘Sugar’ Goodson played by Stephen Graham. It’s a story about the various characters existing in the underbelly of Victorian London, based on real people from the time. ‘Sugar’ and ‘Treacle’ are approached by Lord Lonsdale to leave the bare-knuckle boxing world behind and move into the more traditional, gloved boxing we see today. And you’ll have to watch it to see how the story unfolds.
How did your personal background as an ex-amateur boxer shape your portrayal of your character in this series? Did you feel a deeper connection to the role because of that?
I love boxing. I keep fit whenever I’m home, at The Rotunda Boxing Club in Kirkdale, Liverpool. It’s the best place in the world. It’s got world champions in there, young prospects and more than anything, characters in there who know how to have a laugh. To be able to be a part of ‘A Thousand Blows’ and research the history of the sport was fascinating. I remember telling the lads at the gym about it and they were all made up for me. They constantly support me and it doesn’t matter who you are when you walk in the gym, you’re made to feel welcome.
In ‘A Thousand Blows’, you are playing Stephen Graham’s brother, in a role that’s been described as explosive. How did you prepare for such a dynamic relationship, both on-screen and off-screen? What was the collaboration like with Stephen Graham?
Well, first things first, Stephen is like a big brother to me, so to find that chemistry was easy as it was already there. Then it was just about building the back story of the brothers. Stephen and I have worked together a few times before, so that always makes things a lot easier when it comes to getting into a flow on set.
full look RICHARD JAMES
We’ll also be seeing you In ‘This City Is Ours’, where you’re reuniting with Sean Bean after working together on ‘Time’. What was it like working alongside him again, and what can viewers expect from the intense new gangland drama?
Working with Sean is easy. He just is a gentleman and always up for a laugh. We would sit at lunch talking about football and how we were missing English TV while we were shooting in Spain. ‘This City is Ours’ is about the pursuit of power, and then choosing between love and power. I’m really excited for this new drama to hit everyone’s screens in the Spring and I couldn’t be prouder of how it’s turned out.
What was the experience of working on ‘Bird’ with Andrea Arnold and such a talented cast like Barry Keoghan and Jasmine Jobson?
Working with Andrea was brilliant. I never got to read the script and just had a back story of my character, which is a thrilling and sometimes terrifying way of working, then the night before, we would receive a skeleton script of the scene we were shooting the next day. Once we were on set, Andrea would give us the freedom to explore our objectives. Reactions to the film have been so brilliant to see.
On top of those big new series, you’ve also joined the Black Mirror cast for the up-coming season. What was it about Black Mirror and the episode you’re involved in that excited you about being part of the award winning anthology?
Unfortunately, I can’t say much about the story of the episode I’m in at the moment, but what I can say is that it was a massive honour to be part of such an institution. I’ve been a fan of the show and Charlie’s brilliant writing for a long time, so I can’t wait for viewers to get into this next season.
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Having worked on several award-winning series, how has your approach to acting evolved over the years? What have been some of the most significant lessons you’ve learned from working with such talented directors and co-stars?
I would honestly say my approach to it hasn’t changed at all. But where I would say I have been lucky is working with Stephen Graham. I constantly watch in awe at how he prepares for roles and how he is on set. He is every bit the captain of the football team and leads by example.
Given that you’re known for your intense roles, how do you balance the emotional weight of these characters with your personal life? Do you have any routines or methods to decompress after filming?
I don’t really have any specific routines or methods if I’m honest. I’m a really simple person, so I just tend to go back to my normal life straight after filming. I’ll treat myself to nice Nando’s and whack on some YouTube, nothing too glamorous or self-indulgent. Maybe in some way, that is a kind of routine. It’s me being true to myself and keeping things grounded. It’s very easy in this industry to believe the hype, but that’s just not me.
You’ve been building a reputation in the industry, and it seems like the stars are aligning for you this year. How do you stay grounded and focused as your career continues to skyrocket?
I’m from Liverpool, a very working class area and I think if anyone saw me getting above my station, they would definitely let me know and that’s what I love about where I’m from. Us scousers are honest people, we say what we see.
What’s next for you after all these exciting projects? Are there any specific types of roles or genres you’d love to explore in the future?
There are loads of roles I would love to play, but maybe a nice biopic about a troubled, but incredibly talented Northern Irish footballer.
full look RICHARD JAMES
TEAM CREDITS:
photography DAVID REISS
styling OLGA TIMOFEJEVA
hair and makeup MARIA COMPARETTO
publicity SATELLITE 414 SCREEN
