SPOTLIGHT: Mr Jack Brett Anderson

Interview & styling - Taj Hayer

Grooming - Tom Fraser using Maria Nila Stockholm & Rodial

Shot on location at Manor House, Rosewood London

Aged just 28, Jack Brett Anderson has chosen to step from behind the camera and enter the array as director. He is currently hard at work on Syndrome, a new play by award winning writer Tina Jay, on stage from February 2020. Set against the backdrop of the Gulf War, the play follows the personal stories of four young soldiers from the days of the war through to their return to civilian life and the challenges that that brings.

Best known for his role in critically acclaimed and BAFTA award winning fantasy drama Wolfblood, in which he played teen wolf Matei, Anderson has appeared in a number of dramatic and intense productions. These include appearing in Genius: Picasso directed by Ron Howard and the docudrama, Is This Rape? Sex on Trial. Not shy of real drama and roles that are controversial, Syndrome appears to be the perfect project for Anderson. Truth, the search for and portrayal of, is the dominant force of what guides Anderson. We shot Jack at The Rosewood Hotel on Friday 13 December 2019, the day after Boris Johnson went back to 10. Downing Street with a resounding majority and a so called mandate to “Get Brexit done”. When we meet, thoughts of how truth had been manipulated and how important it is were at the forefront of his mind.

Why now to make your directorial debut?

I think it’s timing. I really feel as though it came about with me working hard with Tina Jay on the last play that I did, (Jack worked with Jay on Held, in which her performed dual lead roles) where I was her lead actor. We shared the same vision from the writing point of view and she approached me and asked if I would direct her next play and that was two years ago and here we are. I felt like the time was right now because I had matured as a person and an actor, my experiences broadened and I built some really good relationships that have allowed this to happen.

What have you learnt from being directed that you have been able to benefit from when directing Syndrome?

The most that I have learnt from those that I have worked with is when I have seen that they want to bring the truth out of the story, that being either a play or a script. I would definitely like to continue that theme and bring out the nuanced moments that we maybe miss day to day but really make the work seem authentic. I think as I grow as a director my style and my perspective will also grow and will become more defined.

What have been the major challenges in directing Syndrome?

Without a doubt casting. Once the decision is made, its done and final and I’ve learnt that there are so many different factors that come into play that I didn’t anticipate as an actor. Casting is not just about their talent or how they look. It’s about those that mould and come together and work hard. They need to get on with people, take criticism, take direction and have no ego. I think when seeing people that have some of those elements and those that don’t, the difference is astronomical. Naturally, this directs you to want to work with the first kind of actor.

Aside from Syndrome, what else have you been working on at the moment?

At the start of the year I started my own production company, Mont-Dore Media Ltd and a friend of mine came to me with an idea for a fashion horror film. I really believed in her as a person so knew that I could help her to bring it together. So I produced it and it shows the difference between the mundane and the chaotic and the way in which we find the horror in our daily lives. It’s very heightened, colourful, kind of Wes Anderson vibes/ Alice In Wonderland and its taken some time this year to get going. And then aside from that, I’ve been moving towards this play. Most of my time this year has been taken up with production and writing.

How important is it for an actor to have a social media presence?

I think that we’ve been pushed to feel that its necessary. I honestly believe that if you work hard, that those results will lead you to work again and again. But there is an idea of what it is to be in the arts and the film industry, where if you are on social media it validates your work in some way. I suppose that must come from the way in which we need validation. Sometimes it can be a way for some of us to get through the day. I do genuinely think that if you work hard and excel at what you do, you won’t be thinking about these other things. It can be important. It gives you a one on one and allows you to connect with those that enjoy your work and maybe its the new fan mail.

With so much social media and fake news, how important is it that what we see and read from those in the public eye is genuine and honest?

It’s incredibly important. We should all be accountable for what we say and how we act and those in the public eye, and especially those in politics even more so. It is absurd to see politicians lie and act in a way that makes them unaccountable. It’s exactly the opposite of the way that normal members of the public act, and the way that they act only helps us all feel more like they can’t be trusted.

What is the one role you would love to play?

I recently saw Hurricane with Denzel Washington in which he plays a Philadelphia boxer. The journey portrayed by Washington is incredible. The acting was sensational and I was in pieces. I was also really impressed by Eddie Redmayne in The Theory of Everything. The challenges of losing function of the body whilst still having an active mind were done so well.

What are you proudest of to date?

Honestly I’m proud of everything to date. It’s a journey and without each part, commercial, voiceover that I did, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I’m proud of being able to tell the story of Syndrome and to work with the actors on that. I feel proud of everything I’ve achieved over the last decade of being able to go into the new one with a new title and a new perspective. Hopefully all of the work is well received and is fruitful so I can travel all the roads that I want to.

And finally what makes a rakish gent?

Jack Brett Anderson being shot for The Rakish Gent at The Rosewood.

Quick fire questions

Ideal travel destination - Mykonos

Best store in the world - Hamleys

Gadget of choice - Jet pack

Go to pair of shoes - Christian Louboutin boots

Brand /designer choice - John Smedley

Favourite fragrance - Versace

Essential grooming product - Moisturiser

Recommended app - Star Tracker

Icon - Leonardo DiCaprio

Syndrome runs from 18 - 28 February 2020 at the Tristan Bates Theatre at The Actors Centre, Covent Garden London.

Follow Jack on Instagram.