Neil Jackson

Neil Jackson (born 5 March 1976) is an English actor and writer who has appeared in several television series and films, but is probably best known for his role as Marcus on Blade: The Series and Sasha on Make It or Break It.

For the British swimmer, see Neil Jackson (swimmer).

Neil Jackson
Jackson in 2009
Born (1976-03-05) 5 March 1976
Luton, Bedfordshire, England
NationalityEnglish
EducationHarlington Upper School
Alma materUniversity of Wales Institute Cardiff
OccupationActor, writer
Years active2002–present

His screenwriting credits include the film The Passage directed by Mark Heller and released in 2007. He has starred in several other films including Quantum of Solace and Push.

Early life

Jackson was born in Luton, Bedfordshire, the second of four sons of Evelyn and Dennis Jackson.

Jackson began acting when studying drama at GCSE level in Harlington Upper School. While there he was in several school plays including Annie, Little Shop of Horrors, Hard Times, and West Side Story. He also acted in National Youth Theatre as a teenager before moving to Cardiff to study sport at the University of Wales Institute Cardiff (UWIC) in Wales.

In Wales, Jackson started competitive boxing, entering in the British Universities Boxing Championships, an inter-university competition held throughout the whole of Britain, and won the gold at light middleweight. He went on to successfully defend his title two years later at middleweight. His boxing earned him a scholarship to stay on at UWIC, where he earned his master's degree and graduated in 1998.

Career

Not knowing how to get into acting, Jackson wrote a musical and entered it into a national competition for new writers. It came in third and gained attention from producers in London including Michael Armstrong. He later enrolled in Michael Armstrong's Acting Academy, graduating in 2002.

Jackson's first professional acting job was in the UK national touring production of Strindberg's classic Miss Julie. He understudied the lead character, Jean, a role he took over in the West End production later that year. His breakthrough came in 2004 when Oliver Stone cast him as Perdiccas in the Hollywood blockbuster film, Alexander,[1] alongside Colin Farrell and Angelina Jolie. When he met the director, he had a black eye and three stitches in his eyebrow, a fact he jokes must have assisted him as Stone cast him for the role on the spot.[1] He was also in the British football drama Dream Team for a season as lottery winning chairman Phil Wallis.

In 2006, he made a guest appearance on American TV's Cold Case in the season 4 episode "Sandhogs", as "Donny", the victim killed during a cave-in by his brother-in-law. Then The Passage was released in 2007, a film written by Jackson and shot in Morocco, in which he played a lead character alongside Stephen Dorff. It won the 2008 Jury Award at the Durango Film Festival. He made further TV guest appearances: on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation in the season 8 episode "A La cart"; as "Ian" on How I Met Your Mother; in 2008 on CSI: Miami; and in 2009 as a wraith on Stargate: Atlantis.

In 2008, Jackson filmed scenes on location in Panama for the Bond film Quantum of Solace, where he played the character of Mr. Slate.[2] He previously starred in the ABC Family original series, Make It or Break It as Sasha Belov. Additionally, Jackson has appeared as Lucas Hellinger, a Blackout conspirator, on the ABC show FlashForward. In 2010, he starred as the chauffeur, Harry Spargo, in the BBC revival of Upstairs, Downstairs. Jackson was cast in the lead role of Sir Percy Blakeney/The Scarlet Pimpernel in Fairbanks Productions' adaptation of the classic tale in 2012.

Other interests

Jackson is patron of UK spinal injuries charity Trust PA,[3] in memory of a friend.

Filmography

Film
YearTitleRoleNotes
2004AlexanderPerdiccas
2005Breakfast on PlutoMan at Disco
2006The Last DropFlt. Sgt. Simkins
2006The ThirstDuke of Earl
2007PassageAdam
200815-40Kai HansenShort film
2008Quantum of SolaceMr. Slate
2009PushVictor Budarin
2009Table for ThreeTre
2010You Will Meet a Tall Dark StrangerAlan
2012True BloodthirstDerricks
2016Nocturnal AnimalsChristopher
2018Welcome to MarwenKurt
2020The King's ManFilming

Television
YearTitleRoleNotes
2001–2003Dream TeamPhil Wallis2 episodes
2002HeartbeatJeremy PurvesEpisode: "The Leopard's Parts"
2002The House That Jack BuiltCharlieEpisode: "Dynasty"
2002Is Harry on the Boat?MatthewEpisode: "#1.10"
2002Ultimate ForceLukeEpisode: "Natural Selection"
2002Silent WitnessMarcus Saul2 episodes
2003The Last DetectiveStuart GilleyEpisode: "Lofty"
2004Red CapPte. Robbie McCoyEpisode: "Fighting Fit"
2005Sugar RushDaleRecurring role
2005Stargate SG-1KhalekEpisode: "Prototype"
2006Blade: The SeriesMarcus Van SciverMain role
2006Cold CaseJohn DonovanEpisode: "Sandhogs"
2007CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationMichael, the waiterEpisode: "A La Cart"
2007How I Met Your MotherIanEpisode: "Third Wheel"
2008CSI: MiamiPaul SandersEpisode: "Won't Get Fueled Again"
2008The CleanerDuncan Collins2 episodes
2008Stargate AtlantisWraithEpisode: "Vegas"
2009–2010Make It or Break ItSasha BelovMain role
2010–2012Upstairs, DownstairsHarry SpargoMain role
2010FlashForwardLucas HallingerRecurring role
2011White CollarDavid LawrenceEpisode: "On Guard"
2013–2015Sleepy HollowAbraham Van BruntRecurring role
2013JoBaronEpisode: "Invalides"
2013LightfieldsDwight LawsonRecurring role
2014House of SecretsSamTelevision movie
2014Person of InterestRick DillingerEpisode: "RAM"
2016Hell's KitchenHimselfEpisode: "5 Chefs Compete"
2017The OriginalsAlistair DuquesneEpisode: "Gather Up the Killers"
2017 - PresentAbsentiaJack ByrneMain role
2018WestworldNicholasEpisode: "Virtù e Fortuna"
2020StargirlJordan Mahkent / IcicleMain role

References
  1. "Neil Jackson Discusses Life on the Set of Alexander". Movies.about.com. 17 June 2010. Archived from the original on 13 November 2011. Retrieved 4 September 2011.
  2. "Neil Jackson on his role in Quantum of Solace". BBC. 31 October 2008. Retrieved 4 September 2011.
  3. Website of Trust PA, a spinal injuries charity of which Neil Jackson is Patron

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