Breaking Out

Jack McMullen is the Litherland-born actor with a major role in new three-part BBC series Time starring Sean Bean and Stephen Graham.

We caught up with him to discuss the prison drama and his career highlights so far which include working alongside Hollywood A-listers Matt Damon and Christian Bale in the Oscar-winning Ford v Ferrari.

Words by Lawrence Saunders

When did you decide you wanted to become an actor and how did you get into it?

I was a hyperactive kid and my parents would let me try a bit of everything to try and wear me out. I loved films and trying to make people laugh by doing impressions and that, so they took me to a drama class on a Saturday morning. Nikki Lindsay ran it, and she’d get us the odd audition for TV stuff which is how I got in the room for Brookside. When I started working regularly I realised I might be onto something. Before that it was just fun.

Were there any particular actors you looked up to?

Daniel (JACK McMULLEN) – (C) BBC Studios – Photographer: James Stack

My mum and dad love film and had me watching all the old Hollywood actors, James Dean, [Marlon] Brando, Paul Newman. When I was a bit older, seeing what Stephen Graham was doing had a big effect on me. He’s from near me, he sounded like me and he was doing proper stuff – This is England, Gangs of New York, Boardwalk Empire etc. I think that helped me believe it was something I could do.

What were your favourite films growing up?

Remember Blockbuster? We’d always go there and get a couple of films for the weekend. Good Will Hunting left a big impression on me, I’d watch it over and over again. It wasn’t until a bit later that I got into British stuff. I loved all of Shane Meadows’ films, Ken Loach, Andrea Arnold, Guy Ritchie. My most watched film is probably Sexy Beast. Ben Kingsley’s performance in that is iconic.

You made your first TV appearance as Josh in Brookside. Are you proud to have worked on such an iconic Liverpool soap?

Yeah of course, people still talk about it today and it’s been nearly 20 years. I haven’t heard that many scouse voices on TV since. Manchester’s got Corrie, Yorkshire’s got Emmerdale and London’s got everything else. Apparently there’s talk of bringing it back. I don’t know if that will happen but I’d love to see more stuff set in Liverpool.

Like Brookside, Waterloo Road was a drama which wasn’t afraid to address serious issues. Do you look back fondly on your time on the show?

I do yeah. It felt almost like college for me. I was only 18 and still very much cutting my teeth, but there’s a lot to be said for being thrown in at the deep end. I think that’s something the show deserves credit for, to be honest. They gave a lot of opportunities to young actors.

2019 was somewhat of a breakout year for you film-wise, with supporting roles in two highly acclaimed movies, The Souvenir and Ford v Ferrari. Looking at Ford v Ferrari first, what was it like working with Matt Damon and Christian Bale?

It was a bit surreal at first. I’d grown up watching them both and I’m a huge fan of their work, and they were great. Really approachable and easy to get on with. I hadn’t been on a set like that before, but I was there to do a job so there was no room for imposter syndrome. I wanted to show that I was there for a reason. I expected it to be like a different world in terms of the process but it wasn’t really, everybody involved is just at the top of their game.

My parents came over to visit the set and Matt sat and talked to them for a bit. They love the Bourne films so that was a nice moment. I felt like I was able to give them something back that day.

Onto The Souvenir, it’s been confirmed there will be a sequel in which your character will return. How happy were you when you found out Joanna Hogg wanted to make a part two?

I was made up to go back and do the second one. I think she’s a phenomenal film-maker. Joanna’s process is so different to anything I’ve done before – it’s mostly improvised and she keeps you in the dark about where the story is going next. You never get to see a script. It allows the actors to be present; you’re not really thinking about what’s happened before or what’s coming.

It gives her films a different quality – there’s something unique about them. I’m looking forward to seeing it. Apart from the bits I’m in, I have no idea what happens.

Back to TV and this month we will see you in the BBC prison drama, Time – written by Jimmy McGovern and starring Sean Bean and Stephen Graham. It must have been a great experience as a young actor working alongside Sean and Stephen.

Yeah for sure. They raise everybody’s game up a level, but the whole cast was great – Siobhan Finneran, James Joyce, Bobby Schofield etc.

It was a top team. Si Maloney produced it and he’s made I May Destroy You and Peaky Blinders, and we had a boss director in Lewis Arnold. I’d not long seen Des (ITV drama miniseries directed by Lewis) when the call came through, so I was excited to work with him. I think it’s going to be a good one.

Could you tell us about who you play in Time and what their role is in the show?

I’ve wanted to be involved in a story about the prison system for a long time. I think it’s important for people to be aware of what prisons are like and how they function. I play a character called Daniel who shares a cell with Mark, played by Sean Bean. It’s not clear what his crime is at first, but he hasn’t yet faced up to what he’s done and is in denial about the pain he’s caused. They form an unlikely friendship and Mark encourages him to take responsibility for his actions and begin his journey towards acceptance.

What can you tell us about any other projects you’re working on?

I can’t really say too much at the moment, but I’m looking forward to the year ahead. Hopefully we can all get back to some form of normality.

Time will air weekly on BBC One from Sunday 6 June at 9pm, with the full series available as a boxset on BBC iPlayer once episode 1 has finished.

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