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Neil Jackson

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

Neil Jackson
Jackson in 2009
Born (1976-03-05) 5 March 1976 (age 48)
Luton, Bedfordshire, England
NationalityEnglish
EducationHarlington Upper School
Alma materUniversity of Wales Institute Cardiff
Occupation(s)Actor, singer, musician writer
Years active2001–present

Neil Jackson (born 5 March 1976) is an English actor, singer, musician 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.

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

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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

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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

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

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
2004 Alexander Perdiccas
2005 Breakfast on Pluto Man At Disco
2006 The Last Drop Flight Sergeant Simkins
2006 The Thirst Duke of Earl
2007 Passage Adam
2008 15-40 Kai Hansen Short film
2008 Quantum of Solace Mr. Slate
2009 Push Victor Budarin
2009 Table for Three Tre
2010 You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger Alan
2012 True Bloodthirst Derricks
2016 Nocturnal Animals Christopher
2018 Welcome to Marwen Kurt
2021 The King's Man Captain Forrest

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
2001–2003 Dream Team Phil Wallis 2 episodes
2002 Heartbeat Jeremy Purves Episode: "The Leopard's Spots"
2002 The House That Jack Built Charlie Episode: "Dynasty"
2002 Is Harry on the Boat? Matthew Episode: "#1.10"
2002 Ultimate Force Luke Episode: "Natural Selection"
2002 Silent Witness Marcus Saul 2 episodes
2003 The Last Detective Stuart Gilley Episode: "Lofty"
2004 Red Cap Private Robbie McCoy Episode: "Fighting Fit"
2005 Sugar Rush Dale Recurring role
2005 Stargate SG-1 Khalek Episode: "Prototype"
2006 Blade: The Series Marcus Van Sciver Main role
2006 Cold Case John Donovan Episode: "Sandhogs"
2007 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Michael, The Waiter Episode: "A La Cart"
2007 How I Met Your Mother Ian Episode: "Third Wheel"
2008 CSI: Miami Paul Sanders Episode: "Won't Get Fueled Again"
2008 The Cleaner Duncan Collins 2 episodes
2008 Stargate Atlantis Wraith Episode: "Vegas"
2009–2012 Make It or Break It Sasha Belov Main role
2010–2012 Upstairs, Downstairs Harry Spargo Main role
2010 FlashForward Lucas Hallinger Recurring role
2011 White Collar David Lawrence Episode: "On Guard"
2013–2015 Sleepy Hollow Abraham Van Brunt Recurring role
2013 Jo Baron Episode: "Invalides"
2013 Lightfields Dwight Lawson Recurring role
2014 House of Secrets Sam Television movie
2014 Person of Interest Rick Dillinger Episode: "RAM"
2016 Hell's Kitchen Himself Episode: "5 Chefs Compete"
2017 The Originals Alistair Duquesne Episode: "Gather Up the Killers"
2017–2020 Absentia Jack Byrne Main role
2018 Westworld Nicholas Episode: "Virtù e Fortuna"
2020-2022 Stargirl Jordan Mahkent / Icicle Main role (Season 1)

Guest (Season 2) Recurring (Season 3)

References

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  1. ^ a b "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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