Discovering the Passion for Acting and Key Moments of Inspiration
Jos’ journey to becoming an acclaimed actor began with a fun-filled childhood in a creative, humorous family. His Celtic heritage and early exposure to theatre ignited his passion for acting. Starting with auditions as a young child, he quickly realized the profound emotional impact he could have on audiences.
Career highlights include memorable performances at Shakespeare’s Globe and forming lasting friendships in the industry. Inspired by greats like Daniel Day-Lewis and Glenn Close, Jos admires their depth and authenticity on screen.
Outside of acting, Jos enjoys cooking for friends and exploring new travel destinations. Looking ahead, he remains committed to evolving his craft and embracing new opportunities, always aiming to captivate audiences with his genuine and heartfelt performances.
Childhood and Early Life:
My dad used to say that if I’d ever been a footballer, I’d have been able to play for Ireland, England, Scotland, and Wales. I have grandparents from every corner of the Isles; I’m a true Celt. Of course, I still love to go back to Ireland. I am just back from West Wicklow, and I love to spend a lot of time there. My very pale skin was a perfect match for my time in Portugal! My first day on set for *Cold Mind* was maybe the hottest day during my whole time there. We were shooting outside at a huge dam, and I was followed around with a huge parasol. I guess at first glance they knew they had to stop the sun from turning me into one huge freckle.
When I think about growing up and the influences that shaped my life, the main word would be humour. I grew up in a very fun atmosphere with a fun family. That has had a huge effect on me; I think it allows me to tap into my creativity. Keeping an open mind and tapping into the essence of “play” keeps ideas fresh and keeps me open to possibilities, helping me to explore without the worry of failing. I need to approach things with the idea of play and having fun, even if the work is not particularly fun or the script is very serious. The essence of playing and investigating has to be there in the process. I really believe that’s how you come around to finding the freshest and best ideas.
Path to Acting:
I got into acting at a very early age, auditioning for plays. There was always a part for a young child or the youngest member of the chorus, and my mother took me along to auditions. I just kind of worked my way up from there. It’s something I’ve always done and enjoyed. I love telling stories and hearing them. I’m very plot-driven and enjoy the ins and outs of convincing audiences and taking them on a journey.
In one of the first plays I was in, my character’s mother was dying of cancer, and I remember being moved to tears on stage every night. I could hear the audience crying when I cried, with sniffles and sobs, and I thought, “Wow, this has a huge effect on people; they believe what’s unfolding in front of them.”
I love that acting can move people, make them think, “That’s me,” feel empowered, learn something, laugh and feel better, or find exhilaration and catharsis. It’s a huge pleasure and privilege to be able to perform and show all aspects of life on stage or screen. It’s a great experience.
Career Highlights:
It’s tricky to pinpoint specific parts or productions that stand out the most because the significance often lies in the experience rather than the production itself. It might be a show where I met a certain writer or director or formed long-standing friendships with a cast member. One of the things that sits firmly in my heart is performing in wonderful shows at Shakespeare’s Globe, which is one of my favourite venues. It’s one of the most famous theatres in the world and holds a special place for me personally. As an actor, you are so exposed there; there’s nowhere to hide, and the audience is right there. There is seldom any lighting and never microphones. It’s just you, your body, your voice, and your fellow actors, telling a story in front of 1,500 people, in all kinds of weather! That’s quite a special thing.
I also believe that the best is always yet to come. I never dwell too much on things I’ve done in the past. I look forward to the next opportunity. One of my big passions is new writing. I have worked a lot with Ron Hutchinson (Emmy Award Winner), who has written great parts for me over the years. Finding new work and new characters to dive into excites me. This was one of the things that stood out to me about “Cold Mind” — the complexities of Nick…
Influences and Inspirations:
I enjoy Daniel Day-Lewis. He is one of the finest actors in the world. My friend and colleague at Shakespeare’s Globe, Mark Rylance, Marlon Brando, and Ed Harris are others I greatly admire. I enjoy watching them think on screen; their acting just kind of appears, but I like watching them think. Glenn Close is another one. The acting is exceptional, but I particularly enjoy observing these actors’ thought processes. They all have so much going on behind the eyes, and most of them also started on stage. There is an intensity they bring, possibly from their theatre training. Staying in a role for sometimes 2 or 3 hours at a time in front of a live audience, with no opportunity for correction, just a fresh go at it the next night, does something to you.
Bringing that concentration to the screen and trying to hold onto the character in the most focused way while filming is quite exciting. John Malkovich in *Dangerous Liaisons* opposite Glenn Close features two of the best performances I can think of, watching them play together with such mastery of wordplay.
Personal Style and Life Balance:
I don’t know if I have a particular acting style or technique other than trying to understand the character as best I can and thinking how they would think. I try to find the smallest bit of myself that I can identify with and then nurture that, even if it’s a tiny little thing, a small seed that I have in common with them, and let that grow. Ultimately, you’re just listening and trying to make the character believable so that people watch what you’re doing and believe in it. Simon Hunter, the director of *Cold Mind*, is a real enabler of talent. He doesn’t get in the way of the process—we all have different ones—he gives gentle suggestions and ideas and helps shape the thought and the way things are played out. He’s very sensitive to character and perception of character. I found working with him an absolute joy. Great directors elevate everyone’s work, enhancing what we do. Executive Producers Alex and Vanda on “Cold Mind” were incredibly thoughtful and provided additional inspiration, which helped me relax and feel more encouraged in my role. Hopefully, as an actor, I keep an open mind, keep playing, going forward, and developing. I’d like to think that you go from job to job, collecting all the best stuff as you go. You never get there, you never get it done—you’re constantly growing, learning, changing, and trying new things, new ways to work. I love that—being open to new ideas.
To relax, I’d like to be fancy and say I do yoga or meditate, but one of my favourite things to do is cook for friends. I have a very long kitchen table that can seat about 12 people, so I like to set a date and get all my favourites together. I have made lots of friends on different projects over the years, and it’s great to catch up with them and have them over. I love introducing people to each other and being with fun company of all age groups and professions. A good laugh solves everything.
Personal Interests:
A perfect holiday destination for me involves discovering new places—a new city, a new coastline. I am restless and need to be stimulated. In fact, today I was invited to Porto for a long weekend, so that’s probably next on the cards!
My utter love is to ride horses. Being out in nature, riding through the wild, quickly clears my head. It’s exhilarating and not for the faint of heart.
The perfect mix would be to travel more with work. It’s the ideal combination of stimulation and weekend relaxation. I’d love to do that more and more.
