Occupation: Actor
Age: 33
E-Mail address: jonjo20@hotmail.com
Place of Birth: Belfast
Where you live: London
First Job: Doing a play called The Frogs at Nottingham Playhouse
What it taught me: I just couldn’t believe that I was getting paid for acting. It’s hard to put a finger on what my first job taught me as learning is a day to day, moment to moment, continuous thing. Specifically, I was exposed to professional actors sharing their experiences. I loved listening to their experiences and their stories. I just really enjoyed it.
Family/Status: Single
Best advice anyone ever gave you: From mum, ‘Enjoy it’.
Best advice you could give someone starting out: Find what you love to do and do it. Don’t be afraid of what other people think. When work feels like work you’re not doing it right. Ask yourself the question ‘what would I do if I had no chance of failure?’ Listen
Jonjo O’Neill is an accomplished actor from West Belfast who studied at the Guilford School of Acting and is now a leading actor at the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC).
During his time with the RSC he has appeared in a dozen plays, including Romeo and Juliet, As You Like it and Comedy of Errors however his favourite role has been as Edmund in King Lear, acting alongside the late, great Pete Postlethwaite.
He is currently playing Richard III, one of the greatest roles in Shakespeare.
For the past 15 years, Jonjo has worked in theatre, TV and film. His TV appearances have included Holby City, A Touch of Frost, Murphy’s Law and Band of Brothers. He also played the memorable role of Lazar, the look-out guard in the second world war movie Defiance starring Daniel Craig.
