Jasmine Jobson: “I definitely wasn’t ready to say goodbye to Jaq”
- PhotographerCharlie Cummings
- WriterRyan Cahill
Jasmine Jobson is at her home in west London. Relaxing in tracksuit bottoms and with her hair scraped back, she’s enjoying a brief period of downtime, rewatching The Vampire Diaries and its spin-off show The Originals – both of which she admits are her comfort shows (“I think it’s my third time round!”). Despite saying that the view outside is pretty bleak – rain is hammering against her window – she says that she refuses to have a bad day. “It’s not been very positive outside, but I try to keep it all positive inside!”
The 28-year-old has every reason to feel positive. She’s undeniably one of the UK’s most exciting new acting prospects, with a number of award nominations already under her belt. Most recently, you may have seen her on-screen in ITV’s Platform 7, where she plays Lisa Evans. The four-part psychological thriller covers themes of coercive control and domestic violence, with supernatural elements bubbling away beneath the surface. The role was an opportunity to break away from the character that she has become synonymous with in recent years – the fearless and somewhat terrifying gangster Jaq Lawrence in Top Boy, the Channel 4 series that was revived by Netflix after being spurred on by none other than Drake (who joined the series as an executive producer). Starring Kano and Ashley Walters in the lead roles, the crime series dramatised rival drug gangs operating around the fictional Summerhouse Estate in Hackney, east London. It was lauded by critics and secured a string of Bafta nominations, including two best supporting actress nods for Jobson.
The show concluded on Netflix in 2023, and Jobson admits that while the end feels “bittersweet”, she’s now determined to ensure she tries varied roles so that people can see her as something other than an east London gangster, which is why Platform 7 was such a welcome shift. “I wanted to stop any opportunity for me to be typecast. I feel like that is one of the biggest issues that we will ever face as actors. There’s a lot more to me than just being a gangster, and I’m capable of being in the same shoes as Viola Davis – I mean, they’re some very big shoes to fill, but I’ll get there.”
However her departure from Summerhouse and Jaq might be short-lived. Earlier this year, Top Boy’s creator, Ronan Bennett, revealed in an interview that he had been in talks with Netflix about a possible spin-off that would see Jobson take top billing. The fevered reaction to that news stands not only as a testament to the popularity of the show and the devoted fanbase who watch it, but also the scope in the character of Jaq and the depth and detail that Jobson brought to her. Bennett’s interview sparked a number of news stories, delighting fans internationally. “I think it was Complex that posted it and that was the first that I’d heard of it,” Jobson says. “I jumped straight on the phone and was like, ‘What on earth is this?’ Even now I’m getting a little bit emotional just thinking about it, but I definitely wasn’t ready to say goodbye to Jaq, so if that
is something that they wanted to bring back, I would be absolutely over the moon.”
When a spin-off for a major TV show is announced, there’s often much anticipation and expectation. Some are huge success stories, such as Better Call Saul and House of the Dragon, while others fail to hit the spot both with critics and fans. Despite no official green light having been given for the new series yet, I wonder if the pressure of fronting a spin-off has occurred to Jobson. “If things do happen, then yes, I definitely would feel a bit of pressure. But, I mean… I’m Jasmine Jobson, so I can do anything!”
This confidence and self-assuredness are traits that have been with her since she was a child. At the age of 14, she made the decision to go into foster care after a series of bad decisions left her branded “the worst behaved child” by Westminster Social Services. The fact that, as just a teenager, she was strong enough to make that move in order to improve her own life and the lives of her family provides a clear insight into her character. It’s obvious she’s mature and pragmatic, and she tells me that she’s at her happiest when she knows her bills are paid and she’s able to support her family. Her upbringing quickly equipped her for adult life and gave her the resilience and determination required to make it in the industry that she works in today. “My parents raised me to be very independent. I always pride myself on being able to walk into a room and read people. In a way, it is a wall and it protects me, but it’s the best thing that anybody could have,” she says. “[Going into foster care] was a big eye-opener for me. It’s crazy actually looking at yourself in the mirror like that at such a young age. It was a tough decision for all of us, and it wasn’t easy but we’re here now and it was the best thing I ever did.”
Her early maturity has given her the confidence to operate among the big guns. Her next big venture will be appearing alongside the Oscar nominee Barry Keoghan in the film Bird by Andrea Arnold (Fish Tank, American Honey). She’s tight-lipped about the plot, determined not to give anything away that could land her in hot water. She does, however, reflect on the special experience of working with Arnold, who she credits as being singular in her approach to filmmaking. “Andrea Arnold is a phenomenal person to work with. She’s very, very unorthodox and it’s completely different to any working environment I’ve been in before,” she says. “It was a beautiful experience with her. I loved it and I’m really, really excited for everybody to see it.”
She’s coy and excitable when talking about the project, and it’s obvious that she feels very fortunate to have landed the part. The truth is that Jobson doesn’t take her career for granted – it’s taken hard work and determination to persist in an industry that can be so fickle and elitist, and she has succeeded in maintaining her humility in the process. She further proves this when we discuss her hopes and dreams for the future. While she could hone in on aspirations to work with some of Hollywood’s biggest names, she instead says that she hopes her career sends an important message.
“I want to be able to inspire people!” she says, beaming. “I want to inspire anybody that has been through any trials and tribulations, but especially care leavers, because I know there’s a very horrible stereotype around social services. I want all of those young people to know that you can be amazing and you can do whatever you want no matter what is thrown at you. This was a girl who was portrayed as the worst behaved child in Westminster and now I’m up there with some of the big, major names. Don’t let the system mess you up!”
- StylistAnna Hughes-Chamberlain
- Art DirectorKat Beckwith
- Make-up ArtistBeezie Mogridge using CHANEL Les Beiges Winter Glow Collection and CHANEL Le Lift Pro AHA Peel
