Idris Elba’s directorial debut Yardie hits the cinemas later this month, and it’s refreshing in that it casts a number of Jamaican actors playing Jamaican characters – a rare feat in most mainstream films! Jamaican actress Shantol Jackson plays Yvonne, the love interest opposite Aml Ameen’s protagonist, D, and it’s immediately obvious that she has immense talent that will take her far. From Yardie, to the world!
We spoke to Shantol over the phone to find out about the filming process, seizing opportunities, and the realities of making a career out of creative passions in the Caribbean.
I had no idea Idris Elba was the director of Yardie at the start. The casting agents just called me up and said they’d submitted my resume and picture for a production, but they ‘couldn’t tell me anything about it’. A few weeks later, they wanted me to send off a test tape, which I did, fine – and then, when I was just folding some clothes at home, I get a call asking me to come and meet the director. I knew he was connected somehow, but I didn’t know he was the director!
When I got to the hotel, Idris basically cleared everyone out of the room and just sat in the room with me and he was like, ‘This film is my baby – are you willing to work with me?’ I was like, ‘Of course!’ When he called me later, and confirmed that he wanted to offer me to role, I screamed so loud! I just totally forgot who he was – I was so excited!
We created such an amazing world on set. Once Aml found out I got the role he emailed me said congratulations, and asked if I’d be open to sending emails discussing the film. I was like, ‘Sure,’ and he came up with the idea of messaging each other as D and Yvonne. I would send him emails as Yvonne, and he would respond as D; we had basically started our journey even before I got to London for filming, so when I got there, the characters were already familiar. We basically created an entire universe, so after leaving, of course I was depressed – I was sad to leave this world that we created, but it was beautiful.
It is harder to get jobs as a Jamaican actor. For most international films you have to have an accent that’s either American or Standard British. So we can practice our accents to sound like that, but if someone is already in America, with that accent, why bother to fly someone in? It makes more sense, economically, to just go with what you have; so it is way harder for us. There are pros and cons: the fact that we’re Jamaican and different, they might want something new and fresh to add to a film… but it’s way harder for us. We have to be exceptional to make it to the middle of the ladder, not even the top – because once we get somewhere we still have a lot of work to do.
Most actors in Jamaica also have a day job. They perform at night in theatre, but they have a day job because acting alone here isn’t sustainable. There are probably only two production houses that run for six months… Other shows run for about a month or two, with performances only on the weekends but it’s expensive. To be honest, if you want to do theatre because you love it and it’s a passion, that’s great –but to survive you have to get a day job.
You never, ever know who is watching you – so always be professional. I’d tell that to anyone looking to act: always be humble, whatever the production, and give your everything. There may be someone sitting in the audience thinking, ‘Oh, this person has potential, I want to give them an opportunity.’ To be honest, whatever opportunity you get to grow and develop, as long as it is legal and in your moral values, do it. Never think anything is too small or not worthy enough, because it all contributes.
For more things Yardie, check out our interview with Aml Ameen right here on our website.
As told to Nicole Vassell
