Jack O'Connel

Jack O'Connell (born 1 August 1990) is a British actor who lives in Alvaston, Derby, England. He is best known for playing Pukey Nicholls in This Is England, and as James Cook in the E4 teen drama series Skins. He has also made appearances in Doctors, Waterloo Road, The Bill, and Holby City.

In 2006, O'Connell made his film debut in British drama This is England, a story about a boy growing up in 1980s England. Shane Meadows, director and writer, wrote the character Pukey Nicholls into the film specifically for O'Connell, because he was slightly too old to take the main part.[2] The production later won the British Academy Film Award for Best British Film. Following this, he played the lead role of 14-year-old Chris in the short film Black Dog, directed by Ian Fenton.[3]

In 2007, O'Connell starred in Scarborough, a new play at the Edinburgh Festival and reprised his role the following year when it transferred to the Royal Court Theatre, London. He played the part of Daz, a 15-year-old schoolboy in a sexual relationship with his teacher.[4] Later in 2007, he appeared in an episode of ITV television series Wire in the Blood, "The Names of Angels"[5], and an episode of British medical drama Holby City, "Trust".[6] In October 2007, O'Connell starred in an educational DVD, Between You and Me, produced by Derbyshire Constabulary[7], in which his character Alfie Gilchrist encounters a range of issues including underage drinking, fake ID, peer pressure, and car theft. Youth Work Now magazine described his performance as "outstanding".[8]

More recently, O'Connell appeared in the 2008 horror film Eden Lake.[9] His character, Brett, is the leader of a gang of teenagers who is provoked into a violent confrontation with the main characters. In July, the Daily Mirror reported that O'Connell was set to star alongside Kaya Scodelario in series 3 of teen dramedy Skins.[10]