Neil Jackson is a British actor who plays the part of Nicholas in Westworld. He is best known for his role as Marcus on Blade: The Series and Sasha on Make It or Break It. His screenwriting credits include the film The Passage directed by Mark Heller and released in 2007. He has starred in several other films including Quantum of Solace and Push.
Early life
Jackson was born in Luton, Bedfordshire, the second of four sons of Evelyn and Dennis Jackson.
Neil was introduced to acting when studying drama at GCSE level in Harlington Upper School. He played in several of the school plays including Annie, Little Shop of Horrors, Hard Times, and West Side Story and also acted in the National Youth Theatre as a teenager before studying sport at the University of Wales Institute Cardiff.
In Wales, Jackson started competitive boxing. His boxing earned him a scholarship to stay on at UWIC and study for his master's degree. He graduated in 1998.
Career
Jackson's first professional acting job was a UK national touring production of Strindberg's classic Miss Julie. He understudied the lead character, Jean, a role he took over in the West End production later that year. His big break came when Oliver Stone cast him as Perdiccas in Alexander[1] alongside Colin Farrell and Angelina Jolie. He recalls having a black eye and three stitches in his eyebrow when he first met Oliver Stone, a fact he jokes must have assisted him as Stone cast him for the role on the spot. He was also in the football drama Dream Team for a season as lottery winning chairman Phil Wallis.
In 2006 he made a guest appearance on Cold Case, in the episode "Sandhogs" of Season 4. Then in 2007 saw the release of The Passage, a film written by Jackson and shot in Morocco, in which he played a lead character alongside Stephen Dorff. The film won the 2008 Jury Award at the Durango Film Festival. He made a guest appearance on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, in the episode "A La cart" of season 8. He appeared as Ian on How I Met Your Mother. The following year in 2008 he made a guest appearance on CSI: Miami and in 2009 he appeared as a wraith in Stargate: Atlantis.
Jackson shot a scene in Panama for the Bond film Quantum of Solace, where he plays the character of Edmund Slate.[2] He previously starred in the ABC Family original series, Make It or Break It as Sasha Belov. Additionally, Jackson has appeared as Lucas Hellinger, a Blackout conspirator, on the show FlashForward. In 2010 he starred as the chauffeur Harry Spargo in the BBC revival of Upstairs, Downstairs. Jackson was recently cast in the lead role of Sir Percy Blakeney/The Scarlet Pimpernel in Fairbanks Productions' adaptation of the classic tale, scheduled for 2012.
Other interests
Jackson is patron of UK spinal injuries charity Trust PA,[3] in memory of a friend.
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Alexander | Perdiccas | |
| 2005 | Breakfast on Pluto | Man at Disco | |
| 2006 | The Last Drop | Flt. Sgt. Simkins | |
| 2006 | The Thirst | Duke of Earl | |
| 2007 | Passage | Adam | |
| 2008 | 15-40 | Kai Hansen | Short film |
| 2008 | Quantum of Solace | Mr. Slate | |
| 2009 | Push | Victor Budarin | |
| 2009 | Table for Three | Tre | |
| 2010 | You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger | Alan | |
| 2012 | True Bloodthirst | Derricks | |
| 2014 | House of Secrets | Sam | Television movie |
| 2016 | Nocturnal Animals | Christopher |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001–2003 | Dream Team | Phil Wallis | 2 episodes |
| 2002 | Heartbeat | Jeremy Purves | Episode: "The Leopard's Parts" |
| 2002 | The House That Jack Built | Charlie | Episode: "Dynasty" |
| 2002 | Is Harry on the Boat? | Matthew | Episode: "#1.10" |
| 2002 | Ultimate Force | Luke | Episode: "Natural Selection" |
| 2002 | Silent Witness | Marcus Saul | 2 episodes |
| 2003 | The Last Detective | Stuart Gilley | Episode: "Lofty" |
| 2004 | Red Cap | Pte. Robbie McCoy | Episode: "Fighting Fit" |
| 2005 | Sugar Rush | Dale | 7 episodes |
| 2005 | Stargate SG-1 | Khalek | Episode: "Prototype" |
| 2006 | Blade: The Series | Marcus Van Sciver | 12 episodes |
| 2006 | Cold Case | John Donovan | Episode: "Sandhogs" |
| 2007 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Michael, the waiter | Episode: "A La Cart" |
| 2007 | How I Met Your Mother | Ian | Episode: "Third Wheel" |
| 2008 | CSI: Miami | Paul Sanders | Episode: "Won't Get Fueled Again" |
| 2008 | The Cleaner | Duncan Collins | 2 episodes |
| 2008 | Stargate Atlantis | Wraith | Episode: "Vegas" |
| 2009–2010 | Make It or Break It | Sasha Belov | 36 episodes |
| 2010–2012 | Upstairs, Downstairs | Harry Spargo | 9 episodes |
| 2010 | FlashForward | Lucas Hallinger | 5 episodes |
| 2011 | White Collar | David Lawrence | Episode: "On Guard" |
| 2013–2015 | Sleepy Hollow | Abraham Van Brunt | 10 episodes |
| 2013 | Jo | Baron | Episode: "Invalides" |
| 2013 | 'Lightfields | Dwight Lawson | 5 episodes |
| 2014 | Person of Interest | Rick Dillinger | Episode: "RAM" |
| 2016 | Hell's Kitchen | Himself | Episode: "5 Chefs Compete" |
| 2017 | The Originals | Alistair Duquesne | Episode: "Gather Up the Killers" |
