Oliver Jackson Cohen

Early life

Jackson-Cohen was born in Westminster, London. His mother, Betty Jackson, is an English fashion designer, and his father, David Cohen, who is French-Israeli, is his mother's business partner. Because of his French heritage he attended French school at the Lycée Français Charles de Gaulle in London and claims to have a slight French accent.

On leaving school, Oliver was advised to treat acting as a hobby rather than a career. After a role in a play at the Lyric Theatre got him an agent, he began attending auditions and put university on hold to apply for a place at drama school in New York. Shortly afterwards he received his first role.

He also studied with Michael Luggio at the Malisa Theatre Academy. "I can safely say that I have never met anyone quite like Michael Luggio. His approach to acting and teaching is incredibly invigorating. He breaks all the barriers down, so you are left with the simplest and most honest performance possible. His classes are built around making the safest environment for his actors, in order for them to discover, learn and rid themselves of fear. It becomes a platform where anything is possible. Michael has helped me more than anyone I have ever met. He continues to bring it back to the craft and makes you feel safe and confident as you make your way out into the industry." He attended the Youngblood Theatre Company at weekends, and at 15 landed a small part in Hollyoaks. After school, he began a degree in French literature lasting "for about two weeks. I hated it." He soon got a job washing vases for a florist to keep him going between auditions. "It wasn't great but when you're that broke you'll do anything."

Career

He had a role in the television series Hollyoaks when he was 15, and he later appeared in the ITV series The Time of Your Life in 2007. In 2008, he played Phillip White in the BBC adaptation of Lark Rise to Candleford and in the first episode of Bonekickers. He also played Marcus in the short film The Rooftopsmiths by Helen Rowles with Natasha Freeman as Imogen and Philip Marden as Joel. He played Damon in the 2010 film Going the Distance starring Drew Barrymore and Justin Long. He starred in the film Faster opposite Dwayne Johnson. In 2011, he starred as Prince William, Duke of Cambridge in a series of Funny or Die videos with Allison Williams as newlywed Kate Middleton. Jackson-Cohen stars opposite Cynthia Nixon in the miniseries World Without End as Ralph. He appears in Mr Selfridge with Jeremy Piven where he plays the role of Roddy Temple.

In 2013, Jackson-Cohen was cast as journalist Jonathan Harker in the NBC series Dracula. In 2014, Oliver Jackson-Cohen was cast as Misha in the film adaptation of Shamim Sarif's 2004 novel Despite the Falling Snow, starring opposite Sam Reid, Anthony Head, Charles Dance and Rebecca Ferguson. In March 2014, Jackson-Cohen was cast as James, Duke of York in ITV's four-part period drama miniseries The Great Fire.

It was announced in July 2014 that he will star opposite Sarah Snook in the 2015 ABC convict miniseries The Secret River, an adaptation of Kate Grenville's 2005 novel of the same name. In 2015, Jackson-Cohen will also star in The Healer with Camilla Luddington, Jonathan Pryce and Jorge Garcia. In July 2015, it was announced that Oliver Jackson-Cohen joined the cast of Emerald City starring with Adria Arjona, Ana Ularu, and Gerran Howell. Jackson-Cohen's role is Lucas that is described as handsome, mysterious and quick-witted.