Connor Jessup Explained

Connor Jessup
Image Size:200px
Birth Name:Connor William Jessup
Birth Date:1994 6, mf=yes
Birth Place:Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Years Active:2005–present

Connor William Jessup (born June 23, 1994) is a Canadian actor, writer, and director.[1] [2] He is known for his roles as Ben Mason on the TNT science fiction television series Falling Skies (2011–2015), Taylor Blaine and Coy Henson in the ABC anthology series American Crime (2016–2017), and Tyler Locke in the Netflix series Locke & Key (2020–2022). He has also starred in feature films, most notably in Blackbird (2012) and Closet Monster (2015).

Career

Acting

Jessup began acting at the age of 11 as a child actor. After various early jobs, including a role in a stage adaptation of The Full Monty, Jessup got a lead role in the children's television series The Saddle Club, for which he is also credited with conceptualizing the plot of one episode.[3] He served as executive producer for the independent film Amy George, which played at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival.[4] In 2011, Jessup was cast as a main character in the TNT science fiction series Falling Skies.[5] He starred on the show for five seasons.

In 2012, Jessup starred in the Canadian independent film Blackbird, in which he played a troubled teen falsely accused of planning a school shooting.[6] Jessup's performance received positive reviews and the film won various awards, including the Best Canadian First Feature Film award at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival.[7] The film won three awards at the Atlantic Film Festival and won the Vancouver International Film Festival award for Best Canadian Feature Film.[8] It also screened at the Cannes Film Festival.[9]

In 2015, Jessup also starred in the feature film Closet Monster, which won the Best Canadian Film Award at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival, and screened at various film festivals around the world, before subsequently being released nationwide in July 2016.[10]

In 2016, Jessup starred in the Emmy-winning ABC series American Crime as Taylor Blaine.[11] His performance was praised by critics.[12] [13] He returned for the third season as Coy Henson.[14]

In 2018, Jessup was cast as Tyler Locke, one of the main roles in the Netflix series Locke & Key, an adaptation of Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez's popular comic series of the same name.[15]

Filmmaking

Jessup has stated in numerous interviews that his intention is to work in the film industry beyond acting, as a director and filmmaker.[16] [17] In an interview with the Toronto Star, Jessup said that directing "is where my mind and heart [are] at the moment".[18] In 2014, Jessup starred in the short film Fragments, and in 2015, Jessup's short film Boy, which he wrote and directed, and was funded by bravoFACT, premiered at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival.[19] [20]

In 2016, Jessup was included in Filmmaker Magazines annual list of the 25 New Faces of Independent Film.[21] His short film Lira's Forest, which he wrote and directed, premiered at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival.[22] Jessup wants to expand this story with a feature film, Simon's Forest.

In 2017, it was announced that Jessup would be directing a documentary profile of Thai filmmaker Apichatpong Weerasethakul for FilmStruck and The Criterion Collection.[23] The film was released in the spring of 2018.

In 2019, he produced the omnibus film 30/30 Vision: 3 Decades of Strand Releasing, which included short films by Ira Sachs, Catherine Breillat, Cindy Sherman, Athina Rachel Tsangari, Brady Corbet, Rithy Pahn, Lulu Wang and more.[24] [25] He contributed his own film to the program, Night Flight, inspired by the book by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.[26] Julian and the Wind, a short film written and directed by Jessup, will premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2024.[27]

Influences

As a director, Jessup has expressed a particular fascination with Japanese film and culture and has stated in interviews that he is highly influenced by East Asian cinema, including directors Hirokazu Kore-eda, Edward Yang, Yasujirō Ozu, Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata, and Apichatpong Weerasethakul.[28] [29] [30] He has also expressed admiration for directors Abbas Kiarostami, Andrew Haigh, and Ira Sachs.[31]

Personal life

Jessup is gay and came out publicly in a post on Instagram in June 2019.[32]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleType
2012BlackbirdSean Randall
2014Skating to New YorkCasey Demas
2015BoyN/AShort film; writer/director
2015Closet MonsterOscar Madly
2017Lira's ForestN/AShort film; writer/director
2018A.W. A Portrait of Apichatpong WeerasethakulN/ADocumentary; director
2019Strange But TrueRonnie
2019Disappearance at Clifton Hill
2019White LieOwen
2019Night FlightN/AShort film; writer/director
2024Julian and the WindShort film; writer/director

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2007data-sort-value="Jon Dore Television Show, The" The Jon Dore Television ShowBat Throwing Kid #3Episode: "Jon Gets Scared"
2008–2009data-sort-value="Saddle Club, The" The Saddle ClubSimon AthertonMain role (series 3)
2011KingBen MoserEpisode: "Eleni Demaris"
2011–2015Falling SkiesBen MasonMain role
Nominated—Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor in a Television Series
Nominated—Young Artist Award for Best Younger Supporting Actor in a Television Series
2016American CrimeTaylor BlaineMain role (season 2)
2017American CrimeCoy Henson4 episodes (season 3)
2020–2022Locke & KeyTyler LockeMain role
2021Canada's Drag RaceHimselfGuest judge, episode "Snatch Game"

Notes and References

  1. News: Connor Jessup – Interview Magazine . June 5, 2016 . Interview Magazine . November 21, 2018.
  2. Web site: Mysterious Impressions: Connor Jessup on Apichatpong Weerasethakul . The Criterion Collection . November 21, 2018.
  3. Web site: Connor Jessup Bio.
  4. Web site: Q&A: Connor Jessup talks TIFF film Amy George . September 15, 2011.
  5. Web site: Connor Jessup Opens Up About Noah Wyle, Alien Invasions and Game Of Thrones . Americ . Ngwije . 2011 . DaemonsTV . August 10, 2011 . September 16, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110916154731/http://www.daemonstv.com/2011/06/17/exclusive-interview-falling-skies-connor-jessup-opens-up-about-noah-wyle-alien-invasions-and-game-of-thrones/ . dead .
  6. Web site: Blackbird gets into TIFF12, Lead Connor Jessup gets honored . August 8, 2012.
  7. Web site: Chester filmmaker wins TIFF award for Blackbird . https://web.archive.org/web/20140311004629/http://www.thechronicleherald.ca/artslife/136807-chester-filmmaker-wins-tiff-award-for-blackbird . March 11, 2014 . . September 17, 2012.
  8. https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/movies/2013/01/29/blackbird_director_jason_buxton_earns_claude_jutra_award_for_debut_film.html "Blackbird director Jason Buxton earns Claude Jutra Award for debut film"
  9. Web site: Q&A with Jason Buxton . The Chronicle Herald . February 19, 2016.
  10. Web site: Closet Monster wins big at TIFF 2015 Daily Xtra. www.dailyxtra.com . September 29, 2015 . February 5, 2016.
  11. Web site: TIFF: Breakout Star Connor Jessup on American Crime and Teen Sexuality . Entertainment Tonight . February 5, 2016.
  12. Web site: Performer of the Week: Connor Jessup . February 20, 2016 . TVLine . August 4, 2016.
  13. Web site: American Crime Star Connor Jessup Discusses Season 2, 'Staggering' Scope of Male Sexual Assault . Wagmeister . Elizabeth . January 6, 2016 . August 4, 2016.
  14. Web site: American Crime Brings Back Connor Jessup for Season 3 . Prudom . Laura . August 17, 2016 . September 20, 2016.
  15. Web site: Locke & Key: Connor Jessup & Emilia Jones To Play Tyler & Kinsey Locke In Netflix Series From Carlton Cuse & Joe Hill . Nellie . Andreeva . Denise . Petski . December 19, 2018 . Deadline . December 24, 2018.
  16. Web site: Connor Jessup: Toronto actor sees future as director Toronto Star. thestar.com . July 15, 2016 . August 4, 2016.
  17. News: Canadian actor Connor Jessup easing into his right to tell stories . The Globe and Mail . July 14, 2016 . August 4, 2016. Houpt . Simon .
  18. Web site: Connor Jessup: Toronto actor sees future as director Toronto Star. thestar.com . July 15, 2016 . September 20, 2016.
  19. Web site: TIFF: Breakout Star Connor Jessup on American Crime and Teen Sexuality . August 4, 2016.
  20. Web site: TIFF.net Boy. Toronto International Film Festival . August 4, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160529100559/http://tiff.net/festivals/festival15/shortcuts/boy-1. May 29, 2016.
  21. Web site: Connor Jessup Filmmaker Magazine. Rizov. Vadim . July 25, 2016 . August 4, 2016.
  22. Web site: Lira's Forest . www.tiff.net . September 16, 2017.
  23. Web site: MEET THE FILMMAKERS: JOSH AND BENNY SAFDIE – The Hollywood 360 . thehollywood360.com . October 5, 2017 . November 18, 2017.
  24. Web site: Strand Releasing's "30/30 Vision": Premiering New iPhone Shorts by Ira Sachs, James Schamus and Elisabeth Subrin . Macaulay . Scott . Filmmaker Magazine . October 22, 2019 . 2019-11-20.
  25. Web site: 30 Major Filmmakers Salute Strand Releasing's 30 Years of Arthouse Distribution With New Short Films . Kohn . Eric . 2019-09-18 . IndieWire . 2019-11-20.
  26. Web site: Connor Jessup on Instagram: "I made a little iPhone movie called NIGHT FLIGHT, inspired by the beautiful book by Saint-Exupéry. It's part of the omnibus project 30/30…" . https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/s/instagram/B5BaoVvFeei . December 24, 2021 . registration. Instagram . 2019-11-20.
  27. Web site: Anderson . Erik . 2024-08-09 . AwardsWatch - 2024 TIFF Lineups for Primetime and Shorts Include Alfonso Cuarón’s ‘Disclaimer,’ New Films from Dakota Johnson, Maika Monroe, Connor Jessup . 2024-08-10 . AwardsWatch . en-US.
  28. Web site: Film Captures the Spirit in BOY Graphic Communications . September 20, 2016 . January 1, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170101170357/http://motion.kodak.com/US/en/motion/Blog/Blog_Post?contentId=4294992583 . dead .
  29. Web site: Interview: Connor Jessup talks Falling Skies, New Projects & Life Experiences Three If By Space. August 6, 2015 . August 4, 2016.
  30. Web site: Short film about a boy – and his ghost . nurun.com . Brantford Expositor . August 4, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160821070953/http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/2015/09/08/toronto-international-film-festival-short-film-about-a-boy----and-his-ghost . August 21, 2016 . dead.
  31. News: Canadian actor Connor Jessup easing into his right to tell stories . The Globe and Mail . July 14, 2016 . September 20, 2016. Houpt . Simon .
  32. Web site: American Crime star Connor Jessup comes out as gay . Megarry . Daniel . June 24, 2019 . Gay Times . https://web.archive.org/web/20190624125640/https://www.gaytimes.co.uk/community/123748/american-crime-star-connor-jessup-comes-out-as-gay/ . June 24, 2019 . live . June 24, 2019.