Tommy Jessop is “frustrated” he hasn’t been offered any more roles since ‘Line of Duty’.
Tommy Jessop is annoyed he hasn't been offered any more roles since Line of Duty
The 38-year-old actor - who has Down’s Syndrome - has not landed many roles he played murder suspect Terry Boyle in the Jed Mercurio-created BBC One police drama so he opted to create the documentary ‘Tommy Jessop Goes to Hollywood’ with his brother Will to explore how to make Hollywood more disability-inclusive.
He told Metro.co.uk that the lack of opportunity was "frustrating" and "annoying" so decided he was going to be the one to fix the issue and “hopefully do it all" by himself.
His brother Will added: “With a bit of help from friends.”
He continued: “The thing is no one can make a movie all by themselves. It’s a collaborative medium. So you’re always gonna need some support and some kind of allies along the way.
“For me that’s also part of the fabric of the film and the reason for making it, is to show that if you give people the opportunity to show you what they can do, they can really surprise you.
Will called his brother Tommy an “inspiration” to him personally but urged people to be advocates those with the condition - which comes from people being born with an extra chromosome - who “aren’t just relatives of people with Down syndrome” and hopes the documentary helps foster understanding.
He added: ‘I hope that the film will inspire other people to look with new eyes at the wonderful people with Down syndrome and seek opportunities to work with them rather than thinking, ‘Oh well, we might as well try and include someone.’ But actually proactively realise how wonderful it is and special it is to work with someone like Tommy,’
Tommy admitted he “might be” keen to go back to any new series of the BBC show - which also stars Martin Compston, 39, Vicky McClure, 40, and Adrian Dunbar, 65 - while Will said he was playing it cool because his little brother found being in it “amazing”.
He said: ‘It was amazing because when he was in series six, the first that anyone other than Tommy and my mum found out about it was when we were watching it. So Tommy kept it completely top secret until it was broadcast. I think it’s fair to say you’d probably be up for it, wouldn’t you?.”
'Tommy Jessop Goes to Hollywood' airs on 21 August on BBC One.
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