Jack O’Connell in new BBC drama

Skins star Jack O’Connell has been cast in a new BBC Two drama, reports The Guardian.

The actor, who played Cook in the E4 teen show, will star in Dominic Savage’s new two-part series Dive, about a young diver selected to compete at the 2012 London Olympics.

O’Connell is cast as Robert, the boyfriend of teen diver Lindsey, who has to rethink her life after falling pregnant. Lindsey’s story will be told in the first part, while the follow-up will be seen from Robert’s point of view.

“This is a story about growing up. A love story,” said Savage. “A story of hope and desire, of ambition and success and the search in all of us for freedom; to be whatever we need to be.”

He continued: “A story that offers a different perspective on teenagers and family life. A film that celebrates young people and has an optimism for their future and what they can achieve.”

Via Digital Spy

‘Skins’ duo in real life relationship?

Tabloid reports have claimed that Skins stars Kaya Scodelario and Jack O’Connell are in a relationship.

According to The Sun, the teenage actors began romancing after growing close on set.

Scodelario (Effy), 17, and O’Connell (Cook), 18, shared romantic scenes in the E4 drama, on which their characters are involved in a love triangle with Freddie, played by Luke Pasqualino.

“They are a really sweet couple,” said a source. “It took a while for them to get together but while filming such risqué scenes they grew close.

“They are trying to persuade scriptwriters to get their characters back together.”

Source

A chat with Cook from ‘Skins’:

So, Skins is drawing to a close (boo, hiss, etc.), with just one episode left this series. We’re promised that the Cook/Effy/Freddie love triangle will finally be resolved, which means the feisty minx must choose between the lads. All this aside, Cook’s got himself a new drama: his dad. Desperate to quench our Skins thirst, we gave Jack O’Connell a ding to find out more.

We get to meet Cook’s dad in the final episode. What’s their relationship like?
“It’s the lack of the relationship that proves to be the problem. Without his dad’s presence Cook’s got to find male influence from somewhere and I think it’s this confusion – or lack of – which is where he goes wrong. He’s very enthusiastic about meeting him, which just makes it a lot harder when he does. The main story is that there’s hidden truths and the truths are too significant to hide, so problems occur.”

Is it fair to say that Cook’s been let down by his dad?
“Yeah, but never too directly for Cook to resent him. They have a weird relationship and I guess the lack of any presence has worked in Cook’s favour ‘cos his dad does turn out to be quite a failure.”

What about Effy – does Cook genuinely have feelings for her?
“Yeah man! He doesn’t allow himself to feel any kind of affection on that level for anyone other than his friends ‘cos they’re the only people that haven’t let him down. So women-wise I guess it’s new grounds to him – it’s quite intimidating and whatnot, and it’s confusing. He has no idea how to handle it so he goes about it the wrong way. I remember messing up my first relationship really badly because I didn’t have a clue, so it’s quite easy to empathise with.”

So what’s the situation with Cook and Freddie at this point?
“What I found, seeing it on a neutral level, was that Cook is unfair towards Freddie and that needs addressing if they’re going to remain friends, because obviously Cook’s really inconsiderate. I reckon lessons are going to be learnt off each other. I’m hoping that it resolves itself because I don’t see anyone in Cook’s life closer to him than Freddie. Eventually we see Freddie’s true intentions and we see a new side to Cook.”

Do you think he feels bad about all the bad stuff he’s done?
“I suppose eventually he will. I reckon he needs a lot of growing up to do before he does fully see it for what it is. At the minute he’s 17 and it’s still all fun and games. I’d say I can empathise with Cook because I had similarities to him before levelling my own head out. It’s a common one – everyone knows a Cook. It’s the story of when someone tries to be something they’re so clearly not but is so convinced by it anyway that it becomes hard for them to break away from it. But it’s cool because we do get to see Cook’s vulnerability and we can completely understand why he is the way he is.”

Is he quite a fun character to play?
“Absolutely – do you not see how many girls I get to make out with and get paid for it? It’s quality! He’s just Jack the lad. If I compare myself to seventeen, I share a lot in relation to Cook so it’s good to be able to play a character and not reap real-life consequences for it. But I had a right laugh playing him – he’s a funny character and he keeps me in stitches as well. I’m enjoying reading him.”

Is there anyone else that you’d like to play from the series?
“JJ – I reckon he’d challenge me the most. Imagine trying to act nervous bearing in mind you’re already nervous especially with it only being your first job. Being able to play nervous on camera and for it to read accurately is challenging. So I’d like to play JJ just for the challenge.”

Did you watch the previous series of Skins?
“Yeah. I used to go to the same workshop as Joe Dempsie who plays Chris so I was attracted to it for that reason. Then I got sucked straight into it – I was a big fan of it. It’s still kind of weird just being involved in it – it’s something that I respected anyway originally as a fan, and now I have the chance to influence it as dramatically as Cook does!”

Do you know what we can expect from Cook in the fourth series?
“I wouldn’t know anything too accurate yet – I don’t want to mislead. But I want him to find himself properly, and I want him to be comfortable with his character as opposed to forcing some fake character on everyone which he seems to do quite a lot. I want to see it resolved properly – there’s a triangle there and there’s people concerned around that as well including Pandora and even Thomas. I’d like a happy ending preferably but Skins likes reality, doesn’t it?”

Series three of Skins concludes Thursday at 10pm on E4.

Source

Top ten chart of lust

Congratulations to the boys making number two!

1. Andres Velencoso Segura (new entry)

Kylie’s new piece. CoL cannot fault her taste in beaus. Minogue has an eye.

2. The new boys in E4’s Skins (new entry)

Their names are Freddie, Geeky and Cheeky (roughly). CoL calculates that the average 16-and-a-bit-year-old becomes too old for Skins during the lifespan of a single series; which made us too old for it before the current cast was born. This is not preventing us from fancying F,G & C. Is that so wrong? (Well – yes, clearly.)

3. Philip Seymour Hoffman (up)

In Doubt. Phwoar. Will you look at the talent on that man?

4. January Jones (Mad Men) & Jameela Jamil (Channel 4) (up)

All CoL’s sexy girl fancies for Feb ‘09 have names that alliterate the letter ‘J’.

5. Boris Johnson (new entry)

CoL met him, and he made us laugh. We don’t approve of him, but lust and politics are not the same thing at all…

6. Michael Pitt (new entry)

In the YSL advert. File under the sub-category marked: Damaged Beauty.

7. Eddie Izzard (static)

This issue’s Just Because.

8. Seth Rogen (up)

Former Fottie (Fat-Hottie), now slenderised by a superhero movie role. No matter. He works either way for CoL. We’re modern.

9. Mad Men series 2 (new entry)

It’s not just January Jones (see 4). CoL fancies the whole damn programme. The men, women, frocks, suits, theme tune and dialogue… We swoon.

10. Jeremy Edwards (down)

Dancing On Ice reminded CoL that we adored JE (and his mate Finn) back when they starred in the early days of Hollyoaks.

 

Source Guardian

Kind thanks to Felix for sending me this. If you’ve got some news then why not send us it to getintouch@skinsnation.co.uk =]

Jack the Lad newcomer joins Skins

Skins newcomer Jack O’Connell believes everyone will know someone like his Jack the Lad character in the show.

The 18-year-old actor has been cast as troublemaker Cook in the new series of the hit Channel 4 teen drama.

Jack said: “I think every group you meet has a character like Cook. He’s got a massive Jack the Lad mentality, which he’s convinced by.”

He explained: “All of his influences are from older relations and he considers their status as legendary. Having been influenced by these types of people has lead to him having this massive front, which works as protection for him.

“I think all of this front is just contributing to him not being exposed but he’s so good at it, it’s reinforced itself so much, that it’s even hard for him to break out of it.”

The actor was already a fan of the show so is delighted to be a part of the all-new cast.

“I was a fan of the show before.

“I knew one of the guys who was in it, Joe Dempsie who played Chris, so I was initially attracted to it for that reason, but I enjoyed it for its realism. I later learnt how the writers were influenced by real life, which is good because it maintains its accuracy. There’s not a lot of stuff on television that’s as cleverly written as Skins.”

SOURCE

Skins Stars in Dazed Digital

(press on pics to see larger versions)

The all new cast for season 3 of Skins was featured in Dazed’s January issue and Dazed Digital have extended Q&A’s here with Kaya Scodelario, Jack O’COnnell, Luke Pasqualino and Merv Lukeba.