Jack O Connell holds Masterclass at Met Film school and tells students never give up

Hollywood actor, Jack O'Connell has visited Ealing's MetFilm School and gave his tips on how to make it in the profession.

The Derby born star (Money Monster, Godless, Unbroken, Skins) gave advice and encouragement to the students, telling them: “Keep knocking on the door and take every opportunity you can to work with other professionals.”

He advised them how to present themselves, lose their self-consciousness and enjoy all experiences and learn from them, he said: “The best experiences I have with acting today is when I feel loose with it. To do a ‘take’ one way, and then try something new in the next without feeling self-conscious.

“If you don’t get your performance to where you want it to be, there’s always an alternative. Just try to make it authentic and true.”

“You don’t need to get it ‘nailed on’. Acting is not a pragmatic field of numbers and charts.”

MetFilm School is one of the best-known film schools in the UK, it’s based at the world-renowned Ealing Studios, and Jack was suitably impressed by his surroundings and the opportunities afforded to the School’s students, he said: “To be educated in this game, to go to school, is an awesome thing. Be flexible and let your process find itself.”

Jack also explained what it was like to be a real, working actor - warts and all. He said: “The life of an actor is quite a nomadic one. I’ve been quite tempted to get a caravan!”

Jack’s masterclass came on the back of the announcement of MetFilm School’s new BA (Hons) in Screen Acting, a unique new undergraduate degree accredited by the University of West London.

6 February 2019