Big break for Nenagh actor
Nenagh actor James Berkery is making a break into the bigtime having landed a role in new big-budget TV series 'Will'.
James (24), who hails from Lahorna, plays the character of Jeremy Knightstand in TNT Drama's $100 million show, a fictional following of the early life of William Shakespeare, which has just finished airing over 10 episodes. Although a minor role, James' appearance in 'Will' is sure to open doors on this young local man's pursuit of a career in acting.
Created by Craig Pearce ('Moulin Rouge!' and 'The Great Gatsby'), 'Will' is directed by Shekhar Kapur of the Oscar award-winning movie 'Elizabeth'. Depicting the glamorous life of a young playwright trying to change the world with his words, the storyline to 'Will' is something that James says he can relate to.
Having left Nenagh after doing his Junior Cert, James trained as a ballet dancer in Cork before being offered a scholarship to study Drama & Dance at London's prestigious Bird College. Living in London for the last five years, he forayed into acting and found himself on the character list for 'Will', which piloted at the beginning of 2016.
James was given the part of Jeremy Knightstand, one of the original players of 'The Theatre' that the young Shakespeare found and ultimately saved. He worked on the series from September '16 to last February. It required a lot of commitment but James thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
“It was a privilege to be involved in it and to work with Kapur,” said the Nenagh man, part of a strong Irish contingent in the series that also includes Colm Meaney and Jamie Beamish, both of whom James learned a lot from.
While there might be preconceptions about a Shakespeare drama, James is keen to point out that 'Will' is far from fastidious and has been referred to as a “punk rock” version. He describes it as “a very fresh take” on the story. And while there's no word as yet about a second season, James says he would love to be involved again.
'Will' is the first TV series for the Nenagh actor to work on but it is by no means the first taste of success he's had on an eventful life to date. He played the lead role in the Cork City Ballet production of 'Swan Lake' in 2010. The following year he was invited to join the world famous Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet in St Petersburg. His scholarship came after he was one of 2,000 applicants to win one of the 60 coveted places in the National Diploma of Performing Arts course at Bird College.
A former pupil of Gaelscoil Aonach and Nenagh Vocational School, James was a member of Nenagh Choral Society and he trained at the Aisling Doherty School of Ballet. He left Nenagh to take on a Diploma in Dance at Coláiste Stiofáin Naofa, Cork, specialising in Ballet, Modern, Contemporary and Jazz dance.
Still getting back for regular visits to his home hinterland, next on the horizon for James is an appearance as a dancer in British independent feature film 'Been So Long'.
'Will' has reached its conclusion on TNT Drama; there is no indication as to whether the series will be aired on TV in Ireland. James, @jamesberkery, has his own website where you can learn more about this budding Nenagh star's many achievements.