The actor Jack Lowden, 34, is Scottish in every respect, except that he was born in England. His parents soon returned the family across the border, w
The actor Jack Lowden, 34, is Scottish in every respect, except that he was born in England. His parents soon returned the family across the border, where he was enrolled in Scottish Youth Theatre and, at the age of 19, bagged his first major role, the lead in the National Theatre of Scotland’s 2010 revival of the Olivier award-winning Black Watch.
Lowden would go on to win an Olivier of his own, for the role of Oswald in the Almeida’s 2013 production of Ibsen’s Ghosts. Screen work followed, including a BBC adaptation of War and Peace, a Scottish Bafta-winning role in Terence Davies’s final film, Benediction, and the 2018 film Mary Queen of Scots, where he met his now-wife, the four-time Oscar-nominated Irish actor Saoirse Ronan (whom Lowden refers to simply as “Sersh”).
The couple married in Edinburgh last month, but not before collaborating as producers on a screen adaptation of Amy Liptrot’s Orkney-set sobriety memoir, The Outrun, for which Ronan, who also stars, is garnering some early Oscars buzz. Meanwhile Lowden is holding up his end of the “showbiz power couple” deal with a forthcoming role in the latest from legendary Hollywood film-maker James L Brooks, Ella McCay, and an Emmy nomination for Apple TV’s much-acclaimed hit Slow Horses, in which he plays not-so-slow MI5 operative River Cartwright opposite Gary Oldman’s scruffy spymaster.
Lowden’s return to the National Theatre of Scotland later this month will be the icing on the cake. He’s co-starring with Sean Gilder in The Fifth Step, David Ireland’s new play about a fledgling Alcoholics Anonymous member and his older, more experienced sponsor.
What I’ve discovered, in my small experience with these two projects, is that AA helps people in many, many ways, but it also makes people into brilliant orators and storytellers, because you’re really just there telling stories. Also what’s bizarre – and this happens in the play – is how little alcohol is actually talked about. Like, they might turn up and say: “I’m here because I get too pissed when I go on a night out, and I did a stupid thing,” but then it’s all about delving deeper. It’s all to do with shame, and for me that’s what the play – forget alcohol – is about: the idea of shame and how we deal with it.
I read The Outrun in lockdown and just turned to Sersh and said “You’ve got to play this part.” We were both producers, as well as Sersh being in it. It was the most amazing experience – in particular, to watch her in that role. She’s utterly phenomenal. But then the madness of making an independent film is just… great fun and terrifying. It’s a miracle any of them ever get made. We would love to produce more stuff, but we’re taking a beat at the moment, because acting is getting in the way.
No, being with an actor is wonderful, because we understand each other. We’re quite odd people, actors. We’re strange animals. So it just makes complete sense, and I understand why there are loads of other actors with actors… And it’s really useful for running lines, rather than with, like, your mum. Is it hard to maintain privacy? I don’t know. I think I’ve been very lucky in that I’ve had quite a slow-building kind of career, and I’ve been allowed to grow up and get things wrong. I can’t imagine what it must be like, if you’re 18, 19 and you’re in a huge show and all of a sudden everybody wants to know everything about you.
I consider myself 100% Scottish, for sure. My parents are Scottish. It’s where it was brought up. It’s where I was made. And it’s true that my first screen role was an Irn-Bru advert. I did it when I was 18 at drama school and I think it was played during half-time in the Champions League final or something. I think of it like national service.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, Jack Lowden is a talented and accomplished actor who has made a name for himself in the industry. From his early days in the Scottish Youth Theatre to his recent roles in major films and television shows, Lowden has consistently demonstrated his ability to bring characters to life on screen. His upcoming projects, including The Outrun and The Fifth Step, promise to be just as impressive.
FAQs:
Q: What is The Outrun about?
A: The Outrun is a screen adaptation of Amy Liptrot’s Orkney-set sobriety memoir. It follows the story of a young woman who returns to her hometown in Orkney after a stint in the city and becomes involved with a local AA group.
Q: What is The Fifth Step about?
A: The Fifth Step is a new play about a fledgling Alcoholics Anonymous member and his older, more experienced sponsor. It explores themes of shame, redemption, and the power of storytelling.
Q: Who is Jack Lowden’s wife?
A: Jack Lowden is married to Saoirse Ronan, a four-time Oscar-nominated Irish actor.
Q: What is Jack Lowden’s background?
A: Jack Lowden was born in England, but raised in Scotland. His parents are Scottish, and he considers himself 100% Scottish.
COMMENTS