Jack O’Connell has known success in Great Britain since his teenage years, but 2014 may well mark his big break as a star in Hollywood. The bad boy star of Angelina Jolie‘s upcoming Louis Zamperini biopic “Unbroken” takes the latest cover of T, The New York Times Style Magazine.
On-screen O’Connell has played a series of tough guys and troublemakers, perhaps best encapsulated by his roll as the teenage drug dealer Cook in E4’s popular “Skins” series, but inside the pages of the magazine, he presents a calm and reflective demeanor as he looks over his life and career.
See video: New Trailer for Angelina Jolie’s ‘Unbroken’ Traces Louis Zamperini’s Incredible Story
At 24-years old, O’Connell has lived more fully than most, and suffered tragedies as well, like the loss of his father to pancreatic cancer. His story unfolds in the pages of the magazine interspersed with a variety of photos of the “300: Rise of an Empire” star.
As an actor by trade, O’Connell is easily comfortable in front of the camera, but he also displays a cool confidence that would serve him well in the modeling world. He sports clothing ranging from a heavy coat to a mesh tank top that he simply tears off, and enjoys the company of several dogs throughout the shoot.
O’Connell earned praise, and several film festival awards, for his work in 2013’s “Starred Up.” He began 2014 with a starring role in the sequel film “300: Rise of an Empire.” He’ll next appear in the British film “’71,” before “Unbroken” hits theaters on Christmas Day. Written by Joel and Ethan Coen, along with Richard LaGravenese and William Nicholson, “Unbroken” will be released to theaters by Universal Pictures.
See video: ‘Unbroken’ Star Jack O’Connell Goes to Prison in ‘Starred Up’ Trailer
4 Surprise Revelations About Jack O’Connell from T, The New York Times Style Magazine’s interview:
1. Jack O’Connell originally had aspirations to be a professional soccer player.
2. He and his father often clashed physically, and it was the elder O’Connell who came out on top most times.
3. O’Connell admits he “didn’t stop partying for like seven years.” Life may well have imitated art when it came to his bad-boy “Skins” character.
4. Legal troubles stemming from this period of his life may have impacted his ability to get American roles.
5. O’Connell describes working with Angelina Jolie as a sort of intervention for the direction his personal life had been going.
See TheWrap’s exclusive photo below from O’Connell’s cover issue of T, The New York Times Style Magazine which hits stands on Sunday, Sept. 14. ad you can read the complete interview at the magazine’s website.
