INTERVIEW
Alice Gee | 30/09/2025
From childhood afternoons spent captivated by film to commanding attention in some of the most talked-about productions of recent years, Jacob Greenway has built a career rooted in curiosity, empathy, and a deep love of storytelling. From exploring emotional complexities in The Dreamlands to stepping into the world of Dear England, Jacob brings thoughtful intensity to each and every role he throws himself into. We catch up with Jacob, as he reflects on the moments that inspired him to pursue acting, the projects he feels have shaped him both personally and professionally and how he finds humanity in every character.
A: When do you remember first being inspired by acting and wanting to follow that path?
J: I was always drawn to films growing up. I’d sneak DVDs out of the cabinet and watch them on my little DVD player - usually things I was far too young to be watching. I remember seeing A Beautiful Mind when I was around nine or ten, and even though I probably didn’t understand all of it, I connected with it deeply. It was an early lesson in the power of storytelling.
That feeling and curiosity stayed with me. Then drama at school gave me a place to express myself properly. It was an environment where I felt completely free to take risks, be bold, and expressive. It was also one of the first places where my thunderous energy was encouraged rather than shut down. There wasn’t one single moment where I decided to become an actor - it was more a quiet knowing that grew over time. Eventually, I stopped ignoring it and chose to pursue it fully.
A: Which project has had the biggest impact on you so far?
J: The Dreamlands and Dear England have both been a monumental part of my journey.
The dream lands explores very human truths that people will recognise in themselves and the world around them. Despite it being set in 2039, emotionally it feels very present - That’s why I think it will connect with so many people. I feel honoured to be a part of such a deep and layered story amongst a phenomenal cast.
Dear England challenged me in new ways - not only as an actor, but in terms of responsibility. Playing a real person comes with a different level of care, and I took that seriously. Beyond that, the story itself explores pressure, growth, identity, and resilience - themes that feel bigger than sport. Being part of something like that was very meaningful.
A: How do you feel when roles push you outside of your comfort zone?
J: I think that’s where real growth tends to happen. I’d much rather be challenged than comfortable. As an actor, you want to keep discovering new parts of yourself and your craft. I want to be courageous in the work, and I want to collaborate with directors who push me beyond what I think I’m capable of and bring the best out of me.
Of course there can be nerves, but I’ve learned not to see that as a bad thing. It usually means you care and that there’s something valuable on the other side. So when a role pushes me, I lean into it.
A: How do you approach building chemistry/raport between yourself and the roles you play?
J: For me, it’s about Empathy and Imagination. I meet every character without judgement and get curious about why they are the way they are.
Once I understand them, I look for the points where our experiences or emotions intersect. Finding something universally human, even if the character that you play is completely different. From there, it becomes about trust and imagination. You do the preparation, and then you let the character reveal itself through the work.
A: What research and inspiration did you draw from when preparing for your role as Jude Bellingham for Dear England?
J: When preparing for the role, I approached it from a few different angles. I watched matches, interviews, and press conferences, which gave me a sense of how he moves, speaks, and carries himself publicly.
But the most valuable material for me was his YouTube series The Full Story. It offered a more personal insight into his mindset and character - helping me to understand who he was as a person, not just as an elite athlete. I wasn’t interested in doing an impression - I wanted to find something truthful.
It also helped with the voice work - the Birmingham accent was something I hadn’t explored before, so getting that right was important to me. It helped me gauge his accent, tone, and rhythm of speech. The voice became a big part of my preparation and an essential transformative tool when stepping into character. Once the research is there, you have to let it go and trust the work. To be present and live in the moment is all I can hope for as an artist.
A: What aspects of his personality or playing style did you find most interesting to portray?
J: Different scenes summoned different aspects of his personality. What interested me most was finding the balance. He’s such a confident person with a very elite mentality, and a ferocious desire to win and improve - but alongside that, there’s also composure, stoicism, and maturity. Those qualities don’t always exist together, especially in someone so young. I had a lot of fun playing with those dualisms.
A: How did you balance portraying Jude authentically while fitting into the dramatic narrative of Dear England?
J: What really helped was the writing. James Graham writes with so much depth and humanity that, even though it’s a dramatised version of events, it always felt grounded in something real. So ultimately, the balance came from trusting the research, trusting the writing, and then allowing the performance to live naturally.
A: Dear England deals with themes like pressure, identity, and national expectation—how does your portrayal of Jude reflect those themes?
J: Jude reflects those themes in a really interesting way because he carries all of them at once. In the story, we meet him as a young player stepping onto the global stage, so there’s naturally pressure and expectation around him. He doesn’t appear overwhelmed by the spotlight - if anything, he seems to grow within it, which is something I really admire. He feels so significant in the story because he embodies a new generation that approaches pressure differently - with belief rather than fear.
A: Obviously foot ball has a huge following with hardcore fanbases. Mental health isn’t always spoken about publicly in the sport, did you feel or recognise the pressures players may have in a sport that aren’t always spoken about?
J: Definitely. people often see the performance, the moment, the result - but not always what it costs emotionally. When you’re representing your country, every high and low can feel amplified. Difficult moments are often judged more loudly than they’re supported, and a lot of what players carry is dealt with privately, away from the public eye. It really reminded me that these players are still human beings first, athletes second. That human side is something the story speaks to beautifully. My hope is that stories like this lead to more understanding, more compassion, and better support going forward.
A: How has the role maybe changed your perspectives on the sport?
J: I already had a lot of respect for the sport, and that’s only grown stronger. It gave me a deeper appreciation for the discipline and mentality required at that level.
A: If you could play any historical or fictional character, who would it be?
J: Santiago from Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist. That book has helped me in times where I’ve felt lost, and think an on screen adaptation could be a beautiful way for it to find and guide others.