Jamie Ward has shone in Film, Television and Theatre and is now poised for heartthrob status as Romeo in the musical re-imagining of Romeo and Juliet. Jamie finished drama school in Perth, Australia and his drive and passion for acting led him to London in 2013, where he secured a leading role in “Les Mis” in the West End. Since then, his star has continued to rise and becoming a leading man was inevitable.
Jamie is joined in JULIET AND ROMEO with a stellar cast such as Jason Issacs, Rebel Wilson, Rupert Everett and Derek Jacobi to name just a few. With this fantastic support, a great Juliet in Clara Rugaard, authentic Verona locations and catchy pop tunes this story of the star-crossed lovers is bound to be a hit with audiences.
Over the Shoulder was lucky to talk to Jamie about his breakout role, his beginnings in Australia and that if he wasn’t an actor, he would have fancied being a racing driver.
So, let’s delve deeper into this interview shall we
Hello Jamie, Congratulations on your new role as Romeo in the new movie musical JULIET AND ROMEO coming out in May. It’s a modern reimagining of the classic story. Can you tell me about the movie and what we can expect?
It’s a faithful adaptation of Shakespeare’s script, except for the fact that there’s a few twists and turns and it’s got pop music!
It’s set in the 1300’s with these wild, crazy costumes and great songs, yet at the end of the day we tell the same story. It’s a heightened, fun, family friendly version of the classic tale. I think everyone’s going to relate to it and hopefully enjoy it too.
The role of Romeo is one of the most famous parts in history, what was it like tackling such an iconic role especially as you get to sing too?
There was a bit of pressure because of who has played the role before. I’m probably like everyone else and obsessed with Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes’ version. There are so many other beautiful adaptations; there was a National Theatre production a few years back that I loved.
Franco Zeffirelli made an iconic movie of it in the 1960’s too.
I never felt personally the pressure of it just because this adaptation is so different.
We were telling it in modern, contemporary language and apart from West Side Story there haven’t been too many versions like that. Saying that, our movie is still faithful to the iconic Romeo and Juliet story.
I never really felt the pressure because I knew that Timothy Scott Bogart, our director, was creating this heightened world and it was a pop musical. I just had fun with it and tried to be honest and real with what Romeo was going through. Plus, I had a great time with Clara, the girl playing Juliet.
Did you sing live on set or was it done in the studio?
It was a mixture because they’re pop songs and you do want to get that poppy sound, which I imagine works better when it’s sung into a studio mic. When emotional moments happen that you couldn’t really capture in the studio, it was better to just capture it live on set, so they’d have microphones on us, and they would marry both of those together.
You got to work with some amazing actors such as Jason Isaacs, Rupert Everett, Rebel Wilson and Derek Jacobi. What was it like being on set with them and were you nervous?
Jason Isaacs! I’ve seen all eight Harry Potter movies a thousand times and it was crazy because Jason has a wig in our film and it’s grey, so it was like seeing Mr. Malfoy coming towards me. Luckily, he spoke in a different accent!
I’ve always been somebody that gets a little starstruck.
For instance, working with Derek Jacobi! I’ve seen Gladiator so many times and he was in the famous production of Hamlet with Kenneth Branagh, so you got to realise what his history was and how much Shakespeare he’s done.
That was probably the most pressure I felt playing Romeo, having to perform Shakespeare in front of the “Kings” of the Elizabethan theatre world.
Did you have a technique to calm yourself down or did you think, “let, just get through it.”
Just get through it and block it all out!
No, I mean, for me it’s just preparation really. If I’ve done my homework and I know my lines and know what I’m doing on set, then all that stuff goes away.
I feel like I’m quite focused on set so that was never really an issue. It was more just being in the lobby of the hotel, having a few drinks with my co-stars that was probably the scariest.
Were there any memorable moments on set?
Every day was memorable. We got to act in these crazy castles that have been around for a thousand years. We stayed in this hotel called the Grand Hotel Spa and its claim-to-fame was it was where they had the Miss Universe contest once. It was famous for that and that the town where it stood had about 14 people in it!
Our production took over this town and we were just living it up in these cute little cobbled streets, but really, to hang out with these amazing people I worked with was really the highlight for me.
The story very much depends on the chemistry between the star-crossed lovers. Juliet is played by Clara Rugaard. Did you create a bond with her straight away?
We had a bond straight away. I think we bonded before filming because when we were training together for singing, she showed me what she’d bought in for preparation, such as the script and other little bits and pieces. Then I remember we each gave each other a little token on the first day of filming in Verona, just to commemorate the moment that we were going on this journey together.
During the audition phase, we both went to Rome to screen test with a few other actors. It was crazy because we’d be acting with one another in the audition and then after we’d all be going out in Rome eating pasta.
Then we flew back to London together and that was the beginning of our journey. We got along well right from the start.
You grew up in Western Australia, before moving to London and getting your big break in Les Mis in the West End in 2023. What was it like moving so far away from home and do you miss it?
Yes. My mum misses me every day because I’m an only child. I had to move from home early on, going straight out of drama school to pursue my dreams and see what I wanted in life.
Every time I go home, I do feel I could live in Perth, but then an acting job comes up and it’s so exciting and it takes you to a new part of the world that you’ve never seen before.
I think my parents just want me to embrace this life and embrace the moment and maybe I’ll get to go home eventually, but for now I’m all good.
As a singer, what do you do to protect your voice and what are your pre performing routines?
I used to be so precious about my voice because I used to do a lot of singing. It was one of my main things when I was younger, but aside from this pop musical movie, I haven’t really done that much singing.
Back then there was Manuka Honey, and I’m not really a lozenges guy. I usually have chewing gum but I’m not very good at protecting my voice.
If you weren’t an actor/singer, what profession would you have liked to have done?
I would be a race car driver hands down. My dad was a race car driver, and I was obsessed with it as a kid. I’ve never missed a Formula One race. I used to race Daniel Ricciardo, the F1 driver back in Australia growing up.
That’s what I would do, without a doubt.
Who are your theatre and movie heroes?
I’m from the same town as Heath Ledger; he was a huge inspiration when I was starting out. I liked seeing him in the Dark Knight movies, it really made me want to act. I love Anthony Hopkins, Daniel Day Lewis and Ben Mendelsohn.
There are so many actors, it’s hard to decide who my favourite is, but I’ll probably go with Daniel Day Lewis. I think he is unrecognisable and so impressive in Gangs of New York, There Will be Blood and My Left Foot. I strive for that level of commitment to my roles.
Is there a question that you wished an interviewer would ask but they never do?
Wow. What’s your favourite weird food mix? Mine is, if you ever have the chance, try Vegemite or Marmite with some mash potato. My dad used to make it for me as a child and it’s the best.
After Juliet and Romeo what’s next? Is it movies or theatre?
I’m about to start filming a Jane Austen adaptation of Northanger Abbey. We’re going to film in Bristol for a couple of months and I am so excited.
I have a movie coming out in December, which is going to be amazing. It’s called Zero A.D. and it’s about Mary and Joseph and their struggle to protect a newborn child.
The cast is phenomenal and I’m so lucky to be a part of it.
Over the Shoulder will keep an eye out for Jamie’s future projects, but for now we can’t wait for the release of JULIET AND ROMEO. It will be exciting to sing along with the worlds most famous lovers and we will keep our fingers crossed for a happy ending!
It was so kind of Jamie to spend time talking about his new movie and his career so far in showbiz. Hollywood stardom surely is on the horizon for this versatile and talented actor and maybe in the future we will see Jamie play another role close to his heart, a Racing Car driver!!
Over the Shoulder thanks Jamie for taking time to speak with us and we hope to catch up with him soon.
Juliet and Romeo are in cinemas in America May 9th and in the UK and Ireland 11th June.