Interview With a Lifetime Star: Marcos James

Trevor Wells: Hello Marcos! Thanks so much for taking the time to talk with me. I'm always looking to pick the brains of new faces that grace the screens of Lifetime. But before we get to Keeping Up With the Joneses, let's go back to the beginning. What first drew you to acting?

Marcos James: Growing up, I was first involved in sports. I excelled in athletics, primarily short sprints (100m and 200m and also 100m hurdles), and I later played a bit of field hockey. I began, at some point in my early teens, to take notice of people on television, in commercials and varying television dramas. That piqued my interest and from that point, I began playing with an interest in acting. My interest in acting and the arts eventually took over from my involvement in competitive sports and I essentially never looked back.

Trevor Wells: Interesting! Personally, I'd say you made a good call there. I saw on IMDB you also have experience in another acting avenue: theatre. You were a part of a few well-known shows (The Lion King, Carmen) and played to some pretty illustrious arenas (West End, The Royal Albert Hall). What's the story behind all that and what was it like?

Marcos James: Along with my training in acting, I trained in stage combat, dance and physical theatre and a lot of my early theatrical roles reflected this. My first major international theatrical job was as a cast member of The Lion King (London, West End). That was an exciting production to be in because it made it evident that having a professional career in the arts was possible. After my Disney contract came to an end, I worked on a rotating basis with several large scale arts organizations. These included The Royal Opera House (where I played the role of a Warrior in two intensely physically demanding contracts of Aida), English National (Carmen, et al) and The Royal Albert Hall.

My breakout role as a leading theatrical actor came when I booked the part of Arjuna for a Sadler's Wells adaptation of The Mahabharata. Like my roles in Aida and other productions, The Mahabharata was very physical and required ample amounts of stage combat experience. However, the character of Arjuna was significantly complex and required very strong physical and emotionally charged performances each night. As such, executing the role provided great lessons in how to offer a strong physical performance while balancing that with the right emotional delivery. While every role has been significant in enabling me to advance as an actor, the role of Arjuna was a key transitional step from theatre to film and television.

Trevor Wells: That all sounds demanding to me, but I'd say it paid off for you. Speaking of television, I also saw that in 2015, you landed a role in a little show called Game of Thrones. And looking at your demo reel, I see your big scene there was a pretty gnarly one. What was being a brief part of the GOT crew like?

Marcos James: My role as White Rat in Game of Thrones has played a significant part in the development of my career and my international visibility as an actor. The span between casting and filming was extremely quick and as such, the experience was equal parts thrilling and equal parts surreal. Because of how quick the turnaround was, I initially didn't fully have time to comprehend the magnitude of things. This of course changed on the day I was driven through the gates of the studio lot in Northern Ireland and saw some of the characters, casually walking around and saw the unsullied actors rehearsing their fight scene. The whole production was an industrial scale operation, moving along like a well oiled machine.

Everything was methodical and everyone played their part in ensuring that all scenes were filmed within a specific time period each day. This often meant that scenes were filmed simultaneously and you would often cross paths with other leading and support actors as they filmed their scenes--shortly after or before you. Although I had to adjust rapidly to the pace on set, I was ready and highly prepared for the moment. A key point to note is that they adjusted a bit of my storyline to ensure that I would never have a helmet on. This is significant, because I was identifiable within the first few seconds of my opening scene. My life essentially changed from that first opening shot and I will be forever grateful.

Trevor Wells: I can imagine so; glad to hear it was such an impactful experience. On that note, how would you characterize your overall acting journey as of now? What would you say is the most influential project/experience you've had? Most inspiring/memorable co-star?

Marcos James: The best way to characterize my acting journey is to say that it has been filled with persistence, self-belief, patience and incredible support from my representatives, family and friends. Everything feels right, and although when I look back, there are certain things I potentially would have done differently, things have worked out well and I am always focused on the next step upwards.

There are a few key projects that stand out in the timeline of my career so far. The Lion King, which made me realize that a career in the arts was possible. Aida, which challenged me physically, emotionally and spiritually. The Mahabharata, where I became a leading man. My first UK film entitled Reunion, where I made the step into film and television. Game of Thrones, which gave me an international platform and Keeping up With the Joneses, which introduced me to a new audience, a new international platform, and enabled me to execute a character which was different to the others I played before.

Each production I have been involved with has also given me the opportunity to work with some incredibly inspiring people. The first person who comes to mind is Riz Ahmed, who I did a theatrical production with at the start of my acting journey. To see him fulfilling his legacy has been a major inspiration for me. Being a part of The Lion King family and Disney is also something I am immensely proud of, in the same way that I am proud to be a part of the Game of Thrones legacy. Beyond this, the opportunity to work with industry greats like Vivica A Fox, Eric Roberts and Ted McGinley in Keeping Up With the Joneses, has made it clear to me that my journey is on the right path.

Trevor Wells: A lot of big projects to be proud of; excellent! Funny you should mention Reunion because my search of your IMDB showed me that you've done a handful of short films. To my delight, all of them are available online right now and I've got them saved on my Watchlist for future short film review lists. Barring spoilers, anything you can tell me in advance?

Marcos James: As a transitional point between theatre and film and television, I did a lot of commercial work, short films and independent productions. The main independent production I did was Reunion, in which I got to act alongside Ashley Walters (Bullet Boy and Top Boy). This production stands out for me because it gave me a viable opportunity to step into the film world. Also, the storyline meant that I got to work one-on-one with someone (Ashley Walters) who already had visibility in the public eye.

Trevor Wells: Cool! Can't wait to check out Reunion and all your other short films. But for now, let's get into the series that introduced you to me: the Keeping Up With the Joneses saga. First off, what's the story behind you getting cast as William French?

Marcos James: When the casting notice for Keeping Up With the Joneses came in, I felt an instant connection with the role of William French. They actually asked me to read for two separate parts, but then asked me to focus most of my attention on the role of William. They gave very detailed instructions on what they wanted and based on the notes, I had a feeling both casting and the director had watched my showreel and done some research on my acting background. Therefore, I knew that most likely, I was in the top tier of who they were realistically looking to cast. All I needed to do was to hold my end of the bargain and deliver. In the end, my instincts on the character were correct, enabling me to portray the role while remaining relaxed and confident in my choices.

Trevor Wells: Awesome! You were great in the role and the casting department made the right decision. So how was your first taste of Lifetime? As a big fan of the channel, I can confirm you were working with plenty of Lifetime-familiar actors and filmmakers (David DeCoteau being chief among them).

Marcos James: The experience honestly felt like stepping into a family. Vivica did an incredible job at balancing the formal role of executive producer with that of cast member. Her name preceded her, so I was very aware of the fact that I was a part of her production and that we would have scenes together. The experience of working with her and everyone else turned out to be exceptionally positive. From a technical standpoint, the actual process of filming was very quick. In a sense, this reminded me of Game of Thrones. We had a set number of hours each day and we all played our part in ensuring things ran smoothly. In the end, we operated very well as a unit. At one point, I recall asking the director (David DeCoteau) how he thought things were going. He looked at me and said "Marcos, it just feels right." So in a sense, his sentiments sums up the experience perfectly.

Trevor Wells: Glad to hear that, especially about Vivica and David. What was it like taking on a character like the charming but devilish and cold-hearted William French?

Marcos James: Taking on the character of William French was fun. Incredible fun and I would do it all again in a heartbeat. In the past, I have played several warrior-like characters, from Arjuna to my role in Aida to White Rat. William French offered an opportunity to express something different and to essentially be mischievous. Executing the character gave me a chance to play around with the tone and characteristics of someone I had not portrayed before. Right from the start, I knew using my British accent would be the perfect fit for William and so from that point, I experimented with everything else until I felt I could deliver a character that was interesting, fun, devious, yet enigmatic and likable (from an audience perspective) all at the same time.

Trevor Wells: And you executed it all with flair. I for one definitely had fun watching William in action. Though as I mentioned in my reviews of the saga, I was a little disappointed at how little we see of William after The Wrong Family and how easily he's dealt with by the Joneses. What are your thoughts on that and/or my suggestion that any future Keeping Up With the Joneses properties feature a return for William?

Marcos James: I think the character of William French made his presence felt and I think there is a lot that can be done with such a divisive character. Should the series continue, I would reprise my role in a heartbeat and would happily cause some more mischief. I believe that the strong female leads of the Joneses family all did an excellent job, as did everyone else, and William's interaction with the family caused more than enough drama to make his return something to look forward to. I don’t think there is any clear cut way for a character's storyline to conclude, but for me, it is a positive that William stayed alive and in the end, walking away a free man. This only leaves room for him to return with ample amounts of drama.

Trevor Wells: We're on the same page there: more William French schemes=delicious drama galore. And I totally agree that the leads of the trilogy brought their A-games to the series. Anything else in my three reviews that you wanted to mention or talk about?

Marcos James: Personally, I thought your reviews were exceptional in both perception, commentary, and the way the articles were constructed. The other cast members thought the same as well. I think as an objective Lifetime fan, you captured everything worth mentioning and that is tremendously commendable.

Trevor Wells: Aww, thanks! That means a lot coming from you all. Looking towards the future, any current/upcoming projects you can tell me about? Can we hope to see you on Lifetime again sometime?

Marcos James: I am constantly doing castings, and should Keeping Up With the Joneses continue, then I'm in. I am presently, however, working on an extremely exciting film project with Emmy-Nominated producer Mikail Chowdhury and Traci Rhone (daughter of renowned Jamaican film maker, Trevor Rhone). I will also be on the panel of judges for the 7th art festival of Miami this year. It is a festival that celebrates the work of independent film makers and submissions can be made via this link up until October 22.

Trevor Wells: Sounds exciting; hope it all goes well! To wrap up, one last question: what would you say to any aspiring actors that might be reading this?

Marcos James: I would say study the craft and immerse yourself in the process. If you are not presently able to afford acting classes, then use YouTube as a resource. There are several commendable videos that delve into script analyses, playing with the tone of the character, audition technique, and more. I would encourage being proactive, looking for local acting schools or artistic organizations so that you are engaging with your passion and driving the process forward. I would work on honesty. Honesty with regards to what needs to be done artistically and practically. Artistically meaning the process of developing the self as an actor and practically meaning, for example, marketing material such as headshots, showreels, etc. I would pay attention to personal strength or things that make you stand out as a person and see how that can be applied to the craft. I would also pay attention to engaging with personal emotion, allowing yourself to feel whatever intense or even fleeting emotions you may be having. The process of acting is, after all, a craft that is focused on human behavior and as such, paying attention to personal emotions can only help in becoming better at understanding the complexities of who we are as people.

Trevor Wells: Lots of great advice and insight; it's much appreciated. I also appreciate you for the talk and I look forward to seeing more of your work. Best wishes with your current film, the art festival, and whatever future endeavors come next!