Stainforthonline Interview

Adge Covell, - Jamie Draven. (Gary / Faith)

(This interview was carried out during a very brief break between filming. We were sat on a crowded bus which was full of other actors and extras, most of whom were there to catch a bite to eat and cup of coffee. It was very noisy and really difficult to conduct the interview, but Jamie had a very busy schedule and was it was difficult to find the time or another location to conduct the interview in more suitable surroundings. Many thanks to Jamie for taking the time to sit and talk with me.
This is a 25 second clip from the recorded interview, which was actually one of the quietest moments!)
Jamie Draven talks about Gary Andrews.

Adge: Hello Jamie. I have a note here that says your birthday is 14th of May 1979, and that you're a Manchester lad.

Jamie: Yep.

Adge: Born in Withernshaw?

Jamie: Withernshaw. Yeah.

Adge: In this drama you're playing Gary. Can you give us some idea about this part?

Jamie: Errrm yeah. Gary Andrews is a miner at Newby Colliery. He's married to his beautiful wife, Michelle, who he loves very much. They're a young, fun loving couple. They've got no kids, no responsibilities. They like going out and having a good time, and he loves doing his job and being down the pit, and the camaraderie that he has with his mates.

Adge: You played Tony in another film which had mining as a theme. I mean Billy Elliot of course.

Jamie: Yeah.

Adge: Have you got any mining connections, or is it something….?

Jamie: No it's not. It's just the way……, it's just the way things have turned out. It's kind of interesting for me to come back and revisit again, and the strike in the other film, in Billy Elliot, is more of a backdrop than a story. So, it's good for me to get back and do something that's…, you know, that chronicles the year about the strike and is about the community, and about the people and how they were affected.

Adge: Would you say that you like to make your acting roles as diverse as possible?

Jamie: Yeah.

Adge: Recently you played Jamie Dow in Ultimate Force, which is totally different from the two roles we've already mentioned.

Jamie: Yeah, completely different, and that's what I'm hoping to be. I'm just trying to find as many different characters as possible, and erm….., neaten it up a bit, you know. Its very good for character….., er, assessment; so yeah, that's what I want to do.

Adge: What would you say is the best work you've done so far?

Jamie: Oh……, the best work I've done so far……., I don't know…… I think it was maybe something I did a long time ago…, called The Butterfly Collectors, which is probably my favourite thing that I've done so far.
This, this working on Faith, which we're doing at the minute, has been the most enjoyable, without doubt, and I think this is going to turn out absolutely fantastic.

Adge: I read somewhere that you had wanted to try comedy?

Jamie: I did a romantic comedy, which was something that I'd never done before, but er…., I found it quite difficult….

Adge: So you've no plans on becoming a comedian?

Jamie: (Laughs) No, no, no, I don't think I'd do a very good job of it.

Adge: So we won't be seeing any stand up then?

Jamie: No, no, no.

Adge: Who would say has influenced you the most, as far as acting is concerned?

Jamie: Oh, there's loads you know, and it's hard to think. I mean, Paul Newman's one of my favourites.

Adge: Cool Hand Luke?

Jamie: Cool Hand Luke, yeah…

Adge: Think you could eat thirty eggs?

Jamie: (Laughs) No, I couldn't do what he did, no. But yeah, that's a great scene, and a great film. There's a lot of others; Hackman, De Niro, the obvious ones.

Adge: Do you think you could tell us what you've got lined up next?

Jamie: Erm…., I'm not too sure….. I'm not too sure… I'd best not say, just in case they don't get done.

Adge: Any romantic connection, for anybody who might be interested.

Jamie: (Laughs) No, no. I'm alright on my own at the minute.

Adge: What do you do in your spare time; how do you relax?

Jamie: I try not to relax. I like to keep working. Well, I try my best to keep working, and that's what relaxes me. I'm not relaxed without work, so that's about it, yeah.

Adge: OK Jamie. That's all. Thanks very much for sparing the time.

Jamie: You're all right. No problem mate.

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