Jackson Gallagher

{{short description|Australian actor and professional photographer}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Jackson Gallagher

| birth_place = Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

| birth_date =

| occupation = Actor

| years_active = 2008–present

}}

Jackson Gallagher is an Australian actor and professional photographer from Victoria, Australia. Gallagher began his career starring in the Nine Network children's series The Saddle Club and later ventured into film playing the titular character in the 2013 horror film Patrick. He gained wider recognition for his role as Josh Barrett in the soap opera Home and Away. He left the series in 2016 and soon secured more television roles including AFL player Connor Marrello in the Network Ten drama series Playing for Keeps. He has also completed additional film roles scheduled for release in 2019. Aside from acting Gallagher has worked as a stills photographer for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation network.

Early life

Gallagher was born in Melbourne and his family moved to Daylesford, Victoria.{{cite web |last1=Thomas |first1=Lucy |title=Jackson Gallagher Gives Gender Inequality a Run for its Money |url=http://www.sheramag.com/jackson-gallagher-gives-gender-inequality-run-money/ |website=SheRa Magazine |accessdate=11 January 2019 |date=16 December 2014 |archive-date=4 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181104152540/http://www.sheramag.com/jackson-gallagher-gives-gender-inequality-run-money/ |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |title=Jackson Gallagher plays Josh Barrett |url=http://au.tv.yahoo.com/home-and-away/cast/article/-/18764435/jackson-gallagher/ |website=Yahoo!7 |accessdate=11 January 2019 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131104121444/http://au.tv.yahoo.com/home-and-away/cast/article/-/18764435/jackson-gallagher/ |archivedate=4 November 2013 |date=30 October 2013}} They made home on a one-hundred-acre farm which allowed Gallagher to practise horse riding. When he finished school Gallagher went to New York City and found work in a circus and later as a photography assistant. There he developed a liking for photography. He also studied acting at the Stella Adler Conservatory. He secured a pre-med course at Melbourne University which he opted to quit in favour of completing a Bachelor of Arts in film and anthropology. He graduated from the university in 2012.{{cite web |title=Jackson Gallagher |url=https://creativerep.com.au/artists/jackson-gallagher/ |website=Creative Representation |accessdate=11 January 2019 |archive-date=15 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210515030230/https://creativerep.com.au/artists/jackson-gallagher/ |url-status=dead }} In 2014, Gallagher was caught up in two rockfalls while on a climbing expedition at the Franz Josef Glacier in New Zealand. He escaped without any injuries.{{cite web |title=Home and Away star Jackson Gallagher caught up in two rockfalls on New Zealand’s Franz Josef Glacier |url=https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/incidents/home-and-away-star-jackson-gallagher-caught-up-in-two-rockfalls-on-new-zealands-franz-josef-glacier/news-story/27bd1bbc6f0d25b34af7d4e418f9b84d |website=News.com.au |publisher=(News Corp Australia) |date=29 September 2014}}

Career

Gallagher began his career starring in the Nine Network children's series The Saddle Club as Ashley 'Chewie' Becker. The actor later went onto secure his first film role in the 2013 horror genre film Patrick. He played the titular character, but spent most of the film shoot bedbound. Film director Mark Hartley praised Gallagher's performance for bringing "inner menace" to the role.{{cite web |last1=Condit |first1=Jon |title=Exclusive: Mark Hartley Talks Patrick: Evil Awakens’ Chilling Tone, Thrilling Finale, Crack Cast, and Much More |url=https://www.dreadcentral.com/news/67009/exclusive-mark-hartley-talks-patrick-evil-awakens-chilling-tone-thrilling-finale-crack-cast-and-much-more/ |publisher=Dread Central |accessdate=11 January 2019 |date=7 September 2014}}

In 2013 Gallagher worked as a professional photographer for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation network. He has stated that being a still photographer for the network allowed him to learn on-set technique. That year Gallagher joined the cast of the Australian soap opera Home and Away, playing the role of Josh Barrett. He was joined by Tai Hara who played his on-screen brother Andy Barrett.{{cite news|url=https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/sydney-confidential/home-and-away-introduces-new-bad-boys-tai-hara-and-jackson-gallagher-with-innovative-webisodes/news-story/02cc580dd295ce46dffc9049d75fc4ec|title=Home and Away introduces new bad boys Tai Hara and Jackson Gallagher with innovative webisodes|last=Schipp|first=Debbie|date=3 August 2013|work=The Daily Telegraph|publisher=(News Corp Australia)|accessdate=11 January 2019}} The two characters appeared in their own stand-alone webisodes titled Home and Away Extras, before making their debuts in the main show. Gallagher was hesitant about auditioning for the role of a sixteen-year-old because he thought he looked too old which could ruin his chances of success.{{cite journal|last=Downie|first=Stephen|last2=Richards|first2=Holly|date=30 May – 5 June 2015|title=Hitting a home run|journal=TV Week|publisher=(Bauer Media Group)|issue=22|page=109}} He auditioned for the role on a Friday and was offered the role the following Monday. At the time Gallagher said "whatever idea they had in their heads of Josh, I happened to fit that image." The actor relocated to Sydney for filming and recalled being "terrified" about completing his first day on set.{{cite news|url=https://www.hepburnadvocate.com.au/story/1733262/young-daylesford-star-off-to-summer-bay/|title=Young Daylesford star off to Summer Bay|date=28 August 2013|work=Hepburn Advocate|accessdate=11 January 2019}} Jackson remained in the role for three years before he was written out in 2016.{{cite web |last1=Dainty |first1=Sophie |title=Home and Away spoilers: Josh Barrett's explosive Summer Bay exit revealed |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/a799264/home-and-away-spoilers-josh-barrett-explosive-summer-bay-exit-revealed/ |website=Digital Spy |publisher=(Hearst Magazines UK) |accessdate=11 January 2019 |date=27 June 2016}}

In 2016, the actor played the part of gay character Kyle in Josh Thomas' comedy series Please Like Me.{{cite web |last1=Bastow |first1=Clem |title=Josh Thomas on Please Like Me season four: 'We're doing so many sex scenes' |url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2016/nov/09/josh-thomas-on-the-new-season-of-please-like-me-the-hardest-thing-now-is-being-surprising |website=The Guardian |publisher=(Guardian Media Group) |accessdate=11 January 2019 |date=9 November 2016}} Gallagher also travelled to refugee camps located in the Middle Eastern country Jordan, where he worked as a photographer for the charity Act of Peace. His next project was a guest role of Tamas Lupei in the ABC drama The Doctor Blake Mysteries.{{cite web |last1=Knox |first1=David |title=Returning: The Doctor Blake Mysteries |url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2017/08/returning-the-doctor-blake-mysteries-4.html |website=TV Tonight |accessdate=11 January 2019 |date=19 August 2017}} In May 2018, it was announced that he had secured the regular role of Connor Marrello in the Network Ten drama series Playing for Keeps. The show is about a group of AFL players and their wives' personal lives.{{cite web |title=Ten announce cast for new drama Playing For Keeps |url=https://tvblackbox.com.au/page/2018/5/27/ten-announce-cast-for-new-drama-playing-for-keeps |website=TV Blackbox |accessdate=11 January 2019 |date=27 May 2018 |archive-date=30 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190130053801/https://tvblackbox.com.au/page/2018/5/27/ten-announce-cast-for-new-drama-playing-for-keeps |url-status=dead }} He also starred as Clay in the comedy series Back In Very Small Business.

In 2019, Gallagher filmed a main role in the Dee McLachlan directed film The Wheel, playing the role of Matthew Allen Mills. The film focuses on a group of prisoners who are forced to participate in scientific experiments.{{cite web |last1=Groves |first1=Don |title=Umbrella Entertainment keeps faith in Oz films and documentaries |url=https://www.if.com.au/umbrella-entertainment-keeps-faith-in-oz-films-and-documentaries/ |website=If Magazine |accessdate=11 January 2019 |date=18 September 2018}} In August 2020, the film was released in the United Kingdom under the new title 2099: The Soldier Protocol.{{cite web |title=2099: The Soldier Protocol |url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/2099-Soldier-Protocol-David-Arquette/dp/B089F2CH7T |website=Amazon.co.uk |accessdate=26 October 2020}}

Gallagher then began filming for a television series tentatively titled Ocean City.{{cite web |last1=Murphy |first1=Alice |title=Everything you need to know about Jackson Gallagher from Home and Away |url=https://www.newidea.com.au/jackson-gallagher-home-and-away |website=New Idea |publisher=(Pacific Magazines) |accessdate=26 October 2020 |language=en-us |date=4 February 2019}} He also secured another film role in This Time, Maybe and appeared as Raf in the third series of ABC drama Glitch. In 2020, he appeared as Travis Kelly in the prison drama Wentworth and he later joined the cast of the soap opera Neighbours, playing the role of Nathan Packard.{{cite magazine|date=9 November 2020|title=Arrivals & departures lounge|magazine=TV Soap|publisher=(nextmedia)|issue=23|page=40}}

In 2022, he played Reuben Knox in the film Girl at the Window.{{cite web |last1=Valentin |first1=Mel |title=Review: Girl at the Window, a down under read window |url=https://screenanarchy.com/2022/11/review-girl-at-the-window-a-down-under-rear-window.html |website=Screen Anarchy |access-date=13 January 2024 |date=3 November 2022}} Also that year he joined Netflix teen drama series Surviving Summer, playing the character Trav Morphett.{{cite web |last1=Young |first1=Liz |title=Surviving Summer: Plot, Cast, and Everything Else We Know |url=https://movieweb.com/surviving-summer-cast-everything-we-know/ |website=MovieWeb |access-date=13 January 2024 |date=4 June 2022}} In 2023, Gallagher played the role of Winston Strong in Amazon Freevee show Almost Paradise in the episode titled "Uncoupled".{{cite web |title=Uncoupled - Almost Paradise (Series 2, Episode 8) - Apple TV (UK) |url=https://tv.apple.com/gb/episode/uncoupled/umc.cmc.5zo8ico0yymlk9dxgypemvitq |website=Apple TV+|access-date=13 January 2024 |date=21 July 2023}}

Filmography

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
scope="col" \| Year ! scope="col" \| Title ! scope="col" \| Role ! scope="col" class="unsortable" \| Notes
scope="row" \| 2008–2009 \| The Saddle Club \| Ashley 'Chewie' Becker \| Regular role
scope="row" \| 2013–2016 \| Home and Away \| Josh Barrett \| Regular role
scope="row" \| 2016 \| Please Like Me \| Kyle \| Guest role
scope="row" \| 2017 \| The Doctor Blake Mysteries \| Tamas Lupei \| Guest role
rowspan="2" scope="row" \| 2018 \| Wine: A Bottle Shared Is a Problem Halved \| Bartender \| Guest role
Back in Very Small Business \| Clay \| Recurring role
scope="row" \| 2018–2019 \| Playing for Keeps \| Connor Marrello \| Regular role
scope="row" \| 2019 \|Glitch \|Raf \| Guest role
rowspan="2" scope="row" \| 2020 \| Wentworth \| Travis Kelly \| Guest role
Neighbours \| Nathan Packard \| Guest role
scope="row" \| 2022 \|Surviving Summer \|Trav Morphett \|Guest role
scope="row" \| 2023 \|Almost Paradise \|Winston Strong \| Guest role

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"

scope="col" | Year

! scope="col" | Title

! scope="col" | Role

! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes

scope="row" | 2008–2009

| The Saddle Club

| Ashley 'Chewie' Becker

| Regular role

scope="row" | 2013–2016

| Home and Away

| Josh Barrett