Jay Lycurgo
{{short description|British actor}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2022}}
{{Infobox person
| image =
| caption =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1998|2|6|df=y}}
| birth_place =
| alma_mater = ArtsEd
| occupation =
| years_active = 2019–present
}}
Jay Lycurgo (born 6 February 1998) is an English actor. He is known for his roles as Tim Drake in Titans (2021–2023), Nathan Byrne in the Netflix series The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself (2022), and as a gang member in The Batman (2022).{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/titans-season-3-tim-drake-jay-lycurgo-hbo-max-1234895105/|title='Titans' Season 3 Casts Jay Lycurgo as Tim Drake|website=Variety|first=Joe|last=Otterson|date=28 January 2021|access-date=28 January 2021}}{{Cite journal|url=https://variety.com/2022/tv/global/netflix-bastard-son-devil-himself-clip-jay-lycurgo-1235410762/|title=Jay Lycurgo Gets Interrogated by Karen Connell in New Clip From Netflix's 'Half Bad: The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself' (EXCLUSIVE)|journal=Variety|first=KJ|last=Yossman|date=21 October 2022|accessdate=31 October 2022}}
Early life
Lycurgo grew up in Croydon, the youngest of four children. He is of Jamaican, Sierra Leonean, and British heritage. His father is former professional footballer David Johnson.{{Cite journal|url=https://squaremile.com/culture/film-tv/jay-lycurgo-interview/|title=Jay Lycurgo on dancing with the devil|journal=Square Mile|first=Maeve|last=Ryan|date=28 October 2022|accessdate=31 October 2022}} Lycurgo was partly inspired to act through watching productions at the local Fairfield Halls.{{Cite journal|url=https://theface.com/culture/bastard-son-devil-himself-jay-lycurgo-is-collecting-major-roles-like-action-figures-netflix-interview-the-batman|title=The Bastard Son's Jay Lycurgo is collecting major roles like action figures|journal=The Face|first=Olive|last=Pometsey|date=28 October 2022|accessdate=31 October 2022}} After not getting into the BRIT School, his teacher suggested drama school. He went on to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Acting from Arts Educational School (ArtsEd) in 2019.
Career
Upon graduating from ArtsEd, Lycurgo made his television debut in an episode of the BBC One medical drama Doctors as well as his professional stage debut as David Beckoff in the 2019 Turbine Theatre production of the Torch Song Trilogy. This was followed by appearances in the miniseries I May Destroy You, Jimmy McGovern's television film Anthony,{{Cite web|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/anthony-bbc-tv-cast/|title=Meet the cast of Anthony, the BBC's Anthony Walker drama|website=Radio Times|first=Lauren|last=Morris|date=23 July 2020|accessdate=1 November 2022}} and the science fiction series War of the Worlds. He had small roles in films Listen and The Batman.{{Cite web|url=https://tvovermind.com/jay-lycurgo/|title=10 Things You Didn't Know about Jay Lycurgo|website=TVovermind.com|date=3 February 2021 }}{{Cite web|url=https://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/torch-song-the-turbine-the-18113|title=Torch Song|website=British Theatre Guide|first=Claire|last=Seymour|date=2019|accessdate=1 November 2022}}
In 2021, Lycurgo began playing Tim Drake, a recurring role in the third season of the DC Universe series Titans. Lycurgo has stated he was proud to play a superhero of mixed race as there were not many examples of this when he was growing up.{{Cite web|url=https://thenerdsofcolor.org/2021/09/16/titans-star-jay-lycurgo-on-representing-and-that-major-moment-for-tim-drake/|title='Titans' Star Jay Lycurgo on Representing and That Major Moment For Tim Drake|website=Nerds of Color|first=Laura|last=Sirikul|date=16 September 2021|accessdate=1 November 2022}} He reprised his role as a regular in season 4.{{Cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/tv/titans-season-3-jay-lycurgo-tim-drake/|title=Meet the actor playing Tim Drake in Titans season 3|magazine=Entertainment Weekly}} The following year, he played Paul in the BBC Three sitcom Cheaters.
Also in 2022, Lycurgo stars in as Nathan Byrne in Netflix series The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself, an adaptation of the young adult fantasy novel Half Bad by Sally Green. Auditioning was completed during the COVID-19 pandemic over video while he was in Toronto. He has stated he related to the cheekiness and quick witted nature of his character Nathan.{{Cite web|url=https://www.wonderlandmagazine.com/2022/11/01/jay-lycurgo/|title= JAY LYCURGO|website=Wonderland|date=1 November 2022|accessdate=1 November 2022}} He has to physically prepare for the action and fighting scenes in the series,{{Cite web|url=https://www.thedigitalfix.com/netflix/the-bastard-son-and-the-devil-himself-isobel-jay-lycurgo-elimien-vekemans-interview|title=Jay Lycurgo: "The Bastard Son and the Devil Himself left a few scars"|website=The Digital Fix|first=Anthony|last=McGlynn|date=27 October 2022|accessdate=1 November 2022}} which he has described as "Misfits meets This is England",{{Cite web|url=https://www.gaytimes.co.uk/originals/exclusive-the-bastard-son-the-devil-himself-stars-praise-natural-queer-romance/|title=The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself: Jay Lycurgo and Emilien Vekemans talk queer romance|website=Gay Times|first=Sam|last=Damshenas|date=28 October 2022|accessdate=1 November 2022}} "Twilight meets Skins", and as an "X-rated Harry Potter".{{Cite web|url=https://www.bt.com/tv/drama/bastard-son-devil-himself-isobel-jesper-jones-jay-lycurgo|title= The Bastard Son and The Devil Himself: Jay Lycurgo and Isobel Jesper Jones exclusive interview about dark Netflix teen drama|website=BT|first=Alex|last=Fletcher|date=1 November 2022|accessdate=1 November 2022}} He said he got into the headspace of playing a teenager despite being 24 years-old himself because “I feel like I’m just very childlike still, you know. I have a huge imagination…I think it’s a real shame that as we get older we feel like we have to stop being that kid in a playground. You know? I don’t think that needs to be the case. I feel like we should be able to still imagine things and be playful and creative. When you’re acting it’s just that sometimes you have to get the permission from the right people to be like, “No really go for it! Go there.” And then to yourself you just have to really believe that you’re in these places. When it comes to being a teenager again, I think I’m just quite fortunate to still be very immature.”{{Cite web|url=https://schonmagazine.com/interview-jay-lycurgo/|title=interview - jay lycurgo|website=Schön!|first=Kendall|last=Saretsky|date=25 October 2022|accessdate=1 November 2022}} As well as the playfulness and immaturity in the character, Lycurgo told Newsweek how his characterization of Nathan was driven by an inherent loneliness saying "He is just a really lonely and isolated, quiet person, because he's always been in fight-and-flight [mode] and he doesn't trust anyone."{{Cite web|url=https://www.newsweek.com/bastard-son-devil-himself-character-power-guide-netflix-1755388%3Famp%3D1|title='The Bastard Son and The Devil Himself' Character and Power Guide|website=Newsweek}}
In 2023, he started filming Ben Wheatley comedy-horror series Generation Z.{{cite web|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/generation-z-channel-4-cast-sue-johnston-robert-lindsay-newsupdate/|website=Radio Times|date=18 October 2023|accessdate=23 November 2023|first=Morgan|last=Cormack|title= Sue Johnston, Robert Lindsay and more join Generation Z cast}}{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2023/10/generation-z-first-look-ben-wheatley-zombie-series-robert-lindsay-1235576576/|title=‘Generation Z’ First Look: Ben Wheatley’s Zombie Series Unveils Cast Including Robert Lindsay
|first=Jake|last=Kanter|website=Deadline Hollywood|date=October 18, 2023|accessdate=October 18, 2023|archive-date=October 18, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231018112223/https://deadline.com/2023/10/generation-z-first-look-ben-wheatley-zombie-series-robert-lindsay-1235576576/|url-status=live}} In 2024, he was cast in the Peaky Blinders film The Immortal Man alongside Cillian Murphy, with whom he was also cast in the same Steve.{{cite web|url=https://www.whats-on-netflix.com/news/peaky-blinders-netflix-movie-titled-the-immortal-man-adds-tim-roth-and-jay-lycurgo/|website=Whats on Netflix|accessdate=30 September 2024|title='Peaky Blinders' Netflix Movie Titled 'The Immortal Man'; Adds Tim Roth and Jay Lycurgo|first=Kasey|last=Moore|date=26 September 2024}}{{cite web |title=Cillian Murphy and Jay Lycurgo Netflix Movie ‘Steve’: Everything We Know So Far|website=What's on Netlix|url=https://www.whats-on-netflix.com/news/cillian-murphy-netflix-movie-steve-everything-we-know/ |date=July 3, 2024|accessdate=July 3, 2024}}
Filmography
=Film=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| 2019
| Man Down | Dayton | Short film |
| rowspan="3" | 2020
| Father of the Bride | Christian | Short film |
| Listen
| Young Man | |
| Brothers
| Jase | Short film |
| 2022
| Train Gang Young Member | |
| 2024
| Evan Copleigh | |
| 2025
| Steve {{dagger}} | Shy | Post-production |
| rowspan="3" | {{TableTBA}}
| {{TableTBA}} | Post-production |
| The Immortal Man{{dagger}}
| {{TableTBA}} | Post-production |
| I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning{{dagger}}
| Oli |
=Television=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| 2019
| Doctors | Kyle O'Keefe | Episode: "Last Stop" |
| rowspan="2" | 2020
| Marcus | Episode: "The Alliance" |
| Anthony
| Marcus | Television film |
| 2021
| Will | 1 episode |
| 2021–2023
| ''Titans | Tim Drake/Robin |
| rowspan="2" | 2022
| Cheaters | Paul | 7 episodes |
| The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself
| Nathan Byrne | Main role |
| 2024
| Charlie | |
Stage
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| 2019
| David Beckoff | Turbine Theatre, London |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|10649711}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lycurgo, Jay}}
Category:21st-century English male actors
Category:Black British male actors
Category:English people of Jamaican descent
Category:English people of Sierra Leonean descent