With BBC One’s latest crime drama This City Is Ours hitting screens, Wonderland sits down with Ford v Ferrari alum Jack McMullen to talk about his new project.
“At its core, it’s a story about family – just set in the world of organised crime,” Liverpudlian actor Jack McMullen tells Wonderland. We’re diving into This City Is Ours, his newest project, an eight-part BBC One drama created and written by The Last Kingdom’s Stephen Butchard.
Starring alongside Sean Bean and James Nelson-Joyce, McMullen returns to his hometown of Liverpool for a Sopranos-infused, gangdrama that follows the Phelan family. Ronnie, the patriarch, has spent years ruling the Scouse drug-dealing scene. But now, he’s finally ready to retire. Which means… the top spot is up for grabs. Frustration, betrayal, violence, secrets—This City Is Ours isn’t for the faint-hearted. And sitting down with Wonderland, McMullen talks stepping into Jamie Phelan’s shoes, the brilliance of Butchard’s script, his creative upbringing, and what lies ahead. Keep reading…
Hi Jack, thanks for chatting with us! How are you today? And how are you feeling with the series release so close?
Hello! I’m good, thank you. The show has just landed on BBC iPlayer and the first episode was on BBC1 on Sunday. The reaction so far has been great so I think we’re all pleased that it seems to be going down well.
Before we dive into your new project, where did your story begin? Paint us a picture of your upbringing—where did you grow up, and who ignited your passion for acting?
I’d have to say my parents to be honest. I was lucky that I grew up in a supportive environment and was encouraged to try new things. I grew up in Liverpool and was quite a hyper-active kid, so I played a lot of sports and always wanted to be doing something. I went to an acting class and that was just something that stuck. I was always doing impressions and trying to make people laugh, and I found a place that encouraged my desire to mess about.
Congratulations on This City Is Ours! When did this project first cross your path, and what was the script’s initial punch? What about the story grabbed your attention from the start?
I was sent the first episode at the beginning of last year and I loved it, then I met with Simon Maloney (producer) and Saul Dibb (director) and I was really excited by the ideas they had for the show. Stephen Butchard’s first script was so strong and set the story up really well and I couldn’t wait to read more. I hadn’t read anything like it before, it’s got that sort of intense, fast-paced feel of a Kin or Line of Duty but at its core it’s a story about family, just set in the world of organised crime.
You’re no stranger to crime dramas. What’s it like exploring the darker sides of a role? Take us inside Jamie Phelan—what’s his journey like in TCIO, and what sparked your excitement about bringing him to life?
I think one of the things that is really strong about Stephen Butchard’s scripts is that all of his characters are flawed. We follow these people who sometimes do terrible things, and we don’t have to agree with their choices but we understand why they make them, and Jamie is no different. He’s been brought up around criminality and is very much a product of his environment. I don’t know what it’s like to live in that world, but a theme we can all identify with is wanting to be accepted, and that was my way in with Jamie. I think you can still see the child in him, on the cusp of being a man but not quite ready and just desperate to be taken seriously. We meet him at a point in his life where he is forced to step into shoes he’s not quite ready to fill, which makes him reckless at times and really fun to play.
Looking back at the characters you’ve played, from Waterloo Road to This City Is Ours, you’ve traversed a fascinating spectrum of British drama. If you could have a conversation with any of your past characters, who would it be, and what would you ask them?
I spent last year in Jamie’s head plotting and scheming on how to overthrow Michael, and I’d love to get the chance to do that again!
With This City Is Ours about to hit screens, what’s the core message or feeling you hope viewers walk away with?
I just hope people enjoy it, to be honest. I think some shows touch on important issues and have a message, but at its core I think television should be entertaining. We were careful not to glamourise the world of organised crime and showed the devastation it causes to communities, and I hope people find it a compelling piece of drama.
Returning to Liverpool for filming must have been a unique experience. How did shooting in your hometown shape your connection to the story?
When I first read the scripts there’s a bit that’s set in Seaforth docks and I was like wow – I used to be able to see them from my bedroom window as a kid, so it was special for me to be involved in such a great show so close to home. Liverpool is such a beautiful city and it’s amazing to see it shown in this way. For a long time Liverpool has doubled for London, Paris, New York etc. due to its versatile architecture. Our DP Joel Devlin has done a brilliant job of making the city one of the characters in this show and showing it in a way I’ve not seen before on screen.
Your character carries the weight of his father’s legacy. Were there any challenges in stepping into the shoes of a gang leader’s son? How did you tap into that mindset?
Yeah, I mean I know nothing of that world so you have to approach it from the perspective of things we can all identify with – the need to be seen, feeling undermined or wanting to feel respected. I think at the core of the story it’s about family, and this same dynamic could be played out in any walk of life. If Ronnie had a plumbing business I think Jamie would fight just as hard to step into his shoes, but I think people are fascinated by crime shows because the stakes are always so high and it delves into an underworld that’s all around us but most people don’t see.
How was your time on set, sharing this project with such powerful actors like Sean Bean and Julie Graham? Any favourite memories/lessons you learned from them?
I think we were so lucky to get the cast that we did, and starting in Spain was a good opportunity for us to bond early on. I know it’s a bit of a trope but we really were like a big family, and hopefully that translates on screen. There’s a few scenes we were all together dancing and having a laugh, I think they were probably my favourite to shoot. Julie and Sean are both brilliant actors and I learned a lot from both of them, I couldn’t ask for a better pair to play Jamie’s parents.
Looking ahead, what’s next for you? What excites you most about the future?
I’m all about embracing new experiences. I enjoy collaborating with different people and challenging myself to step outside my comfort zone. I don’t like to plan too far ahead, I just try to stay open and ready for whatever comes next.
This City Is Ours is available now on BBC iPlayer.
