The world of acting is one that calls out to many at a young age. Yet for Francis Lovehall, the acting bug didn’t catch him until he became a newfound adult, destined to find a different path that spoke to him. “I didn’t see myself as an actor or filmmaker. I was a footballer in my mind, and that’s what I wholeheartedly pursued until the age of 18 when, I finally went pro and realized it wasn’t my dream at all. It’s funny how far we go to pursue the dreams of the people we look up to,” he explains on his decision to make the change. “I remember thinking ‘Everyone’s going to think I failed, I gave up.’ I just didn’t want to do that for my life anymore.”

With a shift in gear, Lovehall went on to study at London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and even made his professional debut in Nicholas Hytner’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream at The Bridge theater. “My training was so intense and varied that I honestly felt very equipped to deal with anything thrown at me,” he notes. “Maybe too equipped–it made me hungry! Looking back, it was my time to learn and observe. I had to rightfully know how to follow before I could lead, and that was my lesson learned.” With his studies in acting preparing him for what’s to come, Lovehall quickly nabbed the role of Reggie in Steve McQueen’s film Lover’s Rock for his on-screen debut. “Being from Jamaica, I just didn’t think I’d get the opportunity so soon to play a role like that; it was important for me. Not just as a piece of work that will now forever be a part of an incredible cannon of Black stories, but as a means to start how I intend to go on,” he explains. “Telling stories about real people, real experiences, without compromising the narrative.”

With this notion guiding him, Lovehall’s latest role in Steven Knight’s new series A Thousand Blows for Disney+ promises to evolve his approach to authentic storytelling. “I was mostly inspired reading a story centered around two Black men who weren’t going through some version of physical or psychological abuse. These were men simply trying to pursue their dreams like every human being is. I’m drawn to brave storytelling.”

VMAN: Talk to us about how you first got into acting—did you always admire film, television, and theater growing up? What was the spark that made you want to get into this world?

FRANCIS LOVEHALL: It’s interesting. Theatre definitely not. That was just a place I would see and I’d think, “woah that looks expensive.” I think maybe my mum would even say that every time we walked past one–I don’t know, it never seemed accessible. I think film has always been a part of my life though, but organically. It’s not something I noticed at the time. I grew up with Blockbuster. I’m not sure if you guys know what that is but it was basically Netflix before Netflix was a concept. Only difference was it was all real. All tangible. Meaning, you’d go into this amazing shop and see this beautiful, vast collection of films, box sets, even VCR. I loved it so much–I miss that. I remember that if you were a member you could go in everyday and borrow what you’d like as long as you brought it back–now that I think about it, it was simply a library for films. I remember going there after school with my sister regularly. As soon as we’d finished what we borrowed, I was so gassed to pick up what we’d be watching next! I think if I remember correctly you could only borrow three at a time on one account so it was always a debate–one I regularly lost [*laughs*]. I’d get to pick one, and as she’s older, she got to pick two. I was pissed, I’m not going to lie, but funnily enough it was good for me. It made me watch things I probably would never have seen. For instance A Little Princess by Alfonso Cuarón–a film I’ve watched over 300 times. I’m not joking, I mean it. She would not return this movie! I fell in love with storytelling through that film, and I see that now. Of course this is how I felt about The Matrix too, but A Little Princess had me in awe, and I would never have seen it had it just been me choosing. 

(cont…) The simple answer is no, I didn’t see myself as an actor/ filmmaker. I was a footballer in my mind, and that’s what I wholeheartedly pursued until the age of 18 when I finally went pro and realised it wasn’t my dream at all. It’s funny that–how far we go to pursue the dreams of the people we look up to. I was so scared to change that. I remember thinking everyone’s going to think I failed, I gave up. I didn’t though–I made it. I just didn’t want to do that for my life anymore. I was inspired by my best friend and fellow actor Romario Simpson to go to college and study it after a conversation we had on the phone. Others planted the same seed, and they know who they are, but that conversation gave me the courage to be honest with my fear of change. For the first time I didn’t feel judged for wanting to change my dream.

VMAN: Making your professional theater debut in a production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream at The Bridge, what did this experience teach you about the world of theater and your place in it? 

FL: I’m not sure if my experience at The Bridge taught me anything different from my Experience at RADA about the theatre world. I mean, this was a professional theatre so maybe I’m underestimating that difference, but my training was so intense and varied that I honestly felt very equipped to deal with anything thrown at me. Maybe too equipped! It made me hungry! I booked the roll of Starvelling, but I was understudying the incredible Hammed Animashaun, who played Bottom, who is actually a genius. I was also understudying Demetrius in the production. I remember thinking, ‘Let me do this, I can play these parts. I want to lead!’ Looking back it was my time to learn and observe – but having just left drama school where I was juggling 6 characters through different eras, I thought playing 3 characters would be easier, right? Well I was wrong. There’s more to it of course. I had to rightfully know how to follow before I could lead, and that was my lesson learnt. 

VMAN: Going on to do more theater roles in the years that followed, you managed to also enter the world of film and television. Walk us through that pivot a bit—was going from theater to television/film something you had always intended on doing? Were you ever a bit hesitant to make that shift?

FL: In this industry I remember being told by so many people to “just work.” Do everything you get the opportunity to do. But I’m not going to lie,  I did not agree with this sentiment. Not at all. I was stubborn and when it comes to my art even more so. I wanted to do what I want, I want to create what I don’t see, and I’m inspired by the truths that most people are scared to confront. I’m interested in telling stories, real ones and not just regurgitations of stories that are deemed good or popular. Which I think is so common, it’s boring. I was so blessed to have my screen debut be in Steve McQueen’s Lover’s Rock. A story I’ve held so close to me. Being from Jamaica, I just didn’t think I’d get the opportunity so soon to play a role like that. It was important for me. Not just as a piece of work that will now forever be apart of an incredible cannon of black stories – but as a means to start how I intent to go on. Telling stories about real people, real experiences. Without compromising the narrative. 

VMAN: This season, you’re set to star as one of the main characters in the Disney+ series A Thousand Blows. What was your first reaction to the plot of the series when you first read the script?

FL: I was interested. Mostly inspired reading a story centred around two black men, who weren’t going through some version of physical/ psychological abuse. These were men simply trying to pursue their dreams, like every human being is. I’m drawn to brave storytelling. And even though the show isn’t what it was when I first read the script–which is common in filmmaking–I still think it’s holds a truth that this industry often ignores at its own detriment. The truth is integral, and our contribution to that truth must be held with care. We have the power to re-write history at times, and I believe what Uncle Ben said to Spiderman: “With great power, comes great responsibility.” The show is about survival, love and most importantly sacrifice, and I truly believe these are concepts that we all struggle with. Every being. Not just humans. Animals, even plants have the same passion for life. We all want to live freely not just survive. There’s a difference I think.

VMAN: What do you like most about your character, Alec? How were you able to get into the mindset of what he goes through in finding his place in the show’s setting?

FL: Alec is integral. He is a lover and a dreamer. He’s brave and holds his head high in a world that constantly tells him to lower it and his expectations. He’s a Jamaican man unapologetically and loves the country in which he was born and grew up in. He’s proud but reasonable, and nothing can make him go against his values and what he believes in. He’s a fighter through and through! A gentleman in the truest sense of word. It was an honour playing him.

VMAN: Could you describe what the on-set camaraderie was like working with Malachi Kirby?

FL: Working with Malachai every day honestly was the highlight of my time on this project. To learn and be in the presence of such exceptional talent is something I still think back on every day. Our time together and the brotherhood we formed was integral to the truth-telling of these men’s stories. I would not have been able to do it without him. He was a person I looked up to as an actor before we met. And even so, I could never have imagined he would surpass all my expectations as a person. I felt so supported in my choices and my instincts when working with him. It would be an honour to do so again. 

This story appears in the pages of VMAN 54: now available for purchase!

Photography Charlotte Hadden

Fashion Davey Sutton

Grooming Olivia Cochrane (Werth Represents) using Dior Forever Foundation

Videographer Matthew Labudda

Production The Production Factory

Retouching Hempstead May

1st Photo assistant Michael Hani

Fashion assistant Vini Chenoweth-Bell

Grooming assistant Berivan Er

Casting Kevin Ponce