Jonny Owen

Q: WHAT DOES “NEVER CONFORM, ALWAYS EVOLVE” MEAN FOR YOU?

It’s means you have to keep moving and developing to survive. I think there’s a lot of truth in that. People often say the Darwin quote wrong don’t they? Only the strongest survive, he actually said it’s those who can adapt that survive and he’s right. Life is always changing, always evolving and you have to move with it. The moment you do conform your giving up really. You’re settling and that’s the road to misery. You’ll always have an itch about the chances you should have taken. 

Q: WHY ARE YOU A VOICE OF DEFIANCE?

My home town of Merthyr Tydfil has a slogan. Rebels since 1831. There was a very famous rising in the town where the workers took control. My ancestors would have been part of that and it came down the generations. The idea that you’re not better than anyone but you’re as good as them. They were Miners and Iron Workers. Women as well as men. They formed Unions. They believed in equality and justice. I think that ends up in your blood. It’s written in your DNA that you always stand up for what you believe in. That defiance beats in your heart. 

Q: WHAT’S ONE WAY YOU HAVE DEFIED THE ODDS?

Well I have no history in my family of working in what you’d call the media. My paternal grandfather worked hard as a newsagent but also had an amazing voice and would sing round the clubs and he helped bring me up so I seen someone who was artistic. He was a huge influence on me and always encouraged me. I didn’t have a template though. I had no idea about how I’d end up acting and making films. That’s what I’m most proud about. That I’ve come from a very ordinary (very loving) working class background and ended up making a career in a world that seemed light years away when I was growing up. I always tell kids from my home town, you can do it too. Because they can. 

Q: WHAT’S THE HARDEST CHOICE YOU’VE HAD TO MAKE?

Moving to London was a big decision for me as I loved growing up in Wales. To be honest I never thought I’d leave but I decided to go for it after almost a decade of working at ITV Wales. I had no idea about what I’d do but I started this online series called Svengali with Dean Cavanagh and it became very popular and then I was away. Sometimes you have to look over the edge and leap. 

Q: WHAT LESSON DO YOU LIVE BY?

I say to my daughter and nephews to always turn up. You’ll be amazed how flakey people are and if you get a reputation for being reliable you’ll genuinely pass the vast majority of people. When you do turn up work hard. Give it your best and always be polite. Sometimes you’ll meet people who aren’t nice and you have to stand up for yourself of course but mostly people are decent and respond to a smile and friendly handshake. You soon work out who the good folk are and when you find them, hold onto them. 

Q: WHO OR WHAT SHAPED YOUR APPROACH?

I’d say my family of course. As I say above I was very lucky to have a loving family. A big classic working class extended family too. That gives you a good start. I had a great schooling in the south wales valleys with lots of friends. As you get older you really realise how lucky you are to have all that. Artistically though I was (and still am) a huge fan of Paul Weller. I’m old enough to have been around when The Jam were too and from him (and him telling us in his interviews) about The Beatles and Stax and Motown, he gave us the roadmap for it all really. I’m lucky enough to have to got to know him now and I was so pleased to tell him. He’s a top guy too. Also, Richard Burton was massive for me. I read his autobiography (the one by Melvyn Bragg) as a kid and it really resonated with me because of the background he came from. Welsh Mining and really tough. But where he ended up and what he did with his life really resonated with me.