Jack O’Connell Embraces Hollywood’s Dark New Star

Jack O’Connell has become a standout figure in Hollywood, known for his intense and memorable performances as some of the screen’s most terrifying villains. His portrayal of Irish vampire Remmick in Ryan Coogler’s 2025 film “Sinners” and his role as the sinister cult leader Sir Jimmy Crystal in “28 Years Later: The Bone Temple” have cemented his reputation as one of the industry’s most compelling antagonists.

O’Connell, who is 35 years old, admits that his recent roles as villains were not something he actively sought out. Instead, he credits his success to “sheer good fortune.” He says, “It was a bit of luck, maybe.”

In “28 Years Later: The Bone Temple,” which hits theaters on January 16, O’Connell plays Sir Jimmy Crystal, a character with a dark past and a twisted philosophy. The film takes place decades after Danny Boyle’s original “28 Days Later” and follows a post-apocalyptic version of the United Kingdom overrun by victims of a rage virus. In the first film, a young boy named Spike is attacked by the infected when a group of blond-haired people in track suits arrives to save him. These individuals are part of Sir Jimmy’s cult, and in “Bone Temple,” Spike becomes involved with this dangerous group.

Sir Jimmy’s backstory reveals a traumatic childhood. As a young Scottish boy, he witnessed his family being attacked during the outbreak. He fled to his vicar father’s church, where he was told to welcome the “day of judgment.” His father, a devout believer, allowed himself to be eaten by his infected “children” after Jimmy escaped. This event shaped Jimmy’s belief that his father was “Old Nick,” or Satan, and led him to commit atrocities in his name.

O’Connell describes the character as someone who has experienced extreme trauma. “We know that he’s gone through this horrific trauma, and not only your family’s ripped to shreds before your eyes but your father’s some sort of devout devotee of that, too. It’s going to mess you up, man,” he explains.

Despite the darkness of his character, there is a sense of joy and flamboyance in how Sir Jimmy carries out his actions. He wears a tiara, an upside-down cross, and has a flamboyant streak. O’Connell notes, “Early on, the words ‘twisted gaiety’ came to me. I was just reveling in that blackness. This philosophy is his religion. So you can sort of afford to really lean into that.”

“Out of everyone in the movie, he’s having the best time. Without question. So why not have fun with it?” he adds.

One of the director Nia DaCosta’s favorite scenes involves Sir Jimmy meeting Dr. Ian Kelson (Ralph Fiennes), an eccentric scientist trying to help both the living and the infected. DaCosta says, “Nothing [Jimmy] does is justified, but you’re like, oh, you’re broken and lonely and sad, just like everyone else. But you’re choosing to do horrible things, whereas some people are choosing to do science and happiness and experiments.”

DaCosta also sees a connection between O’Connell’s characters in “Bone Temple” and “Sinners.” “They’re both wanting family, interestingly. Which motivates a lot of people to do bad things,” she says.

In “Sinners,” O’Connell played Remmick, the leader of a musical band of vampires trying to get into a party thrown by Smoke and Stack (Michael B. Jordan in dual roles). Backed by those he’s turned, Remmick performs a chilling rendition of the folk tune “The Rocky Road to Dublin” in one of the film’s most memorable scenes.

O’Connell found the role deeply rewarding. “These are songs that are just with us because they have been handed to us from history. And for Remmick to represent that in a way that was so cleverly written, it was an immense joy,” he says.

He also expresses excitement about the film’s success and hopes to attend events like the Actor Awards in March and the Oscars if “Sinners” receives a best picture nomination.

O’Connell’s journey into acting began with roles portraying troubled youngsters, including his breakout performance on the British teen drama “Skins.” He later starred as a war hero in Angelina Jolie’s “Unbroken.” His recent villainous roles have reinforced his passion for acting. “I absolutely adore acting,” he says. “I would be scuppered if I wasn’t doing this. I’m not sure what else I’m good at.”

O’Connell is set to star in Danny Boyle’s upcoming journalism drama “Ink,” playing newspaper editor Larry Lamb as he is recruited to head up the British tabloid The Sun when it is bought by Rupert Murdoch (Guy Pearce) in the late 1960s. He also has a role in the big-budget “Godzilla x Kong: Supernova” scheduled for next year.

“It was nice to do something finally that my youngster can watch,” O’Connell says, referring to his 5-year-old daughter. “I haven’t racked up a lot of jobs that she could realistically watch yet.”

When asked if his daughter will enjoy seeing him as Remmick or Sir Jimmy, O’Connell laughs. “I don’t know if I’ll ever let her near Sir Jimmy.”