Talk with Jasmine Blackbarrow

Jasmine Blackborrow

Actually, no. I loved acting growing up—I was always in school plays and did drama, but I didn’t see it as a career path for me as someone from a lower-middle class background without connections. However, I studied English and Drama at university and one of my tutors really pushed me to apply for a postgraduate drama school and made me realize that I had options. I managed to get into Central, and things started falling into place after that.

Jasmine Blackborrow

My first big job was thanks to one of my drama school tutors, who took me out to Australia and New Zealand to do something called the Pop Up Globe. He cast me as Desdemona in Othello. I ended up spending about a year and a half there—first in Auckland, then in Melbourne. They rebuilt the Globe Theatre in both places, and we performed in front of around 200,000 people. It was huge.

Jasmine Blackborrow

No, actually, a lot of my appreciation stems from my husband and his recognition of provenance. We met when we were at university. His family are farmers, so he had this deep understanding of agriculture. His mum is an excellent cook, and his dad was a journalist and a wine critic, so Luke was influenced about making things from the earth from a young age. He became a cider maker as a good blend of all his interests. He was really inspired by the French methods and spent time in Normandy to hone his skills. There are actually a lot of crossovers with cider and wine making. For example, he uses specific fruit varieties to create different flavor profiles, much like how grapes are selected for wine. Plus, every batch is seasonal, so it’s always a little different depending on the year’s conditions. But since meeting him, I’ve been so lucky with work and travel. My time in Australia and New Zealand in particular was a real eye-opener for my palate. I stayed with this amazing woman in Auckland who introduced me to new world Chardonnay—it was buttery, soft, and completely different from what I expected so she completely changed my mind about the grape.

Jasmine Blackborrow

Yes, it's a French production that's just aired on Canal+, but filmed in English to reach global audiences. We're now in the second season and have won an award for our worldwide viewing figures. The production combines a French company with an English scriptwriter and an international cast—including a German Marie Antoinette and bilingual French actors with English backgrounds. Living in Paris during filming was wonderful. During the first season, I was living in the Marais in this gorgeous penthouse apartment. It was during COVID, so I was a bit restricted, but my partner, now husband, would come out with our dog and stay for extended periods.

Jasmine Blackborrow

The days are incredibly long and demanding. We're often picked up at four or five in the morning, driven to the Château of that day’s filming, and then the transformation begins. The hair and makeup process alone takes over two hours. The hair team are extraordinary geniuses, they create elaborate styles with wigs that incorporate my real hair for a seamless blend. Then there's makeup for another forty-five minutes. The costumes add another layer of complexity, they are all handmade and fitted with absolute precision. Getting into costume takes another half hour because of the corsets, which need to warm to your body before being fully tightened. After a full day of filming in these elaborate outfits, I look forward to unwinding with a crisp glass of white wine or a lovely red to finish the day.

Jasmine Blackborrow

Yes! Recently, I was working in Serbia, which was fascinating. They have ancient grape varieties there that you just can’t find in the UK. They are most known for their red grape, Prokupac. But I fell in love with a white wine made from the Tamjanika grape, (a variety of Muscat). The terroir there brings out an incredible minerality with soft fruit flavors. It’s a profile I now seek out when I’m looking for white wines.

Jasmine Blackborrow

I think there’s definitely potential. Wines from countries like Romania, Hungary, and Austria are also incredible, and they’re starting to gain more recognition. It’s just about getting people to try them and see how good they are. They’re so often overlooked, especially in supermarkets, but they’re truly exceptional wines.

Jasmine Blackborrow

Oh, yes. One that really sticks out was when Luke and I were gifted a bottle of Lynch-Bages 1994 by his stepfather. We opened it in 2019, and it was so good. Luke made an incredible steak, and it all just came together for an amazing evening. It wasn’t for any particular occasion— the wine was the celebration and it felt like a very special moment.

Jasmine Blackborrow

I remember last summer, I met up with a girlfriend at our local urban winery, Renegade in North London. I was craving something light and refreshing and they suggested a chilled Pinot Noir. Honestly, I was a bit skeptical at first, but it was incredible. I was completely converted and will continue to chill reds this summer.

Jasmine Blackborrow

Quite a lot! We start filming season two of The Gentleman on Netflix this April. Later this year, Moss and Freud, a biopic about Kate Moss posing for Lucian Freud, will be released. I play his daughter, fashion designer Bella Freud. Finally, I am about to begin work on a new Netflix project called Legends. I can’t say too much about it yet, as it hasn't been officially announced, but it's a thrilling drama about customs officers in the 90s battling heroin gangs. I have a leading role, and I’m so excited about it!