EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW AND PHOTOS
Playful and vibrant as she strikes a series of dramatic poses for the camera, actress Shantol Jackson is clearly loving every minute of her exclusive photoshoot for hello!.
Despite declaring herself “not a fashionista at all”, the Death in Paradise star looks a complete natural as she models a selection of cool and colourful designs.
“I have very little fashion sense, so I get people I trust to do this,” says Shantol, 31, adding that the shoot has been the highlight of her stay in London, where the star – born and based in Jamaica – has been promoting the new series of the hit BBC show she’s been part of for three years. “I love London. I call it my ‘second city’,” she says.
Although it was Death in Paradise’s costume designer Lisa Phillips-Dodsworth who sparked the actress’s interest in fashion and bright colours – “she’s really good at finding things that fit my skin tone and pays so much respect to my culture”, Shantol says – she was equally happy wearing the uniform of a police officer before her character was promoted to the rank of detective sergeant.
“I won’t lie, I did love my uniform,” she says with a laugh.
PERSISTENCE PAYS OFF
Shantol landed the part as intuitive police officer Naomi Thomas in the show, which is filmed on the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, in 2021 – but securing the role wasn’t all plain sailing.
“I auditioned a year after getting my agent and I didn’t get the job,” she says. “They said: ‘We really like your tape; you’re just not the right fit for this particular role.’
“At the time, I couldn’t understand it, so I cried. My manager in Jamaica got so excited and then it didn’t happen. I was so disappointed.
“Then, a few years later, my agent said: ‘So you remember that audition you did for Death in Paradise?? They think they have a role that’s good for you now.’ I said: ‘What?!’”
Her “chemistry read” audition had to be done from her home near Kingston, the Jamaican capital, over Zoom – not helped by the fact that building work was going on nearby.
“I had to go next door and ask the men please to kindly stop their work. I said: ‘Could you just give me ten minutes?” They were very kind and gave me about eight minutes,” she laughs.
