Stephen Jones, originally from Tallaght, has performed across theatre and on TV, most recognisably in Love/Hate, Red Rock and his current play Class – which is about a parent-teacher meeting gone wrong.

Stephen studied in a creative writing group in Tallaght run by Larry O’Loughlin, author of numerous children and teen books. When the time for college came around, Stephen chose to study English and history in University College Dublin (UCD).

“I was writing and I thought maybe I’d go and be a teacher or a journalist. I did an arts degree in the subjects I was interested in just because you can then go on and do something else. I didn’t have to be nailed down to something specific. I was open to something coming to me.”

When O’Loughlin heard Stephen was attending UCD he suggested he join the drama society. The first play put on during his time at the collge was a play adaptation of the film 12 Angry Men.

“I just signed up for the drama society and I ended up acting in a play. That particular play – of the 12 guys in it – seven or eight are now professional actors or comedians. Once I did my first play I had the bug for it and then I started to pursue it as a career after college.”

Stephen has enjoyed support from many people in his life, including his parents, mentors and lecturers.

They were blown away, I think they were shocked. The more plays I did, it just seemed like a natural thing

“I had a lecturer in English who always came to the plays, he specialised in drama and he told my parents, ‘Stephen should forget about academics and go be an actor’.”

Stephen’s parents came to his first play and have been supportive of his career choice ever since.

“They were blown away, I think they were shocked. The more plays I did, it just seemed like a natural thing. They were like, ‘This is our son Stephen, he’s an actor’.”

Stephen recalls his parents asking him what he was going to do once he was finished with college.

“‘Well I’m going to try and be an actor’. It was never a big sit-down-at-the-table discussion about my life or career. They were never on my back, they never worried. They were always looking forward to the next play. That’s supportive, because they’re not on your back saying, ‘You need to get a real job’.”

In early 2013 Stephen gave up his part-time job in a call centre and remembers that moment he was out on his own as an actor.

“That was the moment I said to myself, ‘OK, you’re relying on yourself to pay your rent’.”

Separating the characters from the actor

Stephen has played plenty of “tough guy” parts throughout his career, but before that he also had comedic and multi-role parts. He had to try break away from that to get more serious parts.

“I’m definitely not like the Love/Hate characters or any characters like that.

There were a couple of scenes in Red Rock which were pretty hardcore

"My friends will always laugh because they know it’s the opposite of me. They’re like, ‘I don’t care how good of an actor you are, you’ll never convince us’.”

His family loved the tough guy roles with the exception of his nana and auntie, Stephen laughed sharing their reactions.

“There were a couple of scenes in Red Rock which were pretty hardcore and my Nana and my auntie were like ‘Oh, we couldn’t watch that, it was too scary’.”

Irish Country Living asks what Stephen is really like if he isn’t like the tough guys he plays? He ponders this for a moment.

There’s a philosophy that you can only bring yourself to a role

“I’m hardworking and I’m probably a pain in the ass when I’m in rehearsals because I like to get things right. I take what I do very seriously. I just try to be professional, but also have a bit of craic as well.”

“There’s a philosophy that you can only bring yourself to a role. It’s always different versions of yourself because we can’t be somebody else.”

Latest endeavour

In Class, Stephen plays a father attending a parent-teacher meeting.

“With this character, I’m not a father in real life but I get the sense of what it must be like. I have friends who are parents so it’s not about specifics, it’s more about understanding where he’s coming from. If I was in that position how would I feel about it?”

The life of an actor can be busy and uncertain. Stephen likes to keep himself busy and ensure that he has some projects lined up along with some downtime.

“It’s good to be busy in this game because there’s plenty of time off. When we’re busy, we’re happy.”

I’m taking a few weeks off to write in December. Then I’m doing another play in January or February next year

As if acting full time wasn’t enough, Stephen is also a talented playwright having written From Eden and Northern Lights.

His goal for next year is to get another big writing project off the ground with aspirations for the small screen again in the form of a six-part TV adaptation of one of his plays.

“I’m taking a few weeks off to write in December. Then I’m doing another play in January or February next year. You don’t know in this game, you’re just trying to keep three or four months ahead of yourself. This time next year, I don’t have a clue what I’ll be doing. I’m just hoping I’ll be in work.”

Class is touring theatres nationwide until November 30. For more information on where it will be next click here.