“Creating another person–bringing a person to life, creating a character that people want to watch, someone that audiences respond to,” is the greatest joy of acting for British actress and Boise resident Jane Merrow, who has performed in over 80 film and television projects as well as on stage. Merrow knew she wanted to perform since the age of 8 and her family supported her passion.
Performing in London as “Hilary” in Country Dance, a James Kennaway play, led to a chance to audition for the part of Alais in The Lion in Winter. During her audition, she acted opposite Peter O’Toole, doing a scene from Country Dance as she did it on stage. O’Toole told her, “I don’t believe a word you’re saying.” Merrow learned, “On film you’ve got to believe and make the audience believe everything you’re thinking and doing. The camera captures everything. On stage you can get away with doing it technically. On film you have to be truthful.”
Merrow landed the role of “Alais,” the mistress of Henry II, in the film The Lion in Winter (1968), in which she co-starred with Peter O’Toole, Katharine Hepburn and Anthony Hopkins. The role earned her a Golden Globe nomination as Best Supporting Actress. “What made the film a success was the relationship the actors had with each other. That really made that film. It started with Peter. He loved acting. I got that. I feel the same way.”
O’Toole counseled Merrow: “Keep your eyes still. Focus your eyes on the center of the face or on one eye or the other.” Hepburn taught her how to cry on screen. Merrow reflects, “There’s nothing like working with the best.”
One of her beloved TV projects was Secret Agent with Patrick McGoohan (titled Dangerman in the UK). Working with McGoohan was “exciting, like a roller coaster. He had a powerful personality and lots of charisma. It was a fun part–like playing tennis with someone.”
In summer 2022 Merrow traveled to Ireland to appear in a documentary about Peter O'Toole directed by Jim Sheridan called Along the Skye Road to Aqaba due to be released on Britbox this year. “It was a wonderful experience. I talk about working with Peter. Other actors doing the same include Sir Anthony Hopkins, Sir Kenneth Branagh, Brian Cox and Dame Sian Phillips (Peter's ex- wife).”
Merrow recently returned to the British stage portraying Lady MacBeth at the Groundlings Theatre. “You have to keep working on your voice and learn your lines.” Another role she’d like to play is Gertrude in Hamlet because a “mother/son relationship is always interesting.”Gertrude marries her husband’s brother. “Just because we get older doesn’t mean we can’t fall in love again.”
Idaho’s film community “has helped me meet many interesting people and get the new phase of my work going.” Merrow starred in a silent short filmed in Boise with a surprise ending called Cougar; recently worked with two actors from her past, Derren Nesbitt and Vernon Dotcheff, while filming The Haunting of Margam Castle in the U.K.; and created New Chilling Tales, a series of short films based on classic horror stories, including The Yellow Wallpaper in which she plays a woman overcome by fear. “I am an actor and my career was somewhat stalled and I decided that I would create my own work. I had fallen in love with the Internet and could see its potential for delivering films to an audience.” With many short classic horror stories in the public domain, Merrow found her new passion. Merrow also is reading M.Z. Andrews’ A Coffee Coven's Cozy Capers for audible–which features “silly witches that live in modern life. It’s funny and tremendous fun.” In this project, she uses only one of her tools–her voice, and she has to quickly switch from one character and voice to another.
To filmmakers, Merrow offers these words of wisdom: “There is no point in making a film nobody wants to see. That’s why I’m tying into stories people love to read.”
Merrow has advice for actors in her book Being An Actor, available online. “Be prepared. Always learn your lines, build stamina and be prepared for disappointment and rejection.”
Merrow shares sage wisdom to attain success for all of us. “Surround yourself with good talented people. Stick with it. Keep your eye on the prize and stay in the race.”
Jane Merrow ‘s website is JaneMerrow.com
