Actor Connor Jessup: In addition to acting, Jessup also writes and directs. He is known for his roles as Ben Mason on the science fiction television series Falling Skies (2011–2015), Taylor Blaine and Coy Henson in the ABC anthology series American Crime (2016–2017), and Tyler Locke in the Netflix series Locke & Key (since 2020). Additionally, he has appeared in feature films, including Blackbird (2012) and Closet Monster (2015), which both won awards
As a child actor, Jessup began acting at the age of 11. Among his early jobs was a role in a stage adaptation of The Full Monty, but he was also credited with conceptualizing one episode’s plot for the children’s television show The Saddle Club. Amy George, which screened at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival, was executive produced by him.
Influences
He has expressed an interest in Japanese film and culture as a director and has said in interviews he has been heavily influenced by East Asian cinema, including Hirokazu Kore-eda, Edward Yang, Yasujirō Ozu, Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata, and Apichatpong Weerasethakul. Among the directors he admires are Abbas Kiarostami, Andrew Haigh, and Ira Sachs.
In June 2019, Jessup came out publicly on Instagram as gay.