Originally from Cheltenham, in Gloucestershire, England, Mark and Jon Norris, first rose to success as two of the fashion industry’s most sought after models, but they have since gone on to make their mark on the international film industry as well.
Today, Mark and Jon Norris, often referred to as ‘The Norris Twins’, find themselves acting alongside some of the best actors the world has to offer, but they are not fazed. “I have found that growing up surrounded by actors and directors has enabled me to transition in to the competitive world of film and television very easily, I am not fazed by big sets and big productions,” explained Jon Norris. “It also made me a confident performer very quickly which is an attribute you need a lot of when casting takes place.”
In their most recent film Jupiter Ascending, Jon and Mark Norris can be found acting alongside multi-award winning actors Channing Tatum from 22 Jump Street, White House Down, Side Effects and This Is the End, and Golden Globe nominee Mila Kunis from Black Swan, Forgetting Sarah Marshall and That ‘70s Show. Written and directed by renowned directing duo Andy and Lana Wachowski, Jupiter Ascending is a science-fiction film scheduled for released next year. The Wachowski’s have received countless awards over the course of their careers including the Saturn Award for Best Director and two Jupiter Awards for Best International Director. They are best known for The Matrix trilogy, as well as the films Cloud Atlas, Bound and Speed Racer.
While the Norris twins were catapulted to the top of the modeling world at record speed, their acting journey is one that began much earlier. Jon and Mark Norris began honing their acting crafts in local theater productions in their youth.
“We first got introduced to the world of acting when our parents took us to a local playhouse in the Cotswolds where we took drama classes. We spent a lot of our teenage years in local classes, involved in and around the local theatre where we lived,” explained Mark Norris.
Their most recent theater productions include Rabbit, Boys in the Band, The Notebook and Closer. While they had no idea how far they would go in the industry, their love for developing and becoming various characters, as well as the fulfilling interactions and self-awareness that came from working with other actors, motivated them to perfect their talents with unwavering dedication.
“Acting is an interesting thing, when you get into it, it’s addictive. You get the ‘acting bug,’ and you just want to keep developing your craft, and pushing yourself beyond your limits on stage,” said Mark Norris.
Prior to being cast in Jupiter Ascending, the Norris brothers played the critical roles of Danny (Mark Norris) and David Briggs (Jon Norris) in the 2013 film Psychology of Secrets. The film follows a destitute woman named Samantha who, with the help of a psychologist, tries to pick up the pieces of her life and move past depression after two failed marriages and a painful past.
Mark gives a knockout performance in the role of Danny Briggs, Samantha’s first husband. Handsome and debonair, Danny appears to be every woman’s dream lover, but harboring a dark side, the audience soon finds out the reason Danny and Samantha’s marriage failed is because he attempted to have her murdered by hiring a hit man. In Psychology of Secrets Mark and Jon Norris starred alongside Kerri J. Baldwin from the films Identity Thief, Beat Street Resurrection and Ride Along, Deborah Childs from the films Chosen, The Green Room, Upside, IMagine and Desires of the Heart, and Bradford Haynes from Flight, Cupid’s Requiem, The Change-up, The Watch and Parental Guidance.
The Norris twins also starred in the film Hall of Fame, which aired during the music tour of the well-known band The Script. Directed by Josiah Newbolt, the film follows Josh played by Jon Norris, and Jake played by Mark Norris.
“Josh was a character that many people I think can see in themselves in some shape or form, whatever life journey you are on, there’s always an aim, something that would be your end goal and to portray Josh in a unique way was important to me,” said Jon Norris.
At first glance, the film appears to follow one man as he embarks on a physically and mentally challenging journey accompanied by a ghost-like motivator who appears when the man thinks he can push himself no further. Director Josiah Newbolt uses the twin factor to create a unique dynamic, which begs the audience to question identity as Josh and Jake interchange roles as the ghost and the man as the film progresses. Hall of Fame was inspired by The Script’s multi-platinum single ‘Hall of Fame,’ which features will.i.am from The Black Eyed Peas.
While they have individually taken on a vast range of characters, the Norris brothers equally agree that their most beloved roles to date were those of Hoy (Mark Norris) and Hunter Chambers (Jon Norris) in Team Panache.
“I would have to say my favorite role so far has been Hunter Chambers in Team Panache, as it was a character that was fun to play and the role was well suited to me. It gave me a challenge, which is what I always try to look for when choosing roles,” explained Jon Norris. “I was able to really understand the background to Hunter, and it resonated well with myself.”
Produced by Brian Belo and Ben Shillitois, Team Panache is a dramedy series set in a mock-up world of reality television. The produces are currently in talks with broadcasting giant MTV UK, which has hinted at adding the series to their roster in the coming months
“I remember reading the script for the first time, and I instantly connected with it. I was passionate about how the world linked together within it, and how unique and relevant it was to today’s society and pop culture. It was an instant hit,” explained Mark Norris.
With an incredible acting and modeling repertoire already under their belt, and two upcoming feature films, it is a guarantee that we will definitely be seeing more from these talented twins for years to come.