Line of Duty actor Tommy Jessop and his brother called on the likes of Game of Thrones star Kit Harington and Scream icon Neve Campbell amid their bid to make a groundbreaking Hollywood movie

When it comes to breaking America, the streets are littered with the broken dreams and severely dented egos of many a British actor.

So the thought of a pair of brothers turning up in Los Angeles with a hand-held camera and the hope of making the first Down syndrome superhero film seems unlikely to succeed. But then again when one of those brothers is Line of Duty star Tommy Jessop, who shot to fame in the show as murder suspect Terry Boyle, determination and a tendency to beat the odds is something he has in spades.

Soon 38-year-old Tommy and his brother Will have drafted in stars such as Game of Thrones’ Kit Harington and Scream actor Neve Campbell, charmed their way into a stunt training day to shoot an action trailer before flying out to LA in a bid to get a Hollywood movie – Roger the Superhero – made.

Tommy says: “I have watched countless superhero films in the past and I think it’s about time someone with Down syndrome should play a superhero. We should always be speaking up for the rights of people with Down syndrome so that we are able to make our own choices in life.”

And while his character in Line of Duty was watched by more than 12 million viewers, after the finale in 2021 Tommy has found work has been a little thin on the ground. Deciding to take matters into his own hands he teams up with his filmmaker brother Will to do a one-off BBC special, Tommy Jessop goes to Hollywood.

In the documentary, Tommy and Will employ various tactics to get Hollywood to notice Roger, including sending video messages to A-listers to ask them to play Tommy’s baddie, prompting GoT star Kit to read with Tommy for the role. Kit says: “My cousin, Laurent, has Down syndrome and I’ve always felt with him that he has abilities that I don’t have, and that people with Down syndrome don’t have.
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