Catherine Zeta-Jones has revealed she grounded her performance in the new Prime series Kill Jackie by drawing on comedic Welsh individuals she knows personally. The actress, a native of the Mumbles, stars as Jackie Price, a former cocaine distributor hunted by hitmen. The project marks a milestone as the first drama she has filmed in Wales and the first time she has portrayed a character using her authentic Swansea accent.
Speaking to BBC Radio Wales, Zeta-Jones explained that while the source material, the book The Price You Pay, centres on a male character named Jack set in the United States, the adaptation transformed him into a female lead. “I told my creative team I want to play her Welsh, and they went, OK,” she said. She noted that her decision was driven by a desire to add nuance and authenticity to the role, having never previously performed with a genuine Welsh accent or filmed on location in her home country.
Zeta-Jones, who also serves as an executive producer, attributed the character’s comedic timing to the natural rhythm of the accent. “I played on people I know in Wales, people who are comedic. The accent makes it funny and real and true, but the character comes from a tough side of Swansea, which we do have as well,” she stated.
Beyond the performance, the actress contributed creatively to a specific action sequence involving Welsh music legend Tom Jones. She proposed a scene where Jackie Price’s high-tech security system is concealed behind Andy Warhol-style portraits of the singer, which lift to reveal machine guns. Zeta-Jones admitted she was unsure if Jones was aware of his pivotal narrative role and considered contacting him directly.
Since announcing the series, fans have celebrated the return of the actress’s native dialect. Responding on BBC Woman’s Hour, Zeta-Jones expressed delight at the volume of viewers who recognised the accent, saying it made her “very happy.” The thriller is scheduled to premiere on October 2.
In other remarks, Zeta-Jones addressed the concept of “nepo babies,” a term she described as “horrific.” While acknowledging her husband Michael Douglas, son of Hollywood icon Kirk Douglas, is the “ultimate nepo baby,” she praised how their children, Dylan and Carys, have handled public scrutiny. Additionally, she joked about turning down an invitation to appear on the documentary series Welcome To Wrexham, citing her lifelong allegiance to Swansea City Football Club over the Welsh town of Wrexham.
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