Jessica Frances Dukes says her role in Ozark gave her invaluable experience for her new crime drama The Westies.
Jessica Frances Dukes at the European premiere of The Westies
The 45-year-old actress previously starred as Special Agent Maya Miller in the hit Netflix series and she will next be seen in the upcoming MGM+ show which has been written and produced by Chris Brancato and Michael Panes and focuses on the Irish-American organised crime gang the Westies who operated in New York.
Jessica plays Birdie Polk in The Westies, an FBI Special Agent leading a Task Force investigating the Italian Mafia, and she was able to take a lot from her Ozark role and what she learned from her Ozark co-stars Jason Bateman and Laura Linney to portray Birdie.
Speaking to BANG Showbiz at the European premiere of The Westies in London, Jessica said: “Being in the room with Jason Bateman, being in the room with Laura Linney is just a dream come true and I learnt so much from them. And I was able to take that experience into every single show I do, every single role I do. And FBI-wise, you know Maya Miller was actually an accountant that the FBI hired. Birdie is the FBI and it’s so exciting to sort of be a completely different version of what that means.”
The Westies is set in 1980s New York Hell’s Kitchen during the construction of the Jacob Javits Convention Center, exploring the ruthless brutality of the Irish gang and their rise to power despite being outnumbered 50-1 by the Five Families of the Italian Mafia.
Dukes’ portrayal of the role considers challenges of the internal dynamics faced within New York’s police force during the time period and the driving success factor for her character.
She added: “This means a lot for her to get this done, you know. I think being a woman on the force and being a special agent in charge, there’s a lot of people on top waiting for her to fail. And so, above anything she’s got to be the one to catch these guys and she will do it by any means necessary.
“It wasn’t heard of to have a woman at the head of the task force at this time. This is where Chris [Brancato] and Michael [Panes] have kind of taken their own artistic freedom but it means so much to be the person that they chose to be in charge of the task force. She’s gone get her guy, I don’t know when but she’s gone get him!”
Jessica reveals the embodiment of her character, Birdie, incorporates similarities to her own characteristics as a person.
She explained: “She’s ballsy, she’s take no charge. She is not sensitive with feelings, and you need that to succeed, including your own you can’t get too attached. I love that about her, her tenacity, her determination is absolutely 1000 per cent me.
“She’s not gonna take no. I’m very excited to be playing her.”
Jessica stars alongside Oscar winner, J.K Simmons, Tom Brittney and Titus Welliver and The Westies will premiere on Sunday, July 12 on MGM+.
