We’re fine, Jack! After BBC series Gentleman Jack is discontinued, Suranne cashes in on Jones by charging £90 to greet fans alongside co-star
She has made millions climbing the showbiz ladder of Coronation Street to Dr Foster, but Suranne Jones isn’t too proud to join the celebrities collecting money for autographs and selfies with fans.
the star of Mr Jack – the BBC drama about a 19th century lesbian landowner canceled last week after just two seasons – tops the bill at a convention where fans will have the chance to ‘meet and greet’ her for £80.
The appearance of Ms Jones, estimated to be worth £3.6million, is a sign, observers say, that even the most successful actors have come to see the need for financial security after the devastation wrought by the pandemic.
Before Gentleman Jack, Mrs. Jones, 43, spent four years on Coronation Street. She hit the big time ITV‘s Scott & Bailey and starring in the BBC’s Dr Foster.
Suranne Jones and Sophie Rundle in the TV series Gentleman Jack
Sophie Rundle, her co-star in Gentleman Jack, in which she shared steamy love scenes, will be joined by Sophie Rundle at the FanFusion convention in Birmingham next month.
As the biggest name at FanFusion, Mrs Jones’ fees are the highest – £37.50 for an autograph and £54 for a selfie – and she doesn’t show up until the last day.
Fans can pay to have their picture taken with 34-year-old Mrs Rundle and Mrs Jones for £90.
While the idea of stars with thriving careers asking for autographs and selfies may offend some, fans have been paying to meet actors since the first Comic-Con convention in 1970 in California.
Few working actors from traditional TV series or historical dramas would star at fan conventions. That all changed with Covid, according to a leading talent manager.
Professor Jonathan Shalit said: ‘Covid was a wake-up call for many actors.
‘Actors without savings suddenly had no work for more than a year.
Suranne Jones in the critically acclaimed TV series Gentleman Jack
“Elite actors wouldn’t touch things like this before, but now people realize it’s very important to be able to pay your bills and have financial security.”
He added: ‘Suranne Jones is a fantastic Bafta-winning actor, but she is not a global star. The money she makes won’t be as big as you might think. Television dramas in the UK don’t pay a fortune.
“Signing autographs is a win-win situation – you can earn money and the audience meets you, it gives them a lot of fun.”
The FanFusion Convention is billed as “a three-day convention aiming to celebrate women in television, film and the arts.” The organizers claim it will run ‘with a minimum margin’, although tickets cost between £120 and £1,000. On its website, the organizer added: ‘FanFusionUK is committed to creating a safe and positive environment for all fandoms to honor representation.’
Eight lesser-known female actors from shows like The 100, Xena, Lost Girl, Good Witch and Wynonna Earp will be in attendance.
Mrs Jones and Mrs Rundle, who both declined to comment, have gained a cult following for their on-screen romance in 1830s Yorkshire in Gentleman Jack, which became a hit for the BBC but was pulled by US sponsors HBO.
Two years ago, The Mail on Sunday revealed that Ms Rundle, whose credits include Peaky Blinders and Bodyguard, had made more primetime terrestrial TV appearances than anyone in the previous two years.
Nice work, Sherlock… £240,000 to pose with an audience!
Even some of Britain’s biggest stars have been drawn to the tantalizing combination of meeting adoring fans and boosting bank balances.
Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch, whose roles in Hollywood films such as The Power Of The Dog and the Avengers series have netted him an estimated net worth of £30 million, is said to have made £240,000 posing for more than 3,000 photos with fans at a 2017 convention.
Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch, whose roles in Hollywood films such as The Power Of The Dog and the Avengers series have netted him an estimated net worth of £30 million, is said to have made £240,000 posing for more than 3,000 photos with fans at a 2017 convention
His winnings at the London Film and Comic Convention could have been even higher, as during the two-day event, fans paid £85 for an autograph and £25 to hear him speak to an audience, along with £75 for a selfie.
The following year, some fans complained about the high prices charged by former Doctor Who star Peter Capaldi at London Comic-Con, with £75 for an autograph and £65 for a photo with the star.
Talent manager Jonathan Shalit said: “Comic-Con has really made fan events around the world huge.
‘Stakeholders can sit at a table and make a lot of money – over £10,000 a day.’