In conversation with Jayden Elijah: «I was a quiet kid, well that’s what my mom says»

words Anna Prudhomme

Currently seen starring in Oscar-nominated filmmaker Dee Rees newest TV show, Saint X, Jayden Elijah, opens up to Lampoon digital edition

Growing up on set: From musical theater to TV shows

Currently starring in Hulu’s television adaptation of Saint X — based on Alexis Schaitkin’s novel — Jayden Elijah is an up-and-coming British actor. Born and raised in East London, twenty-two-year-old Elijah had always been destined to act. He started when he was six years old and got a part in The Lion King, a musical produced in the West End (London).

«I was a quiet kid, not the class clown but always needed to express what was in my heart – well that’s what my mom says», said Elijah. At fourteen he played a leading role in British children’s television series Hank Zipzer that streamed on HBO Max and BBC iPlayer. The show ran for three seasons from 2014 to 2016 allowing the British actor to learn the terminology and practicality of working on a set. «That was basically my childhood – I remember being exposed to the set dynamic and finding my way around at a very young age», he explained.

Jayden Elijah — Recalibrating his acting skills

After those experiences, Elijah needed to take a break from acting. «I felt I needed to recalibrate, if I still wanted to act and how I wanted to act, because acting as a child is different to acting as an adult», he explains. For a couple of years, Jayden Elijah started studying again. He took psychology courses, did a part-time drama school The Identity School of Acting and studied musical theater for a year. With twelve other actors he is part of a group, along with teachers, facilitators, actors, directors or writers. «I’m always trying to make sure I’m learning and absorbing wisdom from other people», said the young actor.

In 2019, Elijah played the role of ‘Tayo’ in the British drama film The Last Tree, directed by Shola Amoo and followed with a guest appearance as ‘Emmanuel’ in Season 2 of British comedy-drama Enterprice before starring in Oliver Milburn’s School’s Out Forever in 2021. «At that time, I had gained from a different, more refined version of acting», concluded the rising actor.

Jayden Elijah — Starring as ‘Edwin’ in Hulu’s Saint X

Elijah can currently be seen starring as one of the leads in Hulu’s psychological drama series Saint X which follows a young woman’s mysterious death during a family vacation in the Caribbean, and her younger sister’s obsessive search for answers years later. Jayden stars opposite Alycia Debnam-Carey, Josh Bonzie and West Duchovny; his character ‘Edwin’ is an employee at the island’s resort who harbors a healthy distrust of the rich white people he’s paid to serve. «Edwin is strangely complex. He is quite a master chameleon, because he can play with people’s perceptions and use it to his advantage», explains the actor. «When people watch Saint X, they see Edwin as the life of the party. But he’s got so much weighing him down that he’s always putting on a facade», confesses Elijah.

When asked if he sees a bit of himself in Edwin, the actor answers by laughing, «He’s much cooler, I’m going to be real. He’s more confident, charismatic, and charming than me». On another hand, there is radical individualism that Edwin has because of his condition on the island, that creates a cup of nihilism making him forget about everyone else but himself. «I can sometimes be tempted or see the allure in that type of thinking. I believe a lot of people can. I’m living in London and people, especially from my generation, are seeing where the world is heading to and I feel that’s quite relatable», explained Elijah.

Saint X — A fulfilling experience

To get the part, Elijah did two self-tapes, a recall with the casting director, and a final screen test on Zoom before being flown off to the Dominican Republic to shoot the series in six months. «It was an intense experience in every way. That might come with the territory of filming on location but I learned so much», said the promising actor.

One of the things that got revolved while on set, was the young actor’s own process, discipline and openness. But also how essential the crew are to holding a character for more than six months. Elijah worked closely with the hair and costume department, going on his off days to five to eight hours fittings, making sure everything was correct with his character. «With the head of props, we spent hours finding what will be Edwin’s lighter», said Elijah half laughing. Before following by saying That experience illuminated the power of the village in the sense that ‘it takes a village to raise a child’. And in the same way to create Edwin, it wasn’t an individualistic process, I got help from loads of people in the crew».

Jayden Elijah — His inspirations and biggest dreams

For now, the young British star will take some time to rest and recalibrate. «Before this project I did mostly smaller British TV shows, so when I was on Saint X set, I did not even think about the after, the only thing was getting that big role correct. Now that’s done, I just got to process», said Elijah before adding, «but I will come back with something cool».

Between Shaka King — Judas and the Black Messiah director — Steve Mcqueen —12 Years a Slave —, and Christopher Nolan — Interstellar, Inception—, Jaden Elijah dreams of a lot of collaboration. «I would love to work with Idris Elba, he’s from a similar area of London as me but also Daniel Kaluuya. Those black men coming from London, really inspired me and showed that there is more possible», said Elijah who keeps on wishing to learn and get knowledge from his masters.

Regarding his biggest dream, the young actor wishes to be able to inspire others one day. «A dream scenario of mine is that in fifty years, someone comes up to me because of some art I made, some film, show, or music — I also like woodworking a lot, so maybe even something that I would have made— has inspired or ameliorated their life in some way». He then follows « or even in a hundred years, if something outlived me, however small, however big, that would really make me happy. From the grave, at least».