interview by JANA LETONJA
Jack Alcott is making his mark with a performance that explores the darker complexities of human nature. Best known for portraying Harrison Morgan, the son of Michael C. Hall’s iconic Dexter Morgan, he has become an integral part of the Dexter universe, bringing emotional depth and vulnerability to a franchise that continues to captivate audiences two decades after its original debut. With the highly anticipated second season of Dexter: Resurrection just released, he returns to a character whose complicated relationship with his father remains at the heart of the story. As Harrison continues his pursuit of justice while confronting questions of morality, identity, and family legacy, Jack finds himself navigating an equally exciting chapter in his own career.
Your role as Harrison Morgan has introduced you to an international audience and placed you at the center of one of television’s most recognisable franchises. Looking back, how has this experience shaped your development as an actor?
This series has without a doubt changed my life, inside and outside of my career. As an artist, Dexter has given me the perfect environment to learn and grow into myself. Wrestling with compelling, challenging material alongside a cast this brilliant is nothing short of a masterclass. I’m surrounded by hundreds of teachers. Acting, directing, cinematography, writing. Getting to swim around in that much artistic wisdom is the best thing a guy like me could ever have asked for. This show has also provided me with stability and the ability to pursue my passion full time which is pretty damn special in this industry.
What initially attracted you to acting, and was there a particular moment when you realised that storytelling was something you wanted to pursue professionally?
As a kid, I was always the hyperactive extrovert of the family and discovered theatre very early. My parents were very supportive, and I started performing in community/children’s theater productions. By the time I finished middle school, I booked my first professional gig in a regional production of The Sound of Music as one of the many singing Von Trapp Children. A children’s theater show typically entails rehearsing a few times a week for a number of months and performing for 1 weekend in front of mostly our parents. The Sound of Music, however, rehearsed 8 hours a day for 2 weeks before a 6 weeklong performance run of 8 shows per week. It was a formidable transition, and one that my family assumed would wear me out, but I was hooked. I would’ve paid to get the chance to perform and by some ridiculous twist of fate, I was the one being paid to do what I loved. This was absolutely what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.
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trousers RAF SIMONS
shoes ALLEN EDMONDS
You’ve become known for portraying a character with considerable emotional complexity. What draws you to psychologically challenging roles, and what do you find most rewarding about exploring the darker aspects of human nature?
The more a character has going on, be it problems, desires, fears, or all the above, the more there is to explore and play with. The more complex the character, the larger the playground for the actor. I specifically find dark characters thrilling because I get to explore places and ideas further away from myself. Stretching to find the overlap between me and someone that troubled or twisted is exhilarating work.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the original Dexter series. What does it mean to be part of a television universe that has maintained such a passionate following across generations?
It means I’m an exceptionally lucky actor. It’s not easy to find shows with this kind of tenure anymore. To be a part of one of television’s great dynasties is quite literally living the dream.
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trousers BLUE BLUE JAPAN
shoes ALLEN EDMONDS
Harrison Morgan has experienced an extraordinary emotional journey, shaped by trauma, family secrets, and his complicated relationship with his father. How has your understanding of Harrison evolved since you first stepped into the role?
The writers have done me an incredible solid through the three seasons I’ve been a part of. Each one has shown a distinctly different iteration of Harrison: new goals, new fears, new relationship dynamics. Getting to spend an extended period with the same character has been a new and incredibly rewarding experience for me. I’ve grown significantly as an artist and as a person since I started in New Blood and as it turns out, so has Harrison. It’s been a singularly unique and gratifying adventure to grow and evolve in real life alongside my character.
suit KARL LAGERFELD
shoes ALLEN EDMONDS
The relationship between Dexter and Harrison is central to the series, exploring themes of inheritance, identity, and the fear of becoming like one’s parents. What do you find most fascinating about this father-son dynamic?What I find most fascinating about Dexter and Harrison’s relationship is what still remains unsaid. Both father and son have done some fairly involved work getting to know one another and unpacking both their individual and shared traumas, but there’s always more exploring to be done. We can confidently venture a guess that Harrison isn’t exactly like his father. But he also certainly isn’t just a young man with a passion for justice. How much do Dexter and Harrison really share? Questions are always more compelling to pursue when you really don’t have an answer.
The second season promises an especially dark chapter for both Dexter and Harrison. How did you prepare emotionally for the new storyline, and were there any aspects of Harrison’s journey that challenged you in unexpected ways?
Entering this season alongside Michael, with a wider breadth of shared history, quite frankly allowed both of us to discover Dexter and Harrison’s dynamic as the season unfolded. There might be an occasional chat a few days prior between the two of us to lay a foundation for what the scene could be, but other than that, it was a lot of diving headfirst into uncharted water, which I’ve discovered is my favorite way to do it.
top, jacket, trousers BROOKS BROTHERS
shoes ALLEN EDMONDS
Dexter has always explored the blurred boundaries between justice, morality, and violence. Has playing Harrison changed the way you think about these themes, or about the choices people make when faced with difficult circumstances?
While this role has absolutely given me the opportunity to ruminate on the subject more than I likely would have otherwise, I can’t say for certain if it’s shifted any of my opinions on the subject matter explored within the show legally. That said, it certainly inspired a sense of understanding for the grey areas where morality and lawful obedience begin to feel at odds.
Playing emotionally demanding characters can require a great deal of psychological focus. How do you disconnect from a role like Harrison and reconnect with yourself when filming ends?
I feel like I rarely stray too far from myself while shooting. I’m consistently a goofball on set with very few exceptions and rarely feel like I have much to “shake off” at the end of a day of work. I think a big part of that is the environment that our producers, our crew, and of course our #1, foster on set. The show, though it is undeniably a bit macabre, is full of levity and fun. It’s the little winks to the audience and moments of self-awareness that make all that darkness palatable, and even lovable. That same energy defines a day at work on the Dexter set and makes it easy to go home without carrying more emotional baggage than I came in with.
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belt SERGIO HUDSON
trousers YOSSI
shoes ALLEN EDMONDS
What inspires you outside of acting? Are there particular creative interests, personal passions, or everyday experiences that help shape your perspective on life and storytelling?
Storytelling of all kinds. Music. Dance. Books. I love being told stories as much as I love telling them. There are few things more exhilarating than the rush of hearing a new favorite song for the first time, being moved to tears by a book, or seeing a performance so affecting that your body can’t stay still. That feeling of inspiration is so deliciously addictive and full of life. Outside of the uplifting artsy space, I’m intensely competitive and love games of all kinds, except monopoly. I’m an avid golfer and solid pool player among other things.
Having spent significant time within the Dexter universe, are there particular genres, filmmakers, or types of characters you would love to explore next to show audiences a different side of your abilities? a window into the industry a hundred different teachers
I’m in love with the visual mastery of Denis Villeneuve, the dark, dry wit of Martin McDonagh, the unhinged narrative whiplash of Ari Aster, and so many others. The list of roles I would like to play and individuals I would kill to collaborate with stretches on forever, but if I could pick anything for my next project, it would be something in the same vein as Richard Attenborough’s Chaplin or Jeremiah S. Chechik’s Benny and Joon. I’m perpetually taken by roles and stories that are elevated physically, films in the style of Charlie Chaplin or Buster Keaton, stories about fighters or dancers. I love action films and will happily bust my ass to gain enough competency in whatever skill is required to tell a story with authenticity. At the end of the day, I’m an actor that just feels blessed to have work at all. I’d love to keep working.
TEAM CREDITS:
talent JACK ALCOTT
photographer RICCARDO PIAZZA
stylist JASON REMBERT
groomer AYAE YAMAMOTO at Exclusive Artists using R+Co
styling assistant BLAKE TURNER
studio STUDIO P23
editor TIMI LETONJA
editorial director & interview JANA LETONJA
