Jake Wood facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jake Wood
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Wood at the British Podcast Awards in 2018
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| Born |
Jake Dylan Wood
12 July 1972 Westminster, London, England
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| Alma mater | Anna Scher Drama School |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1984–present |
| Known for | EastEnders 2:22 A Ghost Story |
| Spouse(s) |
Alison Wood
(m. 2001) |
| Children | 2 |
Jake Dylan Wood is a British actor and podcaster. He was born on July 12, 1972, in Westminster, London. He is well-known for his role as Max Branning in the BBC soap opera EastEnders.
Jake Wood has also appeared in other popular TV shows. These include Only Fools and Horses and Red Dwarf. In 2014, he competed on the BBC show Strictly Come Dancing. He danced with professional dancer Janette Manrara. In the United States, he is famous as the voice of the GEICO gecko. This character appears in TV adverts for the American insurance company GEICO. Since 2018, he has also co-hosted a boxing podcast called Pound for Pound with Spencer Oliver.
Contents
Early Life and Training
Jake Wood was born in Westminster, London. His father is English, and his mother is French. He went to school at the City of London Academy Highbury Grove. He also trained to be an actor at the Anna Scher Drama School. This school is located in Islington, North London.
Acting Career Highlights
First Roles in Television and Film
Jake Wood's first acting job was in 1984. It was for a television series called The Gentle Touch. Since then, he has been in many TV shows. These include Minder, Only Fools and Horses, and Casualty. He also appeared in The Bill and Doc Martin.
He has also acted in several films. These include Flesh and Blood (1985) and Crimetime (1996). He was also in The Illusionist (2006) with Edward Norton. In 1989, Wood was in a Yellow pages TV advert. He is also the voice of the GEICO gecko in American TV commercials. In Only Fools and Horses, he played an assistant to Rodney Trotter. In the 8th series of Red Dwarf, he played a prison inmate named Kill Crazy.
Starring in EastEnders
In the early 1990s, Jake Wood played a character named Jackson in EastEnders. Jackson was a small role. He met Diane Butcher while she was living on the streets of London.
Later, Jake Wood was chosen for a much bigger role. He became a regular character, Max Branning. He played Max from June 2006 until February 2021. Max Branning was a very important character in the show.
Strictly Come Dancing and Other Projects
In 2014, Jake Wood joined the 12th series of Strictly Come Dancing. He was partnered with Janette Manrara. They danced very well and reached the semi-final of the competition.
In May 2015, Wood announced he would take a break from EastEnders. He said he needed a break after nine years of playing Max. He returned to the show the next year. In September 2020, it was announced that he would leave EastEnders for good. His final episode aired on February 19, 2021.
In January 2018, Wood started hosting a boxing podcast. It is called Pound for Pound. He hosts it with Spencer Oliver.
Personal Life
Jake Wood is a big fan of the football team Arsenal. In 2007, he took part in the Great North Run. He lives in Hertfordshire with his wife, Alison. They got married in 2001 and have two children.
In 2019, he ran the London Marathon. He ran with some of his EastEnders co-stars. They ran to support a Dementia campaign. They did this to honor Barbara Windsor, a famous actress.
See also
In Spanish: Jake Wood para niños
