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Cornwall really got under my skin, says film star

Lisa YoungCornwall
News imageSteve Tanner A scene from the film in which George MacKay and Callum Turner are standing on a fishing boat while at sea on a sunny day. MacKay is holding on to a chain fed into a pulley while Turner leans on a chain with his arms crossed. They are both looking steadily ahead. Steve Tanner
George MacKay plays a fisherman alongside Callum Turner in Rose of Nevada, the latest film from Mark Jenkin

The star of a film set on the Cornish coast said "Cornwall really got under my skin" during the shoot.

George MacKay plays a fisherman in Rose of Nevada, the latest film from Mark Jenkin, a Bafta-winning writer and director from west Cornwall.

In the drama mystery, MacKay plays alongside Callum Turner as fishermen who return to harbour after a fishing trip and are greeted by villagers as if they were the crew of the same boat lost 30 years prior.

He said he "really missed" Cornwall, its beauty and the warmth Jenkin and his family had extended to him in their Newlyn home.

News imageIan Kingsnorth A scene from the film in which George MacKay and Callum Turner are walking along the harbour, MacKay has a bag slung over his shoulder. There are fishing boxes lying on the quay beside them and a low wall runs behinds them.Ian Kingsnorth
Rose of Nevada was filmed by the harbour in Hayle and in Mullion

The actor said: "You're lucky you get to go to so many places with this job, but Cornwall really got under my skin. I really missed it.

"I don't often miss places, I'm happy to be there presently, but I really missed Cornwall, which I haven't had for a long time."

"It's just beautiful and Mark really brought us into the fold of his team and family," he added.

Rose of Nevada was filmed in Hayle and in Mullion and Jenkin has spoken about the challenges that tide and time presented him with.

"You cannot change the tide or control the sea," the Newlyn-born director said.

MacKay said it was inspiring to see Jenkin work.

He said: "It was a real lesson working with Mark, he loves limitations and limitations spur creativity.

"If he can do [a scene or shot] in less and has to do it in less, if he's sort of compromised by something, he's thrilled by the challenge of finding a way to make it work.

"It distils it to what's essential."

News imageIan Kingsnorth A scene from the film in which about 15 men are sitting on the quay with a rocky cliff behind them. They are acting as fishermen. Two of them are mending nets, some are sitting on upturned fish boxes and others are leaning against barrels of fishing line. Some are wearing yellow oilies and most of them are wearing caps or hats.Ian Kingsnorth
George MacKay said Mark Jenkin had "a singular voice as a film maker"

Jenkin's first film, Bait, which documented tensions between longstanding and new residents of a Cornish fishing village, won the Outstanding Debut BAFTA in 2020.

He uses handheld Bolex cine-cameras and processes the celluloid himself which gives his films a grainy and dated appearance.

MacKay said: "The colour and the quality of the image is very unique to Mark's films.

"To be part of his films when he has such a singular voice as a film maker is the dream."

"I have very many happy memories and hope to be back in Cornwall soon," he added.

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