Director Kirk Jones Risked It All To Make I Sware Biopic With Robert Aramayo

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For Kirk Jones, the decision to make , wasn’t exactly an easy one.

I just heard about this movie coming out in 2025 and I’m already intrigued. It’s a biopic starring Robert Aramayo – you might recognize him from Lord of the Rings – and he’s playing John Davidson, a Scottish activist who lives with a really severe form of Tourette’s Syndrome. Basically, it’s a genetic condition that causes involuntary movements and sounds, what they call ‘tics.’ A lot of people probably remember Davidson from the incident at the BAFTA awards a while back. He unexpectedly yelled out a really offensive slur while Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were presenting. He’s apologized, both publicly and privately, and explained it was due to his Tourette’s, saying the condition is often misunderstood. But honestly, it caused a huge uproar online, and a lot of people weren’t buying the ‘it was a tic’ explanation. BAFTA even had to release a statement taking responsibility for putting everyone in such an awkward position and apologizing to everyone involved. It sounds like a really complex and challenging story, and I’m curious to see how the film handles it all.

The movie goes back in time to show how he became the activist he is today, focusing on his childhood in the 1980s. It portrays the challenges he faced growing up with his condition, including social prejudice and unpredictable episodes, and combines these difficult moments with touches of relatable humor.

Before the U.S. release of the movie, Liam Crowley from ScreenRant interviewed Jones, who discussed his bold decision to cast Aramayo and why he ultimately decided to proceed with the biopic, even though it was a significant gamble.

Kirk Jones Financed His Home To Make I Swear

Although the film dealt with sensitive topics, director Jones was more worried about his unconventional casting choices. He took a chance on actor Aramayo, giving him the role of Davidson without asking him to audition. Even more surprisingly, Jones used his own home as collateral to maintain creative control, which allowed him to cast Aramayo – and any other actor he preferred – in the film.

I’m so glad Aramayo took the risk with this film – it really took off in the U.K. and Europe, and now it’s finally coming to the U.S.! It’s a shame though, I heard things aren’t going so well with his house, and Kirk, the director, clearly doesn’t want to discuss it, which is understandable.

From the very beginning, I knew I was making the right choices. To maintain creative freedom and cast the actors I envisioned, I had to personally finance the entire film – essentially putting my house on the line. This meant I could prioritize finding the best people for the roles, rather than trying to satisfy investors. That’s why I relied so heavily on my casting director, and why she immediately suggested Robert Aramayo. Initially, Robert was worried he’d only be able to imitate the actor John Davidson. He actually wanted several months to thoroughly research the character before anyone saw his interpretation. Luckily, without financial pressures, I could give him the time he needed. He was fantastic, and I truly believe no one else could have played the part as well. I trusted his initial concerns, and I didn’t even see his performance until the first day of filming.

ScreenRant interviewed actor Aramayo, who discussed preparing to portray John Davidson, a real person who is still alive and actively working today. Aramayo explained that he relied heavily on Davidson himself to understand the role and bring authenticity to the film, I Swear, ensuring an empathetic portrayal.

Aramayo Leaned On John Davidson To Prepare For Biopic

I’ve been really impressed with Jude Aramayo’s work – he’s great at portraying real people, like when he played a young Bill Clinton in The Crown and even the serial killer Ed Kemper in Mindhunter. But his role in I Swear felt different. He really dove deep, and it was amazing to hear that John, the man he played, was so involved in helping him get the details right – the specific tics and how someone with Tourette’s actually moves and carries themselves. It wasn’t just an imitation; it felt incredibly authentic because of that collaboration.

When I’m building a character, I consider everything I can use to bring them to life. Working on this role, I was lucky to have John as a resource. It wasn’t a rigidly planned process, more about figuring out what the character needed and how to achieve it with the tools available. John was incredibly helpful – so generous, open, and understanding – and played a huge role in shaping the character.

The film proved crucial to Javier Aramayo’s award-winning performance, earning him a BAFTA for Best Actor. It also received the Best Casting award for Lauren Evans and was nominated for several others, including Outstanding British Film and Best Original Screenplay. Both Aramayo and director Jones expressed to ScreenRant their hope that the film’s recent U.S. release will encourage viewers to have greater empathy for people living with Tourette’s, especially in light of the incident involving Davidson at the award ceremony where he celebrated the film.

I challenge anyone to watch this film and still believe it’s possible for people with Tourette’s to control their symptoms or that their outbursts reflect their true feelings. It’s designed to be a truly engaging and entertaining experience – a real emotional ride. It’s very funny, deeply moving, and ultimately inspiring. My hope is that audiences will be thoroughly entertained, but also unintentionally gain a greater understanding of Tourette’s syndrome.

I think the core of the story is focusing on the person, not the superficial details. When making this film, we really concentrated on his emotions, his personal journey, and how he develops and copes with life – that’s just as compelling as any of the more fantastical elements.

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2026-04-25 02:52