Jassa has been confirmed to star as Owen Coffin in BBC One film The Whale. The 90 minute one off is to be helmed by Alrick Riley (Hunted, Hustle, Spooks). John Chapman (The Street), Ruth Caleb (Four Last Songs, Beyond The Gates) are exec producing for BBC. Mike Dormer (New Tricks, Blue Murder) is producing for BBC. Mick Kaczorowski is senior exec producing for Discovery Channel / Animal Planet in the US.
The Whale will tell the true story of the American whaleship, Essex. During her lifetime the Essex gained the reputation of being a "lucky" ship but she is best known for being attacked and sunk by a sperm whale in the southern Pacific Ocean in 1820. This tragic incident served as inspiration for Herman Melville's 1851 novel, Moby-Dick.
Jassa will star as Owen Coffin, sailor and cousin of the ship's captain George Pollard, Jr, alongside John Boyega (Attack the Block, My Murder) who will play Steward William Bond.
The Whale shoots in Malta for five weeks starting this April.