Anthony Mackie has revealed that he suggested Jamie Dornan for a role in the upcoming heist series 12 12 12, describing the Northern Irish actor as the “perfect” fit for the project.
The eight-episode Apple TV series follows three different timelines surrounding a billion-dollar bank robbery committed by American career criminal Paul Galvin, played by Dornan. Across the show, Galvin engages in a high-stakes game of cat and mouse across Europe with disgraced FBI agent Jack Strickland, played by Mackie.
Why Mackie Recommended Dornan
Mackie, who serves as an executive producer on the series, told the Press Association why he thought of Dornan for the part. “Paul Galvin is a very interesting character,” the 48-year-old said. “He’s intricate because he’s in a world that he’s trying to back out of and become a normal human being.”
He added: “There’s something to be said about the guy who just wants to be normal. There’s a certain level of humbleness, and there’s a certain level of humanity that goes into that.”
A Long-Standing Working Relationship
Mackie, who previously worked with Dornan on the 2019 sci-fi film Synchronic, said he knew the actor’s work well. “I’ve known him long enough where, when I thought about this character, I wanted people to like him,” he explained. “I wanted people to want him to win, and I thought (Dornan) was perfect for that.”
“I think he’s every guy’s guy. He’s the guy you want to have a beer with, not the guy you want to beat up. I thought he was the perfect guy for it, and with the show now, I’m glad to see I was right.”
Inspired by an FBI Manual
The series was inspired by an FBI manual detailing how to plan the perfect heist, and unfolds across the 12 months of planning, the 12 hours of the heist, and the 12 days after it. It was created by Jim Keeble and Dudi Appleton, who were executive producers alongside Mackie and Dornan, among others.
Keeble told PA: “Particularly Anthony, I remember a few good conversations very early on. He talked about his own journey through to the position he is now and how hard that was in places. He connected with Jack – being one of very few black FBI officers in his organisation. I think he helped build that character from boots up.”
