For many on the Leicester performing arts scene, Jonny Fines is a familiar name.
A versatile performer with credits spanning major UK tours, television drama and musical theatre, Fines has built a career defined as much by resilience and craft as by sheer love of performance.
Picture credit: Jonny Fines
One of his most joyful surprises came with the role of the Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz back in 2023.
“It was never a part I imagined myself doing,” he admits. “But it ended up being one of the most fun characters I’ve ever played.” Much of that joy, he says, came from working at Curve under director Nicolai Foster, whose collaborative rehearsal rooms gave actors freedom to experiment.
“You never felt like part of a machine. You were trusted to try things, and that makes doing the show every night exciting.”
The role was also a physical wake-up call. “That was the first time I realised I might be getting old,” Fines laughs. Having previously powered through physically demanding tours without injury, Wizard of Oz took its toll. “My back and ankles were killing me. It made me realise how important fitness and recovery are in theatre.”
Picture credit: Marc Brenner
After a decade of eight shows a week, Fines has increasingly shifted toward screen work. “Stage is relentless,” he explains. “Even on your day off, you’re exhausted.” Screen acting, by contrast, comes in bursts: long waits punctuated by moments of intense focus. “At this stage of my life, especially with a family, that balance really matters.”
Still, theatre retains a special pull. “What I miss most is the camaraderie. Dressing rooms are incredible environments. On screen, especially as a guest character, you’re often in and out. On stage, you build real relationships because you live it together.”
That shared experience fuels the post-show high actors know well. “You finish at ten, the audience has been incredible, and you’re buzzing. It’s very hard to just go home and sleep,” she shares. With both Fines and his wife Djalenga (Scott-Fines) working as actors, family life requires careful juggling – often taking turns between stage and screen so one parent is always present at home.
Growing up in Loughborough, Fines never imagined acting as a viable profession. “I didn’t know a single professional actor,” he says. He cut his teeth in local amateur dramatics, including playing Oliver at Loughborough Town Hall at just 11 years old. His parents – both teachers – encouraged creativity, but a career in theatre only crystallised in his late teens, after seeing Avenue Q on Broadway. “I sat there on my own and thought, that’s my dream show.” Years later, he would fulfil that ambition touring Avenue Q in the UK.
Training followed at Guildford School of Acting, where Fines focused on strengthening his weakest skill: dance. “That’s what booked my first job,” he says, recalling how his dance ability edged him ahead at the final audition for The Sound of Music. “We always tell our students now: work on what you’re worst at, not what you’re best at. That’s what’s going to get you your first job.”
That philosophy underpins Finesse Stage and Screen, the Loughborough-based academy run by Fines’ wife and sister, Olivia. “They saw a gap in the Midlands,” he explains. “There’s so much talent here, but not enough access to professional-level guidance.” Beyond singing and dancing, Finesse emphasises professionalism – something he believes can give young performers a crucial edge.
Since Covid, self-taped auditions have allowed Fines to build a strong screen career from home. Recent highlights include The Jetty, a gripping BBC drama, which saw him appear opposite Jenna Coleman. “I was only in it briefly, but the detail was amazing – tattoos, shaved head, the whole transformation. That’s what actors crave: characters that stretch you,” he says of the experience.
Offstage, Jonny channels his musical energy into The Roulettes, a high-energy function band with a unique audience-choice concept. “It’s chaotic and brilliant,” he says. “Very different from theatre – it’s just a big party.
Picture credit: Jonny Fines
“Guests press a button and we have to sing whatever song comes up – whether it’s a musical number or the Macarina!”
Perhaps his proudest role, though, is father to Bailey, his 7-year-old daughter who has already carved out an impressive screen career of her own with Netflix credits to her name. “It’s slightly depressing how successful she is already,” he jokes, before adding warmly, “but she genuinely loves it.”
Asked for advice to aspiring performers, Fines is characteristically honest: “This industry is 90 per cent rejection. You have to be resilient and truly passionate. If you can’t take rejection, it’s probably not for you.” His admiration for Leonardo DiCaprio reflects that belief in range and transformation. “Anyone can play themselves. Playing someone completely different – that’s the real challenge.”
From local am-dram stages to national tours and prime-time television, Jonny Fines’ journey is a testament to persistence, adaptability and a deep-rooted love for the craft – firmly placing him among the most respected performers to emerge from the Leicester scene.
