Five Fast Facts About British Soap Star Jake Wood

Jake Wood is a British actor who is best known for playing Max Branning in EastEnders for close to 15 years.

Along with his work on the British soap, Wood has also appeared in shows such as Only Fools and Horses and Red Dwarf. From where he was born and raised to the iconic character he voiced, here are five fast facts about the actor.

Who Is Jake Wood?

He was born on July 12 in Westminster, London. His father is English and his mother is French. He knew he wanted to be an actor from a young age and attended the Anna Scher Drama School in Islington, North London.

Soap Career
Wood first appeared on EastEnders in March 1990 as Jackson, who was a very minor character at the time. Then, about 16 years later, Wood was cast as regular character Max Branning. He left the show for a brief period in 2008 after having a child, but he returned later that year. He has won both British Soap Awards and Inside Soap Awards for his work on the soap.

Voice-Over Work
From 2007 until 2015, the actor was the voice of the gecko in the GEICO commercials that constantly play on television in America. According to Wood, he was fired from the job because he refused a pay cut.

Athletic Pursuits

He competed in Season 12 of Strictly Come Dancing in 2014 and was partnered with Janette Manrara. They ended up reaching the semi-finals before being eliminated. Along with dancing, Wood is also an avid runner and ran in the London Marathon in 2019 with some of his EastEnders co-stars to support Barabara Windsor, who had been diagnosed with dementia.

Getting Personal With Jake Wood
Wood married Alison Murray on August 11, 2001. The couple has two children together, daughter Amber, who was born on March 3, 2005, and son Buster, who was born on January 31, 2008.