A Conversation with Jake T. Austin
I had the pleasure of speaking with Jake T. Austin. We talk about his role in Adverse, available on Digital, On Demand and DVD March 9, 2021 by Lionsgate.
We also discuss the demands of high profile celebrity and his philanthropic pursuits.
Author: Yanis Khamsi
Talent: @jaketaustin
Photographer: @mitchdao.photos
Wardrobe: @balr
Creative Direction: @mrandrewjpham
Yanis: Adverse opens with the Nietzsche quote “There is always some madness in love, but there is also always some reason in madness.”
What do you make of that quote and how does it apply to the film and to your character Lars?
Jake: I think things are on a spectrum, very very rarely is something “all good” or “all bad”…it’s not black & or white, it’s a shade of gray.
A situation may seem maddening, life takes unexpected turns, but you should do things for the right reasons. Lars is in over his head and ends up paying a price for the situation that he contributed to.
He’s a contributing factor in actions that befall him, and while I’m not in a position to adjudicate what happens to someone, I can see the reasons why they happen in Adverse and I think it’ll connect with the audience as they watch it on Digital now.
Y: Your character does some pretty reprehensible things. As an actor, how do you get yourself into the “Lars” state of mind?
J: So, Lars is pretty far removed from Jake. I’m more of a homebody, not big into nightlife…I spend a good amount of time at home, do meal prep…I can even make ice cream (pro-tip: don’t let it sit in the churning bin too long).
But with acting, you’re taking the words on the page and creating a backstory so that you can embody the character and bring them to life when the cameras roll.
With Lars, I took an approach that I do when I craft a performance: I think about the character as though they are a real person: why are they doing this, what led them to this place and do they worry about what will happen after the scenario ends.
I also create a vision board for the character: cut outs of places and things they’d eat, their favorite songs/genres of music…trying to make the character you read in the script manifest into a real person.
I will say, getting out of character is also something that an actor is conscious of.
Because when the director yells “cut”, you then go back to being who you really are, and need to shake off everything you just did while performing and go back to your true self so you can maintain the relationships with people in your real life.
Y: You post on Instagram about classic Hollywood actors like Montgomery Clift, Elizabeth Taylor and Grace Kelly. These actors come from a time where there wasn’t social media like today.
Because their lives were shrouded in mystery, we could immerse ourselves more in their characters and suspend our disbelief to a greater extent. Do you agree?
J: First off, Clift, Taylor and Kelly: those are three of the greats. And if we look at the time period after their heyday and go the 1970s: Warren Beatty, Faye Dunaway, Ali McGraw, Al Pacino and Diane Keaton all did exceptional work. What all of them have in common is, like you said, it was before the age of social media.
I agree that at previous points in time, the actors were more elusive and the access that their fans and the movie-going public at large had to them was much more limited.
But I think that the way an actor commits to the character and also the amount of disbelief the viewer has to inherently have is the same then as it is now.
That’s the magic of movies, it takes you to a different place and the actor is a part of that.
For example: Margo Robbie in I, Tonya. Tonya Harding is a public figure we’ve known since the 1990s. And we know Margo isn’t a figure skater. But you watch I, Tonya and it feels so real.
So whether the viewer follows Margo on a social media platform, the moment the movie begins, we recognize we are watching a character and not that actor being themselves.
What I do think social media has afforded the actor is the ability to take the viewer behind the scenes, create awareness for the project and also connect with the audience and also other creative people in content creation, so that’s great.
Y: Why were the gap years you took after The Fosters the best thing that could have happened for you?
J: I actually didn’t take any gap years, in the sense it was structured or preplanned time in between two stratas.
I loved my time on The Fosters because the show itself was at the forefront showcasing an LGBT family unit and also the LatinX characters.
I was slated to do a couple of other projects that were in scheduling conflict with The Fosters, so I stepped away from that show for those opportunities, which unfortunately fell through. But when one door closes, another one opens.
I’ve done voice acting all my life; one of my first projects was as the voice of Diego in the Nickelodeon animated series Go Diego Go!
After departing from The Fosters, I was Blue Beetle in several Justice League animated projects released by Warner Bros and I was in The Emoji Movie which was released by Sony. So I’ve been continually acting; but you’ve ‘heard’ me more than ‘seen’ me.
Y: Why did you decide to return to acting full time?
J: Right now, I’m creating awareness for Adverse and I think its so timely, because substance abuse especially in the form of the opioid epidemic, has affected so many people.
When we think of substance abuse, we don’t think about the family members, friends and how the network of people beyond the drug user are affected.
I hope that people that are ancillary affected can find solace in seeing that familial struggle brought to the forefront of people’s consciousness.
I also have two projects that I’ve signed on to; both have been delayed from their original start date due to the pandemic.
But I look forward to a day, hopefully soon, where production can commence on those. The well-being of the crew and the overall production team is so important.
Y: Do you think about the negativity you and your other famous friends have gone through and feel like you were all robbed of the fame your Hollywood heroes from the 20th century experienced?
Imagine how much better being famous was in the 20th century compared to now. Is being famous in the 21st century even worth it?
J: Interesting, because I’ve never explicitly thought of “fame then” versus “fame now”. I think its because I don’t think of myself as “famous” per se.
Of course, I’m fortunate to have gone to movie premieres and other red carpet events (pre-pandemic), but a big part of that appeal is being able to watch the movie early and seeing how that story came to life and connecting to those people in involved.
And there’s also a chance to meet people in those spaces you wouldn’t otherwise connect with. For example, Jeff Goldblum and I were waiting for our cars at the same time at a GQ Men Of The Year event in 2019.
He’s such a versatile actor and being able to tell him in person how much I love his work was surreal.
Its sort of like going to your college’s football gaming and meeting someone attending the game from another school, in the sense that you both are functioning in the same broader space, but the event is bringing you together.
But red carpet events are just a bigger scale of that…and yes, “being famous” is what afforded those opportunities and I’m grateful to have had them.
But on a daily basis, I think of myself as a working 20 something year old.
I try to get the next job, sometimes I get it, sometimes I don’t; you improve, you move forward. I see myself much more like you, the person reading this article; and less like my famous idols from a previous era.
Y: You’ve supported charities like the Make-A-Wish Foundation and The Boys & Girls Clubs of America as well as other charities committed to helping children.
Why is it important for you to help children in need? Is there a personal connection?
J: Yes, I’m fortunate that I’ve been able to participate in various activations with those non-profits. It’s great to meet the kids that are benefiting from the organization’s great work and also raise funds and awareness for the causes.
For me, growing up on sets and in studios was a specific experience and for these kids that have potentially life threatening illnesses and are “making a wish” is literally their dream come true.
And there are youths that rely on Boys & Girls Clubs to provide a place to go after school and mentorship and homework assistance, being able to contribute to their success is something I’m grateful to be able to do. And of course, meeting the kids is so awesome, seeing their joy is indescribable.
Y: What’s next for you? What does 2021 have in store for you?
J: Well, like many people, I’m looking forward to things returning to normal and its been great to see small business owners pivot to provide their services in a safe way.
I workout at an independent gym in Hollywood called Plyo Fitness and their indoor facility has been closed due to local government orders and when they were allowed to do so, they safely reopened and converted their outdoor annex into a training space and we all wear masks.
The ingenuity of Americans and seeing people come together has been a silver lining to these challenging times and there are so many examples we can all draw from where we’ve seen/been a part of a small business or local community and their perseverance. I also want to develop projects that I can ultimately act in.
It’s more of a five year goal and not “2021” per se, but there’s a book by an independent author that I recently read and I think it would be a great movie. So I want to expand my skillset to produce as well.
You can follow Jake T. Austin on Instagram & Twitter. Don’t forget Adverse is available on Digital and On Demand March 9, 2021.