Jack Wright on exploring emotional vulnerability
Suit JACQUEMUS, loafers DR. MARTENS.
Content creator, dancer, and now actor Jack Wright shares his journey into the industry through his role as Trevor in the upcoming film One Stupid Thing. Jack also discusses how he embodies different characters, the convergence of dance and fashion as art forms, and grounding himself outside of social media.
Varsity jacket, pants, shoes, striped shirt GOLDEN GOOSE, denim jacket LEVI’S.
You were at the Academy Awards this past weekend. It must have been a once-in-a-lifetime experience to attend one of the biggest events in the entertainment industry. If you could steal any celebrity’s look from the red carpet at the Oscars, who would it be?
I have so many favorites. First, I would say John Cena when he walked out on stage. I loved Paul Mescal’s outfit. [He wore] flared trousers and [a] cream-tone jacket. I also loved Robert Downey Jr.’s outfit with his bolo tie, western belt, and boots. These events are changing with fashion. I really like how each piece is so different now.
I had a feeling you were going to say John Cena.
I’m so predictable.
Before your success on social media, where did you see yourself at age 20? Currently, with where you are in your career, where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Before social media, I had so many things I wanted to do. I thought, “All right. I’m going to keep living in the present and not think about the future.” My twin and my older brother had it pretty figured out. I knew I wanted to do something on the creative side of things. I really enjoyed acting when I was a little kid, and I still wanted to pursue that, but I didn’t know how to go about it. When social media started getting big with TikTok, I thought that it might be a chance to get into acting again. That’s how it happened. Before that, I wanted to be an orthodontist or go into the military. I had no idea what I wanted to do. With acting, you can do it all because you’re playing different roles.
Speaking about the more creative side of things and acting, you recently shared some footage from your upcoming acting project, One Stupid Thing. Based on your acting, it seemed to be a particularly intense scene. As a content creator and now an actor, could you tell me more about being emotionally and mentally vulnerable on camera?
It’s so important to be human and show your truest emotions on camera because it’s relatable. Other people don’t think that you’re always happy all the time or that you’re always experiencing great things. We’re all human. Whether it’s filming a movie or posting on social media, being vulnerable with your emotions to an audience is so important because it can help people out there feel like they’re not alone.
As someone who is active on social media, I’m sure you know how much influence it has over our lives, whether constructive or destructive. You’ve been open about your own experiences with mental health online. How do you stay authentic to yourself in spite of all that?
It’s been a journey living in LA and being on social media, but I try to keep myself [busy] and keep doing the things I like to do. I like to journal. [It helps me stay] accountable with my emotions. It’s so easy to live day by day and forget about what you’re experiencing or going through, but journaling reminds you of your daily life. Talking to people is so important. There’s such a big community out there waiting to talk to you. I truly think it’s so important to talk about it. I love talking with my family.
You mentioned that your family is a really strong support network for you. Is there anything or anyone else that inspires you both in your career and in your personal life?
Every single one of my friends inspires me. That’s what’s so important about a friendship: you look up to each other, you inspire each other, [and] you talk about [things]. My roommates [and] the people that are closest [to] me are definitely some of the people that I look up to [the] most.
In relation to your acting career, are there any specific TV shows, movies, or actors that inspired you to pursue acting in the first place?
[There are] so many shows and movies I could share, but I’m trying to think of [the] ones I love [the most]. I really loved the movie Good Will Hunting. [It’s] so raw and a great film overall. La La Land definitely inspires me to be an actor. It’s so weird, because it’s probably the opposite of what La La Land should tell you. I feel like in La La Land, the message was “don’t become an actor,” but it made me realize that acting was something that I wanted to do. And Whiplash and Interstellar. Midsommar and Shawshank Redemption made me feel like it’s so much bigger than me.
I imagine seeing Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling in real life at the Oscars must have been surreal for you.
Emma Stone is one of my favorite actresses, so it was so amazing. I also love Ryan Gosling. They’re definitely two of my favorite actors.
Shirt FRAME, blazer GOLDEN GOOSE, jacket AYR, shorts POLO RALPH LAUREN, boots ABILENE.
You play Trevor in One Stupid Thing. How did you embody the role and make it your own? What did the process of bringing that character to life look like?
There’s not just one thing that I did. I tried out a bunch of different techniques. Journaling was an easy one because I do it all the time. [I] added an extra night routine in my life. I would journal as myself and then journal as my character. I would truly put myself in my character’s shoes and imagine what it was like to go through these different experiences, to have these people in my life, to live in this location that I do, [and] to have this amount of money that I have. [There are] so many different things that play into your motion. I would also use experiences that I’ve gone through in my personal life. Another thing was talking to my castmates. [It’s] so powerful having your castmates with you to talk about your character. [It’s] almost like method acting before you go into a scene.
Journaling is such an interesting way to get into your character’s headspace. Did you feel like you had more similarities or differences with Trevor’s character, and did that make it easier or harder to project yourself on screen?
What’s so cool about acting is finding experiences that your character went through and relating [them] to your life in any way possible. There were definitely a lot of similarities. I was a high schooler a couple [of] years ago, and he’s [in high school]. We’re definitely going through some of the same things. I’ve never gone through an experience like the plot of the movie, and I had to imagine what it was like, but in terms of his character, there were definitely a lot of similarities.
Going back to your castmates, the characters of One Stupid Thing have a “deeply bonded friendship.” What was the chemistry between the cast like on and off-screen? What was it like working with them behind the scenes?
It was so amazing. Chemistry is so important. I made sure to spend as much time as I could with them, one on one and all together. I remember a couple nights before we started filming, I went out with Sky Katz and we got drinks. We went to the arcade and walked around and got very close. It made our chemistry so much different on screen because we knew each other, and we felt comfortable with each other.
Were there other bonding experiences you had that impacted your performance?
For one of our first scenes, the three leads (Trevor, Corey Fogelmanis as Jamie, and Shelby Simmons as Sophia) went skinny dipping. The water was freezing, so the directors and producers asked us if we were sure we wanted to do it, but we all said, “No, we think this is going to be a beautiful scene. It’s something that our characters would do,” and we decided to do it. It definitely bonded us a lot.
Are there any other dream projects or roles that you would want to take on in the future?
I want roles that challenge me to step out of my comfort zone. I mean it when I say, “I’m open to literally anything.” That’s what makes some of these actors [great]. They’re playing characters who are not themselves at all. It’s so cool when you’re able to step out of yourself and be this completely different person. I love movies like Fight Club, Lady Bird, Requiem for a Dream, Boogie Nights, [and] Ordinary People — which is such a beautiful film. [There are] so many that I’d love to do. I can’t pick one.
Is there a specific genre you’re thinking of?
I’m definitely more drawn towards dramatic films right now, but I’d be so open to comedy. I love humor, and I use humor in my daily life. That would be really fun, and obviously, horror would be pretty sick.
Striped shirt WALES BONNER, blazer BILLY REID, pants POLO RALPH LAUREN, hat ROWING BLAZERS X 47, clogs BIRKENSTOCK.
Recently, you had the opportunity to attend this year’s Paris Fashion Week. How was your experience as an ambassador?
I love playing dress-up. That’s also one of the great things about acting. I’m playing dress-up and becoming these different characters. During fashion week, I can dress up and be this different person for a bit. I truly enjoy wearing these different high-end designers and walking around the streets of Paris and Milan, playing this different version of myself. [It’s] really cool.
Did you have a favorite look or designer to wear?
Valentino was amazing. I wore a double-breasted wool jacket with the Valentino signature, a crewneck sweater, and some baggy denim jeans. I felt like this private school kid with cool outfits. And Balmain. I wore a navy blue suit with an attached white border collar. I thought that was a really cool outfit. It was really comfortable and very chic. And Ralph Lauren. I loved [their] outfits. I wore a navy blue trench with sage green performance pants, which I walked around Paris in and got compliments on. [There are] so many other designers I [loved], but those are definitely three of my favorites.
If you could describe your everyday style in three words, what would they be?
Spontaneous, artistic, and classy. Modern, too.
Were the looks you wore at Paris Fashion Week different from what you would typically wear in your day-to-day life?
It depends. If I’m going to an event, I would definitely wear an outfit like I wore at fashion week. For my day-to-day life, whether I’m driving to the beach or walking around thrifting, I’d wear what’s in my closet, which is a lot more casual. I love having those two different genres. You can separate them a bit. [You can wear] your own casual, down-to-earth fit, and then you can get more flashy and edgy with your designer fits.
You first became viral after posting videos of you and your brother James dancing online. Dancing seems like a very big part of your life. Do you think there are any parallels between dance and fashion as forms of art and expression?
One hundred percent. I think both inspire each other. Fashion designers bring unusual techniques and incorporate them on [the] human body, while dance choreographers use different moves to create something for humans to dance to. Designers and choreographers portray their art and their forms of self-expression and their identity and their beliefs. The people that wear the clothes and do the dance routine add their own dimension to it, and art and fashion create this masterpiece when they combine.
As someone who has attended many runway shows, is the atmosphere of a runway show similar to performing live on stage for an audience?
They’re very similar. For shows, you’re performing what you’ve worked on for months or years. For a fashion show, you’re showing all these beautiful designs, but that’s not all you’re doing. You’re showing [them] in a very cool, creative way. There is so much work going on behind the scenes, [and] it’s the exact same for dance as well. You’re just trying to show the best part of it.
You mentioned earlier that you like going to the beach and thrifting. What are other things you enjoy doing in your free time?
I love going on hikes. I enjoy being out in nature [and] smelling the trees. That makes me so much happier. I’ll definitely [be doing that] today because I was feeling a little down, and I know a good hike will make me feel a lot better. I love watching movies. I’ve been on a movie bender recently, and I’ve been addicted to the Letterboxd app. I love checking the weather. When I was little, I wanted to be a meteorologist because I loved checking the weather.
What are three things you can’t live without?
I’d say nature, obviously. My family. And then, for a fun one, I’d say sweet potatoes. I love sweet potatoes.
Shirt RHUDE, jeans LEVI’S, boots ABILENE.
Before One Stupid Thing, you worked on a YouTube series for Brat TV called The Four of Them. How was working on a longer film project different from short mini-episodes?
When you’re working on a longer film project, there’s more time to get closer with your castmates and the director. The Four of Them gave me so much experience and practice on how to be behind the camera and [know] my lines. Each project serves [its] own purpose in your life, which is so important for your acting career.
If you were to make a movie about your own life, do you have any idea who you would cast or who would do the soundtrack? Any of those production details?
Am I allowed to cast myself? That’d be pretty good on my IMDb. I’d definitely bring my twin along. We have such great chemistry. Bringing that to [the] screen would be really cool and fun. Todd Traina and Linda Yellen are amazing, and bringing them along as producers and directors would be so cool. Sometimes a soundtrack makes the movie. I would love to incorporate music from some of my favorite bands (The Miniature Tigers, Cage the Elephant, Grateful Dead, Jungle, etc.).
Do you have any advice for anyone thinking about going into acting?
I was very hesitant about it, but [my best advice is] to make the jump and do it — [enroll] in acting class, [put] in the work, and [do] self-tapes. What’s the worst that can happen? There’s no problem with trying and doing it as long as you try your best.
Looking back to when you were younger, maybe around high school, would you have ever considered being in the position you’re in now?
No, I would have never imagined myself here, and I’m so grateful for the opportunities that I was able to get. When I was in high school, I was pole vaulting, focusing on school, and not really thinking about the future at all. Now, I feel like I’m thinking about the future a lot more, which [is] so unlike me. I’m so thankful to be where I am today.
Maybe one day we’ll see you on the other side of the Oscars.
Thank you. I hope so. You’ll be my plus one.
Photography IRENE CHEN
Fashion VANESSA POWELL
Grooming DENISE MADRIGAL at CLOUTIER REMIX
Words KATELYN POTHAKUL
Retouch DARIA MOZRR
Special thanks to ALIGN PUBLIC RELATIONS
3 Comments
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Marie
I’m so happy for him and yall!!! Can’t wait to see him on the big screen!! ❤️
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Patty Williams
Wow how exciting looking forward to seeing the film Jack is definitely going far…. Enjoyed the interview/ article good luck with a exciting venture and career in acting
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Joy
Loved the article on Jack!