Actor Jake McLean chatted about being a part of the “Avatar” franchise and “The Girl in the Pool.”
‘Avatar’ experience with James Cameron
“Getting to be a part of the Avatar family has been one of the great honors of my life,” he said.
“Family is the word I use because after years of venturing into Pandora together and bonding we’ve forged a connection that actors rarely get to experience in a career. I got to work at the forefront of technology and performance and see the most talented artists pushing the frontier of what is possible on screen,” he explained.
“As an actor, there is no greater joy than being allowed to play in a vast and unique universe,” he noted.
“James Cameron created such an incredible and immersive world for us to play in day after day. It was truly one of the highlights of my life getting to work with so many brilliant people who pushed us all to be the best,” he added.
‘The Girl in the Pool’
McLean noted that “The Girl in the Pool” was an “obscene amount of fun” to be a part of. “I got to improvise and play with some of the funniest actors I’ve had the pleasure of working with,” he said.
“Our director, Dakota Gorman, is wicked talented and has such a great eye for knowing when there’s more to a scene and letting the actor explore and flesh out the moment,” he explained.
“We were given so much license to bring our sense of humor and play to each and every line which is such a pleasure and rare at that. I can sum it all up in one word… well maybe two….pure joy,” he added.
McLean on his charter in ‘The Girl in the Pool’
On his character in the new film, he said, “What I loved most about my character was his joyful obliviousness. He’s a bro through and through and has no shame talking about his ‘new highlights’ or showing you the custom lining of his suit. He’s a character far from myself, which is always a delight to get to dive into as an actor.”
Working with Freddie Prinze Jr. and Monica Potter
McLean opened up about working with the two leads Freddie Prinze Jr. and Monica Potter. “Working with them was an absolute clinic,” he admitted.
“They’re both such pros it was fun to play in the world of this story and watch them each in their own individual processes. Freddie was so committed to his role and his downward spiral it was fun to try to get him to smile as one of his character’s foolish party animal coworkers,” he elaborated
“Monica was just a joy all around on set always playing pranks and making the cast and crew laugh,” he added.
The digital age
On being an actor in the digital age, he said, “It sort of feels like being an actor in the very dawn of film making. We’re at a new frontier and no one knows quite where it’s going. The norms that guided the industry when those above us were coming up have completely disappeared.”
“Of course, this can be a cause for alarm for many actors, but I like to see the positive in all of this. I believe we have more access than ever as a story teller to develop, create, and distribute our own stories. For better or worse, the times are most definitely changing,” he added.
Future plans
On his future plans, he shared, “Believe it or not, we still have a few more weeks of reshoots on ‘Avatar 3’ to complete this summer.”
“I’m very excited to jump back into the MoCap suit and reprise my role and play in the world of Pandora and see my incredible Avatar family,” he exclaimed.
Dream acting partners
McLean listed “Sir Mark Rylance, Andrew Scott, and Cate Blanchett” as his dream acting partners.
“I am consistently in awe of the magnitude of their talents. No one makes the kind of choices they make and brings their whole unique voice to every role,” he said.
Success
On his definition of the word success, he said, “I define success as having the access to wake up every day and get to do the you love with your entire being.”
Closing thoughts on ‘The Girl in the Pool’
For fans and viewers, he concluded about “The Girl in the Pool,” “I want viewers to know how much unexpected humor you’re going to find within the veins of this very taut thriller. While your blood will be pumping along with the main character and his impossible odds, there are still countless moments you’ll find yourself having a deep, guttural laugh.”
To learn more about actor Jake McLean, follow him on Instagram.
