AT 25, JAKE T. AUSTIN IS GEARING TOWARDS HIS FILMMAKING DREAMS
American actor, Jake T. Austin sat down with us and talked about his passion for storytelling and filmmaking. Having the privilege of being able to work in the entertainment industry at such a young age, in popular shows like Go, Diego, Go!, Wizards of Waverly Place & The Fosters, he was able to absorb, and learn firsthand the necessary skills and tools needed to be a successful filmmaker.
In this exclusive interview, read on as actor, Jake T. Austin reveals his goals for the new decade, the directors that inspired him throughout his career, growing up as a child actor, and how he almost became a firefighter.
PHOTOGRAPHY: PHIL LIMPRASERTWONG
You recently turned 25 back in November. How does it feel to be 25 at the start of a new decade?
To be 25 in the year 2020 - just saying that sounds pretty unbelievable in some ways to think that this is the beginning of a new decade and the beginning of a new chapter in my own life. It’s crazy to reflect, and to think how my career and life has transpired and just to be alive and be here doing what I love. To have that as part of my life is such a blessing and something I feel so grateful for; to have so much support, whether it’s from my family or from fans or from people I work with in this industry. Life is so short so to be 25, I’m just so grateful to have made it this far. I’m so anxious and optimistic looking towards the future.
What are your goals this year?
My goals for this year are to establish my talent as an actor, but also as a filmmaker in every sense of the word - from directing, to writing, to producing and acting. I think this year is the year for me to conquer some long term goals that I’ve always had such as directing and producing my first film and acting in something that I’ve written. This is a huge goal that I’ve set out for myself but I’m eager to climb the mountain and I’m looking forward to sharing my message through film. I have so many stories that I want to tell and would like to share with the world. I think the best outlet and platform for me to express that is through film.
STYLING: GABRIEL LANGENBRUNNER, GROOMING: KEON CRUZ, AGENCY: DT MODEL MANAGEMENT / RICARDO GUERRERO
Which films would you say influenced you growing up?
All films but especially the classics like The Pioneers. I’m sitting here in a room and I see DVDs, like Throne of Blood, Rashomon by Akira Kurosawa. Directors like Akira who threw their innovative storytelling really helped define filmmaking. And for what it is, some of my inspirations like Alfred Hitchcock being the master of suspense or George Stevens. Directors that influenced me tremendously over the course of my life and career and being able to work with some of those directors like Gary Marshall who was a powerhouse. He passed away but he directed a lot of well-known and respected romantic comedies and very popular films. Just to be part of the filmmaking process is such an enriching experience for me. It’s something that I feel like has helped me grow into the person that I am. Being inspired by so many filmmakers like David Lean and his film, Laurence of Arabia. Epic films from directors like Stanley Kubrick. The power of film is magnificent. To express art through such a powerful medium is incredible. If you have a story and message to tell, it’s one of the best ways to do it.
You mentioned that you were planning on directing and producing your own film. Is it in the works already?
Yeah, I think it’s been in the works my whole life. Just being a child actor. Being on set and absorbing all of those experiences and then realizing that I have talents that not only deal with my performing. I have talents that have yet to be fully utilized as a writer. I’ve always been a writer, especially an avid reader my whole life. I have a tremendous respect for good screenwriting and just good storytelling overall. It doesn’t matter what the platform is whether it’s novels or screenplays. I have a tremendous respect for writing. The craft itself and also the craft of filmmaking. For someone who’s so privileged to have been a child actor and now that I’m 25 and no longer a child, I feel like it’s my time to prove myself as an adult and someone who’s been hugely influenced and inspired by Hollywood and this industry.
LEFT: Jacket: ALL SAINTS, Shirt: RAG & BONE, Pants: ALL SAINTS, Shoes: KENNETH COLE RIGHT: Full Look: H&M
So you landed your first role on Go, Diego, Go! when you were only 10 years old. What’s the most memorable part about that experience that you can recall?
Playing a character that is an inspiring, uplifting, positive role model and image for the youth and also a character who was bilingual was an educational experience. It was as one of the best acting experiences of my life to be able to play a character like that. At the time I was a child, so playing that character instilled in me the values and morals that the show taught other viewers. So in many ways, playing that character, Diego, I was able to grow up through that experience and mature by learning certain lessons that were taught through the show. The same is also for the show, Wizards of Waverly Place. I started that show when I was 12 years old and it was another popular show for many years and it was such a huge learning experience for me as an actor and as a person to be on a project and part of something that was so significant and life changing.
Did you ever expect the show to have as much impact on your career as it did?
Yeah, from early on when fans would come up to me in public and tell me the impact that the show had on them so it was very easy to see how the show was leaving it’s mark on the world and how children and families loved watching the show together. Being a part of that was definitely tremendous. There was no way to foresee that but very early on we were able to see that this was going to be something bigger than all of us.
Selena Gomez played your on-screen sister on the show. Was the dynamic on set the same as it was off camera?
Oh yeah! When you’re filming a show that lasted that long for many years, the cast becomes like a family, so we really were like a brother and sister for many years. We went to the movies all the time and barbecue at each other’s house. Our families were really close. It was a very close experience getting to work with those people. It was like a family you know. It really was.
LEFT: Full Look: ASOS RIGHT: Jacket: ALL SAINTS, Shirt: RAG & BONE, Pants: ALL SAINTS, Shoes: KENNETH COLE
Out of all of the roles that you’ve played which has been your most favorite?
Some of my favorite roles have been, Bruce from a film I did called, Hotel For Dogs which is based on a book; a very popular children’s book. Working on that film was another monumental experience for me because I worked with some very influential filmmakers and to be able to tell such a beautiful story that started as a book and then end it with a feature film. To watch that story grow from page to screen was something I’ll never forget as an actor and a fan of movies. And to be in some other roles that have shaped me as an actor and really helped to define my career, roles like New Year’s Eve where I worked with Gary Marshall, roles and films like The Perfect Game where I played a young baseball player who had to struggle through adversity and overcome a lot of odds to pitch the only perfect game in little league championship history. To be able to tell stories that have powerful messages has been one of the most rewarding process of my acting career. To not just be part of films that made a lot of money but are projects that actually touched people emotionally and other ways too.
So you’re really a storyteller?
I would like to hope that in some way or another that I am a storyteller, but I think that, that part of my life is still being defined. I played a small role in this beautiful and wonderful industry through the characters that I’ve played but I still feel like I still have so much to prove and so much to overcome in my own life and career. This is just a part of the journey and it’s been an amazing rollercoaster of a ride so far.
LEFT: Jacket: ALL SAINTS, Shirt: RAG & BONE, Pants: ALL SAINTS RIGHT: Full look: EMPORIO ARMANI
If you weren’t in the entertainment industry, what else would you being doing?
My father was a firefighter so for many years I looked up to him thinking that was the path that I would eventually follow so one day I thought that I would be a firefighter but I was dissuaded by my mom who was very fearful of that job and went through a lot of trauma being married to my father. She encouraged me to pursue acting. That’s always been the biggest part of my life. It’s like asking a musician what would you do without music or asking a painter what would you do without art. This is my art, filmmaking is my identity, it’s my life. It would be impossible to erase the years and memories that I’ve spent shaping who I am. So to just pick up another skill, I think I could do it but I don’t see myself doing it. I truly see myself involved in the storytelling and creative process in filmmaking.
If you were a book, what kind of book would you be and why?
If I was a book, I’d be From The Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg. It was one of my favorite books growing up. It was about these two homeless kids who secretly lived in an art museum in New York City. The whole book basically followed these two siblings while they lived in the museum undetected. And to me, it was just a fascinating story of how these two orphans could do this and get away with it. So if there was ever a book that I would like to depict or a movie that I would like to adapt from a literary novel it would be this book.
