Don’t ask Jack Quaid about the twists and turns of his upcoming movie’s storyline companion Because he doesn’t want to talk about it. “You’ll get the best enjoyment out of this movie when you go into it as blindly as possible,” he said.
But mention his new action movie Novocaine The 32-year-old actor – son of icons Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan – could spend hours talking about the challenges of playing someone who can’t feel pain.
“It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, just using my body in that movie,” Quaid told me hollywood reporter Starring Nathan Cain. “I don’t think I’m likely to be an action hero, that’s why Novocaine I’m interested. I don’t think anyone expected me to be great, and I was great in that movie in a very specific way.
Although the media tour ahead is obviously busy – companion Released in January, Novocaine Drops in March and he also has his new movie head of state Coming Soon – Quaid feels “very lucky” to have been able to work with such a talented cast and “discovered a lot about myself” along the way.
Below, Quaid gets candid about growing up in the industry with his famous parents and why people shouldn’t watch the next one companion Trailer, how he plays a man who doesn’t feel pain Novocainethe fifth and final season boys etc.
Growing up, both of your parents worked in the entertainment industry, how did that help shape you into the actor you are today? When did you realize you wanted to follow in their footsteps?
A lot of people naturally assume I want to do this because my parents did it, but that doesn’t work No part. The biggest benefit I get from them is that they prove that you can make a living as an actor. I’ve been to drama school and talked to friends there and most of them have the same story: they told their family they wanted to be an actor and their family said “I don’t think this is the right path for you” or “Why isn’t there a backup plan?” I worked with my parents and told them I wanted to be an actor, and they understood what that meant. They weren’t super excited about it at first because they knew how hard it was for them, so they were like, “Oh my gosh, of course we have another one.” But ultimately, they understood and were very supportive, so I’m very grateful.
But the real reason I want to do this is… If I didn’t truly love what I do, I don’t know how I would mentally survive in the entertainment industry. If I was doing this just to be a celebrity or have some kind of influence, I would have done it a long time ago. Before I could do that, I had to find a love for it.
To start your busy year, you are mentally prepared thriller companion Out in January. What initially attracted you to this project?
I think it’s one of the best scripts I’ve ever read. [Director] Drew Hancock did such a great job crafting and crafting the story that I was never sure where it was going to go. This is a very timely story. This is one of those things I’ve read that’s a lot like boysand I was like, “I have to be a part of this.” I remember meeting Drew and saying, “If you want me, I’m yours. It’s unbelievable. Thank God I got to To be a part of it because it’s truly one of my favorite experiences as an actor and it has such an amazing cast that I’ve been lucky enough to work with, like Sophie Thatcher, Meghan Suri, Ha. Vi Gillen, Lucas Gage, Rupert Friend. I got to watch the work, it’s like a murderer’s brawl… I’m so excited for people to check it out. If this is a movie you’re already going to see, look for it as little as possible. This is a movie that’s best enjoyed when you go to see it as blindly as possible. So if you’re already going to see it, even. Don’t watch the trailer for the next release. Like, please don’t. If you’re still on the fence, watch and make up your own mind.
Jack Quaid in “The Chaperone.”
Warner Bros. Pictures
Is there a genre of film that you’re generally interested in, and is there a genre that you haven’t gotten into yet but would like to try in the future?
I love a good thriller. companion Definitely a thriller. Novocaine It was more of an action movie, which was a lot of fun to make but an incredibly physically challenging movie for me. It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, just using my body in that movie. …I don’t think I’m likely to be an action hero, and here’s why Novocaine I’m interested. I don’t think anyone expected me to kick ass, and I kicked ass in a very specific way in that movie. I play a guy who can’t feel pain and has a real genetic disorder called CIPA, which is congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis. Basically, your nervous system doesn’t allow you to feel pain, and that’s not a good thing. You may think this is amazing, but many people with this disease do not live past the age of 25. tongue. So it’s a bit scary. But this is about a character who was initially sheltered, living in a bubble for his own safety, and used it to help protect the people he loved. I don’t feel pain and I don’t flinch during action scenes, which is a really fun thing because you naturally react to being hit a million times and I didn’t in this movie . So it’s a very interesting challenge.
As for a genre I’d rather try, I’d say a well-rounded comedy, but we don’t have that many of those these days. I want to go back to the days when we could watch a good, silly comedy with our hearts in it. I’m not saying they don’t exist, but I wish they existed more, and I want to be one of them.
are you ready for it to end boys With its fifth and final season, do you feel now is the right time to end the series?
I think it’s a good thing that we ended with season five because we ended on our own terms. This is not to say that anyone is canceling our plans, we are working hard to create a season that feels final as soon as possible. The show’s producers had always intended it to end with five seasons, I actually knew that and tried to keep quiet about it. [Laughs]. But there’s something great about intentional endings, boys Season 5 is going to be crazy. Things can get very confusing. I don’t know, I just kept thinking that a lot of us might die. It’s crazy and I’m excited to see where this leads.
Jack Quaid in “The Boys.”
amazon studios
What does your perfect day off look like?
This is the most boring answer in the world. I’d love to sit around my apartment and do nothing, just like that. I would say, I love walking. I’m a huge walker. I’m that simple. I live in Los Angeles and still walk every day. It just helps me get out of my shell. I like jogging. Other than that, I love sitting in the living room playing video games and doing nothing else. A little more productive, I do enjoy writing. I am currently doing promotion work for a project. I’m currently writing a script. In addition to acting, I have many other interests in the entertainment industry. I’m in a sketch comedy group and we perform live any chance we get. … But on my days off, I guess I’m just sleeping. In this respect I am a simple creature.
It sounds like you’re working hard to make Los Angeles walkable.
Honestly, that’s my goal. I think I’m a pioneer and I want to be recognized for that [Laughs].
What was the biggest challenge you overcame to get to where you are today?
I think a lot of actors face some level of self-doubt and anxiety. There was a lot of anxiety in the beginning, “Maybe I can’t do it.” And then if you start to have some success, there’s a lot of imposter syndrome that sets in. After that, we think, “Well, maybe I don’t deserve this.” One thing I’ve been able to do, hopefully not in a conceding way, is admit, “Well, I’m at least good enough to do this. A little bit.”…You can have a little bit of faith, [but] You have to back this up with hard work.
If you had to describe what makes Jack Quaid, what would you say?
Do you know who I am deep down? You go by a used car dealership and you see that weird, waving, inflatable arm, waving tube guy…that’s the core of who I am. I don’t think I’m more complicated than this [Laughs]. I’m just this guy with a lot of limbs blowing in the wind.
