Day 3
Last month, a bit of speculation on my part caused a stir with the Green Lantern fan base. The article in question linked up-and-coming actor Nick Jones to a
special cameo that could possibly make into the Warner Bros comic adaptation.
Yesterday, Jones had a few minutes to talk shop with me in New Orleans before heading out to film a role he landed in a local, indie movie.
Thanks a lot for taking the time to chat, I know you're doing a bit of running around today. Is Green Lantern the first major motion picture you're a part of? How long have you been acting professionally?
"Oh, no problem, it's my pleasure. I moved to California a few years ago and did a bunch of auditions but to no avail. Last summer, after moving to Louisiana, was when I started to make some progress. My first major film is Battle: Los Angeles with Aaron Eckhart and Michelle Rodriguez. It was a lot of fun getting the chance to portray a Marine on film. Then I had a small role in The Mechanic with Jason Statham. It's a remake of the 1970's Charles Bronson film."
Are you still in the Marines?
"Yes, I'm stationed down here."
Do you have an affinity for going after military movie roles?
"Growing up I always loved to watch Sci-fi military movies and action adventures. Predator and Aliens (the second one) were movies I could have seen myself in. Since I've started acting I realized that being a Marine gave me a bit of an edge over other actors auditioning for military roles, but those aren't the only roles I go after."
How did you enjoy your time with the rest of the cast on the Green Lantern set?
"I was there for the first day of filming so everyone was feeling each other out, trying to find their comfort zones. Ryan [Reynolds] and I spoke a few times between scenes but didn't hold a full convo until that night. Man, Ryan is a great guy. It was a shock at first because I'm a big fan and I expected him to walk up cracking jokes. It was the complete opposite, though. He had his game face on as soon as he showed up on set. Meeting him helped me realize the level of professionalism you need to maintain for those kinds of roles.
"I didn't know who Blake Lively was until the day of the shoot. She's a very nice person, though, and seemed right at home on the set. Ryan and her had great chemistry from the start. She's a very well spoken and professional actress, I can see why they picked her for the role."
Besides Green Lantern, what did you and Ryan get the chance to talk about?
"We talked about some of his previous projects and how much he enjoyed the whole process. Since I'm a comic book reader I just had to ask him about Deadpool. He really spoke highly of Hugh Jackman, he thinks the world of him."
Were any other actors involved in your scene?
"I can't talk specifics about the scene or who else was in it but obviously Ryan is the man of the hour so he's a given."
From what I've seen, there is a huge production crew working on this film. How well did you get along with them?
"The crew was great. The food was the best I've ever had on a set period! Everyone was a pleasure to work with. Even though the atmosphere on set is serious, it was very fun."
I've heard before that the film's director, Martin Campbell, is extremely focused and meticulous about every facet of production.
"Mr. Campbell demands the best and he gets it. Great guy. I guess I may be used to his methods being a Marine and all. He has his drill instructor mode that he can go into but it's for the best. I'm a fan of his work (Edge of Darkness and Casino Royale). He juggles all his responsibilities effortlessly, he makes [directing] look so easy when it's obviously not. I would love to work under him again. I'd do it in a heartbeat."
Are you due to film any more scenes for Green Lantern?
"I can't really talk about that right now. But, you know, until a film is ready for release anyone can be called back at any time for re-shoots and such. If they need me, I'll be there."
What actor or actress would you most like to work with next?
"Without a doubt K.D. Aubert, she's a very talented actress! But I'm bias since I've had a major crush on her for years [laughs]."
Any other projects on the horizon that have caught your eye? With a DC movie out of the way, how about working with Marvel next?
"I'm working on an independent film right now that should be wrapped up in a few weeks. There are a couple of films out there I would love to work on; specifically Transformers 3 and Halo. I'm probably the biggest Halo fan in the world! I know that story like it was my life.
"If Marvel wanted me and I felt that I could do the role justice then I'm all for it. Someone mentioned to me a few weeks back that they may be looking for a young Nick Fury in the upcoming Captain America movie. That would be awesome if they decided to put that in the film. Guns blazing in WWII, I could definitely do that [laughs]. Here I go again, getting excited about another military role."