INTERVIEW: From ‘Rectify’ to ‘Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare’ with John Marshall Jones
John Marshall Jones, the accomplished actor from the worlds of television, film and theater, is having a busy few months. He is a series regular on the SundanceTV hit Rectify, playing a character who transitions from living behind bars for 25 years to being released and trying to make a go at life. That series stars Aden Young and Abigail Spencer.
He’s also the voice of Admiral Raines in the new Call of Duty video game, Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare. Couple these roles with his characters on Freeform’s The Fosters, which stars Teri Polo and Sherri Saum, and his recent off-Broadway turn in The Guest at Central Park West, and it’s obvious that Jones is having a banner year.
These new opportunities are in addition to his past memorable roles, including Floyd Henderson on Family Channel’s Smart Guy.
Recently, Hollywood Soapbox exchanged emails with the Rectify actor about his roles — past, present and future. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.
Could you describe how you approached your role of Pickle on Sundance’s Rectify?
I always try to find the humanity in a character. What is it that makes him just like me? Pickle is filled with regrets about choices he’s made in his past and the effect those choices had on the people he loved. I think, with any level of introspection, that’s something we can all relate to. He’s desperate, and deeply motivated, so his journey is about persistence, and desire, and knowing that this time it may really be his last chance to get it right.
How has this role compared to your other TV roles? Was it a challenge?
The role of Pickle in the upcoming SundanceTV series Rectify was inspired by an earlier performance in the role of Terrance Haggard, the paranoid schizophrenic genius of The Guest at Central Park West, which was by far my most challenging role. He was tortured and brilliant, victimized and unapologetically violent. Finding the humanity inside a character like that is always a challenge. Coming face to face with what’s in you that’s just like him is a frightening experience.
Call of Duty is such a landmark video game series. How did you get attached to Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare? Did you enjoy this different style of acting?
I always wanted to do a video game. I think the interactive nature of it is the future of movies. Imagine being able to change the outcome of a movie based on what you’d like to see the characters do. What surprised me, though, was the quality of the writing. It’s a video game, so obviously it’s filled with action, but the depth of the characters really caught me by surprise. It’s like a big sci-fi movie you get to play in. You really get close to the characters in the game. You’re not just watching, you’re in it. I loved it. It really challenges your imagination.
With roles in so many different platforms — TV, theater, film, video games — how do you choose your next project? What gets you excited professionally?
I look for roles that speak to my core attributes. It’s always good to ask yourself, ‘If my friends were asked to describe me, what would they say?’ That description, from people who see the best in you, is your list of core attributes. When I see that, I jump all over it.
The Fosters is one of the most celebrated shows on television. How did you approach your role as Detective Bruckner?
The most important thing in TV acting is to understand the function of your role. Is it about your character, or are you facilitating a storyline that about another character. [Detective] Bruckner is the arresting officer in a possible hit and run with multiple suspects. It’s important that he stays neutral in the investigation, so, from the actor’s point of view, he’s facilitating the story. Always important to know which lane you’re driving in.
What’s on the horizon for you?
Hollywood isn’t built to challenge or incite. It’s built to entertain, period. It’s rare that you’ll find a project that does both. The Last Revolutionary, my next film, is that project. Levy Lee Simon is an amazing, visceral writer. He finds his way right to the heart of the matter and grabs the audience by the throat. I was riveted by its honesty from the moment I read the script. We performed it as a stage play, and the audiences went bananas! Eventually, it had to become a film. I’m glad to be a part of it.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Click here for more information on SundanceTV’s Rectify.
