Rising Star Jonathan Neil Alexander On The Five Things You Need To Shine In The Entertainment Industry

An Interview With Edward Sylvan

I realized over the years that everyone’s path is truly unique and as much as it’s important and relevant enough to have a direction you want to take, it’s as important, if not more to trust your own journey — its own up and downs; don’t judge them, grow from them.

As a part of our series about pop culture’s rising stars, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Jonathan Neil Alexander.

Jonathan Neil Alexander is a fast-rising star in the film and television industry. He started working in theatre at eight years old. As a teen, he moved from small-town Nova Scotia to New York to study at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. He spent his university years between Montreal and California — where he trained at the Groundlings, worked on a National Campaign with The Trevor Project, and starred in several pieces of theatre; working with famed director Mark Ramont of Ford’s Theatre D.C. He later worked with BellTV as the star and host of variety show What’s Up Montreal. His first film job was a small role in Roland Emmerich’s Stonewall, shot in Montreal, which made its premiere at the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival. He has since returned to comedy working on This Hour has 22 Minutes, and starring opposite Colin Mochrie and Linda Kash in the new OutTV series Sloppy Jones.

Coming up next, Jonathan can be seen starring alongside Crispin Glover and Ben Barnes in the upcoming highly-anticipated American horror anthology series Cabinet of Curiosities by renowned filmmaker Guillermo Del Toro.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Can you tell us the story of how you grew up?

Thank you so much for having me! Totally, I grew up in a really pretty part of Canada — out in Nova Scotia on the East Coast and spent my summers in Cape Breton, it’s where all my family is from. If you haven’t been you should absolutely go, in the spring, summer or fall; winters are a little cold.

Can you share a story with us about what brought you to this specific career path?

It’s funny because I saw an ad in the paper. I know how made up that sound, but it’s true. Six-year-old me saw an ad for a summer drama camp. I had a babysitter, Stephanie, this incredible girl who I absolutely idolized (and still do). She introduced me to playing pretend.

Can you tell us the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

I was at a movie premiere a couple of years ago and when you go to a festival with a film they generally have the cast and crew all in the back corner in a mezzanine and kind of sit in one little section. My friend taps my leg and under his breath, he goes “if this is 12 — she’s at 6.” I was entirely confused by the whole thing. I was like ‘What?” He goes “Do not look behind you, but this is 12, again pointing at my knee, and says she’s at 6’. I turn around and who do I see but the one and only Rachel McAdams. She was mid-laugh and smelled like roses. My head almost fell off. Rachel McAdams will never not be interesting to me.

It has been said that mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

Oh, are they ever, and I make them all the time. I actually think it became really important for me to salvage my relationship with mistakes. Have them not act so much as an enemy but as teacher and an important part of the process and if I’m doing it with curiosity and intention, then those ‘mistakes’ are always adding information, informing the negative space, what doesn’t fit in the moment or how else I want to dance with whatever I’m working on. It’s an ongoing process, not linear, at all.

What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?

I make an appearance in the newest Guillermo Del Toro Netflix anthology coming out this October! Starting the 25th, they are releasing two episodes per night — a wonderfully spooky double feature of the total eight-episode series. Each episode is an entirely different story with different casts and directors, all the brainchild of Guillermo. I am beyond honoured to have been involved in the world and am even more excited to see what all the other episodes entail! I wrap on a project this week that comes out in December — a light, fun holiday film!

You have been blessed with success in a career path that can be challenging. Do you have any words of advice for others who may want to embark on this career path, but seem daunted by the prospect of failure?

Totally, I think just as you should get comfortable with mistakes, I would say get comfortable with ‘failure.’ I would also say think about what your relationship is with your art and protect that. An actor doesn’t have an enormous amount of control over what gigs are being sent their way or what they book or don’t book, no matter the level they reach, and there are a lot of other people and factors at play when it comes to getting a job. But if you and your craft are always listening to each other, and you’re in love with that, the rest should theoretically unfold; plus, it’s one of the few things you do have control over. I was given some solid advice from a well-known actor once, he said ‘make sure you have other things.’ Not to say don’t focus on developing your skills as an actor but on saying go relish life, pursue all your passions, jump into life and find as many things that make you feel alive as you can. You’ll get information for your craft, and you’ll also hopefully have a wonderful, full life.

We are very interested in diversity in the entertainment industry. Can you share three reasons with our readers about why you think it’s important to have diversity represented in film and television? How can that potentially affect our culture?

I want to say we are in a bit of a renaissance with finally seeing underrepresented voices. Even the scripts I’m seeing for the last year or so are so much more engaged with what the world actually looks and feels like. I am so so so excited for the future of TV / Film — the people that are telling the stories, from writers to actors, producers and directors are finally shifting into a space that includes those who have not been included for a long time. This is really only just the beginning.

What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why? Please share a story or example for each.

I’ve got to say, I was so lucky to have incredible mentors who I got to ask questions just like this when I first started and believe me I asked them all the questions I had. I wanted to ensure I understood as many nooks and crannies of the craft and the business as I could. That being said, I realized over the years that everyone’s path is truly unique and as much as it’s important and relevant enough to have a direction you want to take, it’s as important, if not more to trust your own journey — its own up and downs; don’t judge them, grow from them. It’s your journey after all no one else will ever have the exact same sequence of anything happening to them in their career. That’s the cool part, I think.

Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out”?

If anyone has an answer I would love to know. Listen to your body, drink water, stretch and look up at the sky as much as you can.

You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

Well, I recently started to fully grasp and understand the importance of stories and storytelling. I’ve always been somewhat selfish with my relationship to the job, I personally liked it and therefore did it, but there is just so much going on in the world right now; people need to feel seen, they should be able to laugh, or learn or cry or be shocked and feel alive and maybe somehow grow. I think that’s what I would want, so if anything, more of that! More Stories! More connection!

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

Many people over many years. Always many tiny building blocks; I will say Kennedy Brown an incredible mentor and artist changed my relationship to the craft permanently, and more-so my relationship with myself. He helped me navigate below the surface for the first time, I had learned how to perform really well before, but to be and to feel were entirely separate entities. He helped me come from body and intuition over mind.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

My mom always quoted Winston Churchill’s Never Give Up Speech — my parents were always and still are incredibly supportive of me through it all, they were and are my greatest teachers. — I learned from them I can do whatever I want, as long as I don’t give up. There is something to be said about commitment and followthrough and they were champions of it. Without that way of being, that they gave me, in being who they are — I don't know if I’d be doing this right now.

Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. :-)

I thought about this last night actually!! I think I would want to have all my grandparents together. They have all passed, mostly when I was little, but I think wow — I’d want to ask them lots of questions and figure out their sense of humour and what they hate and what they love — that would be really cool.

How can our readers follow you online?

You can always check out my Instagram @jonathanneilalexander — I keep it pretty updated.

This was very meaningful, thank you so much! We wish you continued success!