Words by Carol Wright |Photography by F. Scott Schafer
We got to chat with JT Neal about Bless This Mess and what it was like working with Dax Shephard and Lake Bell.
When did you become interested in acting?
I always had a really deep love for movies and television, even when I was really young. My grandma used to make me costumes, and I would reenact scenes from The Princess Bride or Zorro or whatever my obsession was at the time. I loved to entertain, which did not go over well in school. I was constantly in trouble. Thankfully I had a teacher in middle school who told me I could audition for the one-act play as an alternative to the principal’s office. I was cast in the play and I’ve been acting ever since.
How did it feel to get cast in Bless This Mess? Tell us a bit about the show.
It was the best feeling in the world. It was a culmination of everything I had been working for finally coming to fruition. I almost started crying in a CVS when I got the call. The show is so sweet and so relatable. I think at some point everyone has felt like a fish out of water. In those moments, all we really want is someone to come help us out and accept us for who we are and I think this show demonstrates that sense of community really well.
What about playing Jacob interested you?
I think what makes Jacob so fun for me is his childlike innocence and happiness. He’s not jaded or cynical about the world. He has his struggles but he still always seems to find joy in life. I think that’s something that everyone aspires to have.
What is it like working with Dax Shephard and Lake Bell? Have you learned a lot just from watching them work?
Yeah, in a way I’ve been learning from them for years and years because I grew up watching them in films and television. To now be on the inside, getting to see their creative process is really exciting for me. I often find myself on set just listening to them work through a scene together and thinking “wow, this is how it’s supposed to be done. This is what makes them so great at what they do.”
Were you a fan of Elizabeth Meriwether’s work before auditioning for Bless This Mess?
I am still such a huge fan of Liz! I watched New Girl from day one. I used to say I wanted to be on a show like that. I don’t know how she creates these multi-dimensional characters that are so funny, but still so real and relatable. When this audition came up I freaked out. To be on a show that she created is a dream come true for me.
What advice do you have for aspiring actors?
Act as much and as often as you can. There is so much that is out of your control in this business, but you can control the amount of work you put in. You’re not always going to be the right fit for a role, but you can be the most prepared actor that they see. If you’re working hard consistently, staying in class, putting in the time and giving it your all, you will succeed.