Interview by Carol Wright | Photos Courtesy of ICON PR
Jayden McGinlay knew after his first performance in drama club that acting was a passion he wanted to pursue. Since then, he has transitioned from acting on the stage to the screen. McGinlay talked to NYOTA about what draws him to roles, his passion for music, and working on the film Children of the Corn.
You started out acting on stage as a kid. What led you to make the transition to television and film?
Well, I’d always been drawn to acting on stage as well as on screen. I used to put on DVDs of stage musicals and act them all out, and re-enact scenes from films from about 3 years old. I started on stage at a drama club when I was 6, and after my first performance, I knew acting was something I really wanted to pursue. So I joined StarNow and got some starter roles, then got an agent, and it was a pretty natural transition.
The projects you have worked on so far have varied in genre. What usually draws you to a role?
Yeah, I’m really grateful that the projects I’ve worked on have been so varied from family adventure movies to R-rated horror, and also that my characters have been so different and from all different places, so I’ve been able to use my Australian accent, English accent, and American accent. I’m drawn to characters that have a depth to them that I can explore. It’s exciting when I get a role where I immediately relate to some aspect of the character or their experience, and I can bring myself to the role and create my own character whilst still remaining true to what’s written. I love playing characters that are different from any I’ve played before and getting the chance to show a different side of myself. I like to push and challenge myself as an actor, so I’m drawn to any role that allows me to do that.
Tell us a bit about your project, Children of the Corn. How does Kurt Wimmer’s film put a spin on Stephen King’s original story?
Sure. Well, this is an original approach to the existing story. In this film, Kurt touches on the themes of the state of the world today and the environmental disaster that adults are leaving behind for their children and future generations to have to try to clean up, which is more relevant today than the religious fanaticism in the original movie. Also, the focus is on the children rather than the adults, which allows the audience to understand the motivations for their actions which hasn’t been fully explored before. These children in the film are tired of having to pay the consequences for their parent’s mistakes, so they take things into their own hands. The audience is positioned to view the parents as the real villains rather than the children, unlike in the previous films.
How would you describe your character Cecil Williams in three words?
That’s a hard question haha. I would say he’s loving, lost, and in the context of the film, I’m going to say he’s demoralized.
With the film having such dark subject matter, did it take time to decompress and separate yourself from the project after filming?
I actually didn’t take much time at all. I found it easy to separate myself from my character and the dark material because as soon as the cameras stopped rolling, everyone was just happy and relaxed, and there was a great vibe on set. The cast and crew got along really well, and we were like a family, just talking and hanging out.
Outside of acting you also have a passion for music. Do you hope to do more musicals in the future or start putting out original songs?
Yeah, definitely. Right now, I’m more focused on screen work than stage, but if an audition for a touring musical came up, I’d definitely be interested, depending on the show. I’ve been working on a lot of music, and I’m actually going to be putting a song out very soon, which is exciting.
Who are a few of your acting inspirations?
Well, I’ve always loved watching people act on stage and screen, and I’m sure there are so many people that have inspired me. It’s a little hard to name them all. But having said that, an actor I’ve always really respected and admired is Leonardo DiCaprio. I love his versatility, depth, and also the environmental work he does outside of acting. Robert DeNiro is also incredible, and he’s played so many different characters across all different genres, and that’s something I also aspire to do.
What advice do you have for aspiring actors?
If acting is something you really love and you can’t imagine yourself doing anything else, just go for it! Give it your 110% because that’s the amount of energy and passion that is required for this kind of career. Get experience in whatever ways you can, and always be learning. You can never stop learning.