Jaeden Martell Knives Out
Photography | Shane McCauley
Creative director | Deborah Ferguson
Cast: Jaeden Martell (Knives Out, It), Isis Hainsworth (Misbehaviour, Emma) and Adrian Greensmith in his feature debut. He is currently studying at The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London. Quite the same Wikipedia. Apr 24, 2020 - Watch Knives Out (2019): full movie, online, free When Renowned Crime Novelist Harlan Thrombey Is Found Dead At His Estate Just After His 85th.
Jaeden Martell is an actor most known for his roles in It, It: Chapter Two, and most recently Knives Out. No stranger to complicated characters, his newest role in the miniseries Defending Jacob from Apple TV+ finds him playing a teenager accused of murder. In this new role, we see Martell navigate the precarious line between guilt and innocence with a performance that is as emotionally tense as it is hypnotic. I asked him about his career, his role in Defending Jacob, and what it is like portraying characters who have something to hide.
Q: Did you always want to become an actor?
A: Since I was so quiet as a kid and was raised in Philadelphia, becoming an actor never occurred to me and was not something I knew much about. But I always really loved and appreciated movies and would memorize my favorite lines. I knew every line from The Dark Knight and would recite Heath Ledger’s Joker, so maybe deep down I was interested in becoming an actor from a really young age.
Q: What was it like moving to Los Angeles?
A: I moved to Los Angeles from Philadelphia with my mom when I was about 8 years old. It was such a huge change, and it was extremely difficult at first, but my mom moved out here so I could be closer to my father. For me it was hard to be in a new city and a new school. I was extremely introverted and would sit alone and read books during recess. It took a while for me to adjust but it definitely feels like home now.
Jaeden Martell Interview
Q: You switched your last name at one point in your career. Why the change?
A: I changed my last name to “Martell,” which is my mom’s last name. It was definitely not a career decision, more of a personal change to honor my mom.
Q: Your roles are immensely introspective and often deal with elements of trauma. Is there something different you’ve hoped to portray about young people on the screen?
A: The question makes it sound less self-serving than it is. I guess my choices come from my personal desires to not play a “kid,” but rather a human that is complex or flawed. I find these challenging roles more fulfilling.
Q: In The Book of Henry, your character is a young genius who also is dying. In It and It Chapter Two, your character contests with a supernatural threat. Now, in Defending Jacob, you play someone who’s accused of murder. What’s it like playing these characters who are dealing with such extreme situations?
A: These extreme situations can really help develop a character’s backstory and create unique and interesting characters. When I am acting, I can’t reflect on past experiences of being accused of murder or being chased by a clown, so I am forced to use my imagination. I must use my memories, my true emotions, and empathy to put myself in my character’s shoes.
Q: What compelled you about the character of Jacob Barber in Defending Jacob?
A: I think what makes Jacob intriguing and enigmatic is that he seems very “normal.” He is not outwardly brooding or creepy. I am able to relate to him on the surface level and understand him, as he is a typical teenager, who likes video games and loves his family. What made him especially compelling is that the truth is written between the lines. I loved that I was given complete freedom to figure out who this character was in my head.
Q: Throughout Defending Jacob, we’re constantly wondering whether your character is innocent or guilty. Did maintaining that ambiguity present any challenges to you as an actor?
A: The ambiguity actually made my job easier. Whether he did it or not, I have a secret that no one knows about and so that definitely helped me play this person. I could look at Chris Evans or Michelle Dockery while we were shooting and remember that I knew something that they didn’t.
Q: You previously worked with Chris Evans on Knives Out, now he stars alongside you in Defending Jacob. What was it like working with him again on what I imagine is a very different project?
A: I actually found out that I was going to be doing Defending Jacob while we were shooting Knives Out, so we got to talk about the series and bond about our third upcoming project together. Knives Out was such a different and amazing experience, I was able to sit back and really watch how these talented actors worked. On Defending Jacob, we were definitely able to get closer because it was such a long and emotional journey. Chris has been doing this for a long time, so it was very educational to see how he approached his character and how he analyzed elements that I never think about. He is thinking about his body language, the blocking of the scene, and the meaning behind certain lines. He is a hard worker, but also a very kind and generous person.
Q: Dream role?
A: I want to play a bad guy, a really flawed, disturbed character like Javier Bardem in No Country for Old Men.
Q: What’s next for you? What can we expect?
A: I am supposed to shoot a movie called Tunnels with Susan Sarandon, directed by John Krokidas.
Q: Where is the first place you’re going after self-isolation?
A: Straight to the movie theater. Even though all I’ve been doing is watching movies, I can’t explain how much I miss watching movies in the theater.
Photography | Shane McCauley
Creative director & Fashion Editor | Deborah Ferguson
Interview | Colter Ruland
Digital Layout | Allie King
Clothing | BugsGarson
Boots | Dr. Martens
Trailer | Defending Jacob
Martell in 2018 | |
| Born | January 4, 2003 (age 18) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 2013–present |
| Parent(s) | |
Jaeden Martell (né Lieberher; born January 4, 2003) is an American actor.[1] He has played the role of Bill Denbrough in the 2017 and 2019 film adaptations of the Stephen King novel It. He has also appeared in the mystery film Knives Out (2019) and starred in the miniseries Defending Jacob (2020).
Life and career[edit]
Martell was born on January 4, 2003 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,[2] the son of Wes Lieberher, a Los Angeles–based executive chef, and Angela Teresa Martell.[3] His maternal grandmother, Chisun Martell, is Korean.[3] He grew up in South Philadelphia and in 2011, when he was eight years old, he moved to Los Angeles.[4] In the first six years of his career, he was credited almost exclusively under his family name, Lieberher. In 2019, he switched to his mother's maiden name, Martell.[1]
Martell's first acting role was in a commercial for Hot Wheels. He appeared in several other commercials after that, including Google, Moneysupermarket.com, Liberty Mutual, Hyundai (for the 2013 Super Bowl), Verizon Fios and General Electric.[5][6] His first major feature film role was in 2014's St. Vincent, where he starred alongside Bill Murray. Murray later recommended Martell to Cameron Crowe for the director's 2015 film, Aloha.[4] He played the title character in the 2017 film The Book of Henry.[4] Martell received further recognition for his starring role as Bill Denbrough in the 2017 supernatural horror film It and its 2019 follow-up It Chapter Two.[7]
In 2019, Martell was also a part of Rian Johnson's ensemble cast in the murder-mystery film Knives Out.[7] In March 2019, now credited as Martell, he joined the cast of the Apple miniseries Defending Jacob, based on the William Landay novel of the same name which reunites him with Knives Out co-star Chris Evans.[8] On April 30, 2020, in an Instagram Live interview with Teen Vogue, Martell confirmed that he had joined the cast of Tunnels, co-starring with Susan Sarandon, in the role of Grayson Mitchell, the younger sibling of a victim to gun violence. The film does not have a set or confirmed release date.[9]
Filmography[edit]
Film[edit]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Grief | The Child | Short film. |
| 2014 | St. Vincent | Oliver Bronstein | |
| Playing It Cool | 6-year-old Me | ||
| 2015 | Aloha | Mitchell Woodside | |
| Framed: The Adventures of Zion Man | Walter | Short film | |
| 2016 | Midnight Special | Alton Meyer | |
| The Confirmation | Anthony | ||
| 2017 | The Book of Henry | Henry Carpenter | |
| It | Bill Denbrough | ||
| 2019 | The Lodge | Aidan Hall | |
| Low Tide | Peter | ||
| The True Adventures of Wolfboy | Paul | ||
| It Chapter Two | Young Bill Denbrough | ||
| Knives Out | Jacob Thrombey | ||
| TBA | Metal Lords[10] | Kevin Schlieb | Post-production |
Television[edit]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | American Dad! | Additional voices | Episode: 'My Affair Lady' |
| 2015–2016 | Masters of Sex | Johnny Masters | Recurring role (seasons 3–4) |
| 2020 | Defending Jacob | Jacob Barber | |
| 2021 | Calls | Justin | Episode: 'Mom' |
Awards and nominations[edit]
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Las Vegas Film Critics Society Awards | Youth in Film | St. Vincent | Won | [11] |
| Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards | Best Performance by a Youth in a Lead or Supporting Role - Male | St. Vincent | Won | [12] | |
| 2014 | Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association | Best Youth Performance | St. Vincent | Nominated | [13] |
| 2015 | Critics' Choice Movie Awards | Best Young Actor/Actress | St. Vincent | Nominated | [14] |
| 2015 | Online Film & Television Association | Best Youth Performance | St. Vincent | Nominated | [15] |
| 2018 | MTV Movie & TV Awards | Best On-Screen Team(with Finn Wolfhard, Sophia Lillis, Jack Dylan Grazer, Wyatt Oleff, Jeremy Ray Taylor and Chosen Jacobs) | It | Won | [16] |
References[edit]
- ^ abChow, Riley (April 24, 2020). 'Jaeden Martell opens up about starring in Defending Jacob and changing his name [EXCLUSIVE VIDEO INTERVIEW]'. GoldDerby. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
- ^'UPI Almanac for Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018'. United Press International. January 4, 2018. Archived from the original on January 4, 2018. Retrieved January 16, 2018.
- ^ abBrandes, Annika (December 13, 2017). 'The 16th Unforgettable Gala Part 1: Michelle Lee, David Lim, and more!'. The Kraze Magazine. Retrieved January 27, 2018.
- ^ abcVadala, Nick (March 30, 2017). 'Philly-born actor Jaeden Lieberher featured in new trailers for It, Book of Henry'. The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on June 2, 2017. Retrieved January 16, 2018.
- ^'St. Vincent Production Notes'(PDF). St. Vincent official website. The Weinstein Company. p. 20. Archived(PDF) from the original on October 27, 2016. Retrieved January 17, 2018.
- ^'Midnight Special Press Kit'(PDF). WB Newsroom (in French). Warner Bros. France. p. 24. Archived(PDF) from the original on January 17, 2018. Retrieved January 17, 2018.
- ^ abSquires, John (November 10, 2018). 'Four More Join Knives Out, Including It Star Jaeden Lieberher and Last House on the Left Star Riki Lindhome'. Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
- ^Otterson, Joe (March 20, 2019). 'Michelle Dockery, Jaeden Martell Join Chris Evans in Apple Series Defending Jacob'. Variety. Archived from the original on March 21, 2019. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
- ^'Teen Vogue on Instagram: 'Actor Jaeden Martell (@jaedenwesley) joined senior social media manager @christinedavitt for a conversation about #DefendingJacob, the best…''. Instagram. Retrieved May 28, 2020.
- ^'Jaeden Martell, Isis Hainsworth, Adrian Greensmith to Star in Netflix's 'Metal Lords''. The Hollywood Reporter. February 25, 2021. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
- ^'Birdman and genre love from Las Vegas film critics'. HitFix. Uproxx Media Group. December 18, 2014. Archived from the original on January 27, 2018. Retrieved January 27, 2018.
- ^Krum, Logan (September 7, 2017). 'Making IT big'. South Philly Review. Archived from the original on January 27, 2018. Retrieved January 27, 2018.
- ^''Boyhood' and 'Birdman' Dominate This Year's Washington DC Film Critics Awards'. Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association. December 8, 2014. Archived from the original on January 27, 2018. Retrieved January 27, 2018.
- ^Hughes, Jason; Pond, Steve (January 16, 2015). 'Critics' Choice Movie Awards Winners: The Complete List'. TheWrap. Archived from the original on July 3, 2017. Retrieved January 16, 2018.
- ^'2014: The Year of Birdman'. Online Film & Television Association. Cinema Sight. Archived from the original on January 27, 2018. Retrieved January 27, 2018.
- ^Ramos, Dino-Ray (June 18, 2018). 'MTV Movie & TV Awards Winners: Black Panther, Stranger Things Among Top Honorees – Full List'. Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 5, 2018.
External links[edit]
- Jaeden Martell at IMDb
- Jaeden Martell on Instagram
Jaeden Martell Knives Out Character
Jaeden Martell In Knives Out