Jake Manley. Photo Credit: Alex Evans.
Canadian actor Jake Manley chatted about his acting career, latest projects, and being a part of the digital age.
Theodore Roosevelt once said: “Keep your eyes on the stars, and your feet on the ground.” This quote applies to choreographer Jake Manley.
‘Love in the Maldives’ on Hallmark
Manley discussed being a part of the Hallmark rom-com “Love in the Maldives,” where he starred opposite Jocelyn Hudon.
“That was special. That was a lot of fun. Maldives is one of the most unique and incredible places I’ve ever been. It’s stunning. I got to do that movie with my wife, Jocelyn Hudon, who was the other lead in it, so it was surreal. It was an amazing place.”
Latest projects in the works
“I have some cool different projects coming out,” he said. “I just finished a film called ‘The Casket Girls,’ a horror movie with Gabrielle Union, Thomas Lennon, and Raul Castillo.”
‘My Life with the Walter Boys’
On being a part of the forthcoming season of “My Life with the Walter Boys,” he exclaimed, “I am excited. I had a great time working on that show. I got to play a cool character.”
“It was a great experience with an amazing team of directors, producers, writers and actors,” he admitted. “I can see why that show is so successful… they have a great cast! It is going to be out on Netflix later this year. People love that show!”
The digital age
On being an actor in the digital age, Manley said, “It keeps you on your toes, that’s for sure. I think it’s good because it creates a lot of opportunities for people, but it’s hard to stay on top of things.”
“I think it’s hard. You are competing against all this short-form content and people don’t have the attention span that they used to,” he noted.
“Now, it’s all about AI and all that fun stuff,” he said with a sweet laugh. “I feel you constantly have to adapt and change and keep creating things with people you know as well.”
Jake Manley on Jesse Kove
Manley had great words about fellow actor Jesse Kove (“Cobra Kai” fame).
“Jesse has a lot of energy. I love Jesse! We have become really close recently,” Manley said. “Jesse is sweet and caring, and he seems to be doing everything all at once with the same energy. Jesse looks great, he is in great shape, and he is a good role for people. He cares about his friends and family.”
“While Jesse and I haven’t worked together yet, I hope we get to collaborate together in the future. That would be so fun,” he added.
Daily motivations
Each day, Manley is motivated by “spontaneity.” “My relationships with friends and family. That is a big life motivator for me. Also, creating, discovery, curiosity, and learning things. There are a lot of things that motivate me,” he said.
“Also, having cool experiences with people, whether they are big or small,” he added.
Career-defining moments
Regarding his career-defining moments, he shared, “The first time I was a lead of a show was defining. That was validating and affirming. It was a huge learning process, which was like boot camp due to the volume of work it involved.”
Frances Fisher
Manley recalled working with veteran Frances Fisher as his on-screen mom in “Holidate.”
“That was an amazing experience,” he admitted. “I was a huge fan of ‘Titanic’ growing up. That was one of the first movies that made me fall in love with film. To work with Frances was so cool!”
“Frances is a force, she is powerful, and an ally you want on your side, for sure. Frances stands up for people,” he added.
Manley on ‘Better Company’
He spoke about his company Better Company. “It’s great. It has been a lot of fun. I’ve always wanted to start a brand, and I loved the coffee space,” he said.
“I loved the idea of building something into a preexisting habit you already have, and making it simple to make people better,” he acknowledged.
“By throwing a scoop of it into their coffee, it gives them amazing health benefits, more energy, more focus and a better mood. It’s quick and easy, and it makes your coffee taste better. It has been a fun venture, and we are starting to expand,” Manley elaborated.
Advice for young and emerging actors
For young and aspiring actors, he said, “Learn as much as you can, try as much as you can, practice as much as you can. Try different teachers and different methods.”
“Get life experiences and just be persistent, especially now because it’s a different game than it used to be. It’s a lot harder now, so you need to be resilient. If you love it, you need to put your head down and do it,” he elaborated.
Stage of his life
On the title of the current chapter of his life, he said, “Discovery.”
Superpower of choice
His superpower of choice would be “inner peace.”
Success
Manley defined success as “being happy and fulfilled.”
“Working on things that interest you and challenge and make you grow, and doing that with people you love,” he explained. “Having a mix of eclectic personalities to have a fun ride with and experience.”
Message for his fans
For his fans and supporters, Manley expressed, “Thank you. Having support from fans that you can impact and enjoy my work is a big reason I got into this. Having support is amazing in any capacity.”
“Hopefully, there will be lots more new, fun and exciting things for them coming up,” he concluded.
To learn more about Canadian actor Jake Manley, follow him on Instagram.
Content shared from www.digitaljournal.com.