We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jasper Cole a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Jasper, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

I have had many incredible projects over my long career but some of the best for me were the stage plays: A FEW GOOD MEN. THE NORMAL HEART. BOYS IN THE BAND and TV shows like MARRIED WITH CHILDREN, TONIGHT SHOW w Jay Leno. KOMBUCHA CURE and an upcoming film SAGE about the opioid crisis.

Jasper, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I was born and raised in a college town, Athens, Georgia, home of B 52’s, REM and Kim Bassinger. I’m the youngest of 4 boys and grew up playing sports like my brothers but was always interested in performing and Theatre. I didn’t pursue it until after High School when I attended The Atlanta Alliance Theatre School. Along with fellow Georgian, Actress/Writer Becky Canady, I co-wrote and co-starred in a play, WILLIOW SPRINGS NOW ,which we opened in Atlanta and then brought the play to LA in 1987, ironically our first day in town was the Whittier earthquake. I like to say we “shook up the town”

The play ran for a while and I got my first manager and agent and began my Hollywood career. I continued to do lots of local theatre in LA and also started to book small TV roles and commercials. I was in my early 20’s and loving working and learning and growing as an actor. In the early days of my career, I wasn’t really the typical Hollywood “leading man” but wasn’t quite “character” actor either. I sort of fell in between the cracks but still managed to play a lot of the best friend, guy next door roles.

When I turned 40 and began to age, I made a conscious decision to change my look with the longer hair and beard and carved out my own lane playing ‘bad guys”. Slowly, I began booking character roles, starting with the Michael Eisner series PROM QUEEN playing a mean Step father and others followed. I have been blessed for almost past 20 years to be on a wonderful list of character actors who play less than “noble” guys. It took me years to be typecast and I’m so glad it happened when it did.

I’m best known for the SNL Comedy film MACGRUBER as ZEKE PLESHETTE opposite Val Kilmer, Will Forte, Kristin Wiig and Ryan Phillipe. It has become a cult hit over the years. I was also the OOLONG SLAYER on BROOKLYN NINE-NINE and have been seen on CSI, WESTWOLRD, AMERICAN HORROR STORY, THE ROOKIE, TRAINING DAY, EVERYBODY HATES CHRIS among others. More recently. I recur on the hit VIACOM/BET series THE FAMILY BUSINESS as CORY BLACK , I’m a series regular on the Award winning series KOMBUCHA CURE as THEO/Co-Producer and last summer I was STEVE in the summer hit film FALL.

I like to say that we should stop saying, “when I make it” because I now realize I was “making it” all along little by little. It’s truly the journey that matters. I’ve been blessed to have over 120 Acting credits and lots of Producing credits as well.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

When I was 13 and my brother Barry was 16, we were at the beach in GA on a family vacation. AS we walked along the grass on our way to the water, I wild Thunder storm rolled in suddenly and a single bolt of lightning struck each of us and threw us over 30 yards towards the beach, ending up on the sand with rain pouring down. Sadly, Barry was killed instantly and I somehow survived with minimal physical injuries but years of undiagnosed PTSD followed.

It was at that early age that I subconsciously decided Life was too short and one day I would pursue what I really wanted to do which was to be an actor. It took me about 10 years but at age 23 when I moved to Hollywood but I can honestly say that I always new that I was spared from death at an young age for a reason. I hope that each day I can make my brother proud and it’s really his spirit that has always been with me along this crazy journey of ups and downs over these past almost 40 years in Hollywood.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

One of the most rewarding aspects of being an actor is when people tell me my work and my personal journey helped them get through a hard time in their own lives.

It means so much to me when a film or TV show I’m in resonates with the audiences and thankfully our wok lives on in reruns etc

Contact Info:

• Website: www,jaspercole.com
• Instagram: @jaspercolesays
• Facebook: Jasper Cole
• Twitter: @jaspercolesays
• Youtube: Jasper Cole channel

Image Credits
David Laporte Brandon Harman