Actor Jonathan Majors: ‘Everything Happens To Me’

Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso

Lemonada Media

Society & Culture, Film Interviews, Tv & Film

4.8 • 1.2K Ratings

🗓️ 27 November 2022

⏱️ 50 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

To close the holiday weekend, we sit with actor Jonathan Majors! At the top, we discuss how he embodied real-life US Navy pilot Jesse Brown in the new film “Devotion” (6:50) and what a dream revealed about both the character (8:20) and a pivotal scene with actor Glen Powell (9:40). Then, Jonathan reflects on a formative memory on his grandparents’ farm in Texas (16:19), his formative relationships with his parents (19:45), and his mother’s unconditional love and support (21:50) as he found his path to drama school (27:30).

On the back half, we talk about his approach to acting at the UNC School of the Arts (30:12), his singular work in “Da 5 Bloods” and HBO’s “Lovecraft Country” in 2020 (35:42), and how his “capacity for heartbreak” propels his performances.

As we leave, we discuss Jonathan's life as an artist and father (43:32) and the recurring dream that portends his future (45:42).

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Transcript

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0:00.0	I'm Alex Schwartz. I'm Nomi Fry. I'm Vincent Cunningham and this is Critics at Large, a New Yorker
0:06.8	podcast for the culturally curious. Each week we're going to talk about a big idea that's showing
0:11.4	up across the cultural landscape and we'll trace it
0:13.8	through all the mediums we love books movies television music art and I always want to
0:18.6	talk about celebrity gossip too of course we hope you'll join us for new episodes each Thursday.
0:24.4	Follow critics at large, today, wherever you get podcasts. Pushkin. This is talk easy. I'm Sam by actor Jonathan Majors. Over the past five years,
1:17.5	Majors has turned in powerful performances in films like Hostels, The Last Black Man in San Francisco, and Defy Bluns, directed by
1:26.4	Spike Lee.
1:27.4	You may have also seen his bruising turn as Atticus Freeman in Lovecraft Country, for which he received an Emmy nomination.
1:36.4	His latest work comes in the new film Devotion, directed by JD Dillard, in which he plays
1:42.3	US Navy Pilot Jesse Brown.
1:45.2	Based on a true story, Brown fought during the Korean War, making him the first Black
1:50.7	Aviator in Naval History.
1:53.4	Here's a clip from the film Devotion,
1:55.5	now out in theaters.
1:58.1	Lieutenant Tom Hudner.
1:59.4	Jesse Brown.
2:00.6	It's good to meet you.
2:06.0	But taking us light detour on the way home. Say again.
2:07.0	What are you going to find out about your wingman
2:11.0	cruising at 10,000 feet, Lieutenant.
2:14.0	Put them into a little bit of trouble, who knows?
	...

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