This post was originally published on here
Jefferson White in ‘Drink and Be Merry.’ Photo Courtesy of X4 Pictures.
Actor Jefferson White of “Yellowstone” chatted about his new movie “Drink and Be Merry,” and the digital age.
The synopsis is:At a struggling New York dive bar in the days leading up to Christmas of 2019.
Chet (Jefferson White), a beleaguered bartender in a state of extended arrested development, must balance caring for his misanthropic, aging regulars — who have nowhere else to go, and rely on him for far more than pouring drinks — with his naive desires to muster some Christmas spirit.
‘Drink and Be Merry’ experience
On his new film, he remarked, “It was a blast and really fun one! We sort of locked ourselves in this dive bar for two weeks, and it was a pretty amazing experience.”
“It was a very fun and very immersive movie about this guy who is stuck in this bar, and he’s trying to spread his wings and get out of there. Also, the experience of filming it was very immersive because we were really trapped in this dive bar.”
“We blacked out the windows. It was a very cool experience, and a real family vibe on set,” he added.
[embedded content]
Playing his character Chet
On portraying his character, Chet, White stated, “I think I related to this sense of responsibility he feels. It’s like he is trying so hard to advocate for himself and grow, but he feels a deep sense of responsibility to this community, and to these regulars at this bar.”
“Chet feels like he owes them this commitment that they show him, and I think that’s a really interesting and compelling position to find oneself in,” he observed.
“Chet is trying to grow, and at the same time, he feels bound to this responsibility,” he added.
Lessons learned from this screenplay
On the lessons learned from this screenplay, he reflected, “I think it made me think — as silly as it sounds — about Christmas!”
“Christmas is always kind of a melancholy time,” he noted. “That’s the case for this character, too. It’s like, ‘What is it about Christmas that sends us back to a simpler time in our lives?’ I think for a lot of us, when you’re young, it’s this kind of almost euphoric, this sort of magical interlude in the year.”
“As you get older, you feel like you’re constantly trying to conjure that feeling again as it sort of feels further and further away,” he added.
The digital age
On being an actor in the digital age, White said, “I’m excited about the sort of opportunities it offers. It feels a little bit like being around at the invention of the printing press, you know?”
“I was born in 1989, so I’m on this cusp where I’ve seen the Internet bloom and take over, and it really feels as though there’s tremendous possibility and an incredible opportunity to connect that’s present with that,” he elaborated.
“Then, there are all sorts of scary other things such as the printing press or any other kind of transformative invention,” he added.
‘Yellowstone’ experience
Regarding his experience in “Yellowstone,” White recalled, “Oh, it was amazing! It was such an incredible job and gift! I feel so lucky. It feels like we really won the lottery with that one. Yeah, it really changed my life in a lot of ways.”
Advice for young and emerging actors
For young and aspiring actors, he said, “I feel like a young and emerging actor myself. I guess just stick in there, and if you really love it, no one can tell you otherwise.”
“No one can define success for you. If you love acting, opportunities to act are all around you. I try to stay in classes. I try to make projects with my friends,” he noted.
“This film really represents me and my friends getting together and trying to make something for ourselves. That’s something that I really was inspired by Taylor Sheridan,” he elaborated.
White continued, “Taylor Sheridan was frustrated with being an actor and set out to kind of make his own luck, and that’s the sort of advice that I’m trying to adhere to.”
“I would be remiss to give anybody advice, but I myself am trying to take that advice from my peers and from the people that came before me to make my own content and make my own opportunities as much as possible,” he explained.
Stage of his life
On the title of the current chapter of his life, White revealed, “Middle age.”
Career-defining moments
When asked if there were any moments in his career that have helped define him, he responded, “All of them.”
“I feel like a big thing as an actor is trying to learn from every job,” he said. “Also, I am trying to learn from the disappointments.”
“I’ve had some really frustrating disappointments, and I think those are also such good teachers,” he noted.
“Those are such important lessons as well. So yeah, I think that a big part of our profession is trying to learn from every experience and trying to let every experience add to yourself,” he elaborated.
Superpower of choice
White listed “super speed” as his superpower of choice since it would let him “go anywhere as fast as he wants.”
“That’s a pretty good one, and I feel like it’s practical,” he admitted. “I’ll take speed because it’s a good one.”
Jefferson White on Eric Nelsen
White had great words about Emmy award-winning actor and friend Eric Nelsen. “Eric Nelsen is such a great actor and person. He is so talented, and pretty soon he will be an EGOT winner. Eric is incredible,” White exclaimed.
Success
Regarding his definition of the word success, he said, “Success means continuing to grow and change, and not getting stuck or sedentary.”
“I think success just means continued growth and exploration,” he added.
Message for his fans and supporters
For his fans and supporters, White remarked, “Thank you! It’s because of ‘Yellowstone’ and that fan community that I get to do things like ‘Drink and Be Merry.’
“That’s the case for everything we do. Like our entire industry is predicated on connecting with our fans. So, just tremendous gratitude to the fans. We get to live this life because of you, and that’s the greatest gift,” he elaborated.
“We are very, very grateful,” he added.
Closing thoughts on ‘Drink and Be Merry’
White remarked about this new film, “I think it’s like a really nice exploration of intergenerational connections and community.”
“I hope it gives young people like me an opportunity to try to connect with older people and vice versa. I think it’s really a movie about connecting with people across generations,” he concluded.
To learn more about actor Jefferson White, follow him on Instagram.
