Jack Griffo was practically born to act. Growing up in a family of theatre geeks, he stepped into the spotlight as a toddler, booked his first commercial at age two and honed his skills with years of community theatre before junior high. Now, he’s Nickelodeon’s next big star and becoming a familiar face on television screens around the world. You may recognize him from his guest-starring roles on JESSIE, MARVIN MARVIN, SEE DAD RUN and KICKIN’ IT, to name a few. Next, he’ll star in an upcoming superhero-themed comedy on Nickelodeon, THE THUNDERMANS. We’ll soon get to know Jack as Max Thunderman, a wannabe super villain in a family of super heroes!
We caught up with Jack to find out more about the new show, his character and his favourite moments on set!
How would you describe your character, Max Thunderman, on THE THUNDERMANS?
Max always has something up his sleeve and loves to cause mischief. There’s no way of getting around the fact that tries his best to be a super “villain” and aspires to one day conquer the world. He has his not so evil moments too, though. Underneath it all he really is a genuine kid who loves his family.
What can audiences expect from this new show?
Audiences can expect big laughs and really sweet special effects for our super powers!
Who is your favourite superhero or super villain of all time? And why?
My favourite super hero of all time would have to be Spiderman because it was my favorite comic as a little kid. And his suit is the coolest. My favourite super villain would either be Bane because of his voice and brute strength, or the Riddler because I love Jim Carrey.
You will be guest starring on JESSIE as Emma’s love interest. Tell us a bit about your character, Brett Summers.
Brett is kind of your classic big shot at school that everyone likes. Think Ren MacCormack or Troy Bolton. He’s really into football, which Emma tries to learn about to impress him.
What can fans expect from that episode?
I think fans can expect a little of everything from that one. Fun, laughs, and a little bit of romance.
What’s the funniest or craziest thing that’s ever happened to you while on set?
The most recent one I can think of is my sister surprising me on set. It was the first episode of THE THUNDERMANS and I was rehearsing a scene in the living room. I hadn’t seen her in a really long time, like almost two years, and I wasn’t expecting to see her until the following weekend. She showed up and I was in complete shock and totally happy to see her. It was awesome.
What has been your most memorable role so far and why?
I think my most memorable role is when I played ‘Benny’ on KICKIN’ IT. It was my first thing with a few lines and it was just amazing. The whole cast was great and I’m happy I can call them friends today.
You also play guitar and cover songs on YouTube. Would you ever consider pursuing music professionally?
Right now I am completely focused on acting but I wouldn’t say no to a possible music career down the road a little. But for right now I’m just really interested in acting.
Who inspires you?
As far as acting goes, Aaron Paul is my favourite TV actor… In film, Leonardo DiCaprio, Edward Norton, Ethan Hawke, Ryan Gosling and Denzel Washington are a few of my favourites. In Life, my family inspires me every day to push myself towards my goals and believe in myself.
What are you most looking forward to this summer?
This summer is going to be a busy one. Of course, I can’t wait to start THE THUNDERMANS full-time in July. I’m actually in Canada filming a movie right now called JINXED for Nickelodeon. It’s really going great and I’ll be filming it until I start THE THUNDERMANS. So those two are big ones for me. In my personal life, I’m looking forward to having some spare time to chill and hang out with my friends while school is out!
Thank you, Jack Griffo!
You can follow Jack on Twitter, watch him on YouTube and like him on Facebook! Be sure to check out his next guest-starring role on Disney’s JESSIE, airing Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT on Family Channel!
(Photo credit: STASI PHOTOGRAPHY)