by Dov Kornits
“I started acting classes when I was 12,” Jason Stojanovski tells us via email. “It wasn’t something I ever even thought about before that. I hated the idea of going to an acting class and was essentially forced into it. But after taking that first class I was hooked! I think I had some preconceived idea of what an acting class would be like and that’s where the resistance came from. But in reality, it was nothing like what I had imagined, and I loved every second of it.”
Scoring roles on All Saints and feature films Subterano (2003, Esben Storm) and Suburban Mayhem (2006, Paul Goldman) gave the young actor born with cerebral palsy [CP] the motivation to pursue the fickle film biz, and he’s recently decided to give the US a crack.
“I don’t know if I would say it’s ‘easier’ to get roles,” he answers when we ask him whether the recent push for inclusion has helped. “The audition process is what it’s always been, but there’s definitely been an attitude shift in the industry, especially in the US. I walk with a limp and people are starting to view that the way I always have – as an opportunity to add another layer to a character.”
This aspect is evident in his brief appearance on limited series Joe vs. Carole, based on the Tiger King saga. Appearing only in 3 scenes of the 8 episode series shot in Queensland, starring Kate McKinnon, John Cameron Mitchell and Kyle MacLachlan, we immediately ask Jason if his character is based on a real person.
“As far as I’m aware, my character wasn’t based on anyone real but the specific situation surrounding him was based on real events, so my character was used as a vehicle to help tell that part of the story. In knowing that, it helped me to build the history and motivations for the character.”
A student of the Meisner Technique, Jason reckons there are many aspects to the study that help with his performance, “but if I had to pick just one to highlight, I’d say this – There’s a mantra that gets ingrained in you and that is ‘Be specific’. The more specific you are in your choices for your character and your scenes beforehand, the easier it is to embody those choices so that when you’re on set or on stage you can forget about it all and just focus on truly being in the moment and have the trust and confidence that no matter what happens, even when Kate McKinnon is improvising off script in top form, you can just go with the flow and stay true to your character!”
The future looks bright for Jason Stojanovski, who reckons that “especially now with all the streaming services available to us, there is so much exceptional content being created constantly. Obviously, it’s a much bigger market in the US as an actor, there’s so many more chances for you to get out and be a part of great projects.”
To finish, we ask if he’s ever lost out on a role for a character with CP? “I HAVE!” he exclaims in good humour. “It’s funny, I don’t really think twice about it. There are so many reasons why you might not book a job. You learn pretty quick to not take it personally and just move on the next thing.”
Joe vs. Carole is currently streaming on Stan.
Jason is an absolute gem of an actor. I’ve had the pleasure of working with him in the past on feature film: The Hunt. He is a true professional and gentleman x