Living your life with purpose and passion is more than just words. It's about action. Just ask Jonathan Chase. In the past decade he has gone from being a supporting actor on hit shows such as Monk and Veronica Mars to one of the bright stars on the new runaway comedy LOVE THY NEIGHBOR on the Oprah Winfrey Network. I had a chance to talk with him about the experience and what this journey has been like for him, and the conversation was nothing short of inspiring.
JONATHAN CHASE ON LOVE THY NEIGHBOR:
"As soon as I take a breath and realize we shot 26 episodes of a sitcom in such a short amount of time (about a couple of months), something that takes Hollywood 10 1/2 months to do... I can't believe it. I truly appreciate the speed that Tyler Perry is able to perform and function. It's a feat beyond itself. When I got to LA and worked on another job I couldn't believe how slow it was compared to what we did in Atlanta."
JONATHAN ON THE EXPERIENCE:
"I was actually going to be a sports agent. I took a semester off and traveled abroad to London for 6 months and saw a play a week. That's when I fell in love. So many musicals I saw that changed my focus. After that I did some off Broadway and got my first gig in TV for a little show called Oliver Beene playing a tennis pro. They flew me to LA from NY in 2003, and I never went back. Seeing people perform live is what got me hooked. That is what I love about Tyler. He comes from that world (of live performances), and his live audience has translated and been his devoted fan-base for television and film. Take Love Thy Neighbor for instance. It was a play, and Tyler Perry created the show around them. He's like King Midas."
JONATHAN ON BELIEVING:
"I believe that at some level you have to be able to push yourself beyond what you can even imagine. You have to be willing to never give up and never surrender and not listen to the noise that comes from outside of yourself. You're the only one that can tell you what you can and cannot do."
JONATHAN ON HIS TRUTH:
"I know what it's like to struggle. I was doing what I could to pay for class and coaching and wardrobe. There have been so many ups and downs. Right now I'm on a huge high. It's a dream come true. That is my truth. I've also had the lowest lows. It's all about the work. I do it for the work. I try to make everything I do look effortless. People ask me what I do, and I tell them I'm in the pursuit of a career of an actor."
JONATHAN ON HIS ONLINE SUPPORTERS:
"It's like a digital blind date with 10k people at once. I feel like I'm blessed to have them. The support from fans means getting up and making it to a meeting and doing the best I can. Knowing my work has affected someone helps me."
JONATHAN ON ENJOYING THE MOMENT:
"I take it one step at a time and try not to 'future' myself too much. As long as I'm right here right now I give you everything I got. I have no regrets. I can just focus on the work that way. That's my best approach to acting and all aspects of my life, living in the now."
Want to keep in touch with what's going on with Jonathan Chase next? Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jonathan_chase and like his Facebook page at www.facebook.com/actorjonathanchase.
