Emmy award-winning actor Jonathan Jackson (“General Hospital”) chatted about his new film “Unsung Hero” and latest endeavors.
Background on Jonathan Jackson
Jackson is known for playing Lucky Spencer in the ABC soap opera “General Hospital,” which won him five Daytime Emmy Awards.
He is also known for his roles in the movies “The Deep End of the Ocean,” “Tuck Everlasting,” “Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights,” and “Riding the Bullet,” as well as for starring in the TV series “Nashville.”
Synopsis of ‘Unsung Hero’ movie
This movie is based on a true story. It follows David Smallbone as he moves his family from Down Under to the States, searching for a brighter future after his successful music company collapses.
With nothing more than their seven children, suitcases, and their love of music, David (Joel Smallbone) and his pregnant wife Helen (Daisy Betts) set out to rebuild their lives.
Helen’s faith stands against all odds and inspires her husband and children to hold onto theirs.
With their own dreams on hold, David and Helen begin to realize the musical prowess in their children, who would go on to become two of the most successful acts in inspirational music history: five-time Grammy award-winning artists for King & Country and Rebecca St. James.
Jackson on starring in the film ‘Unsung Hero’
On being a part of “Unsung Hero,” Jackson said, “It was great. It was a cool experience. I had heard a little bit about the band For King & Country; I had seen a show of theirs early on in their career actually here in Nashville.”
“A couple of different acquaintances were working on the film. I knew Richard L. Ramsey, the writer and director, who co-directed it and co-wrote it with Joel [Smallbone]. Richard is a great guy a well,” he elaborated.
“The character was very different than anything else I had ever done, so it was fun to approach that,” he acknowledged.
“While I didn’t get to actually work with Candace Cameron Bure, because our characters didn’t cross paths, I did get to be in the room with her in a couple of scenes and I got to meet her. Candace is very sweet,” he said.
Playing Eddie DeGarmo in ‘Unsung Hero’
On playing his character Eddie DeGarmo, Jackson said, “Eddie is eccentric a little bit. He is a musician in a hair band in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. Eddie has big hair, and he started a record label.”
“It was just a little quirky and a fun character to approach,” Jackson admitted. “I got to meet the real Eddie DeGarmo on the set too. He is a really cool guy; he is really nice.”
“With acting, it is just fun once in a while to play a character that is outside your wheelhouse a bit, so I enjoyed that,” he added.
Author of the book ‘The Harrowing of Hell’
Regarding his book, “The Harrowing of Hell,” Jackson said, “That has been great. We just had an event at the Maliotis Cultural Center in Brookline, Massachusetts, which was a really wonderful event. I was very thankful to be a part of that.”
“The book has been going great. It has turned into a multimedia experience or artistic project because there is the book itself and I also spent a lot of time working on a dramatic audiobook with original score music and an Audible as well. I just released the actual soundtrack to that a few weeks ago.”
“The Harrowing of Hell” is available on Amazon by clicking here.
‘A Prayer for All’
Jackson interpreted “A Prayer for All” with Greek singer and musician George Ntalaras.
He described “A Prayer for All” as an exciting experience. “That was a cool project to be a part of,” he admitted. “The Greek Orthodox faith has become a part of my world, and I love it.”
Jackson expressed that he was “grateful” to offer his Emmy Award to Mount Athos Monastery in Greece back in 2018. He revealed that he has more film projects, documentaries, and developments as well.
New screenplay in the works
He revealed that he is writing a screenplay with his brother, Richard Lee Jackson, which they are excited about. “We are constantly working together on things, and we see each other all the time in Nashville,” he said.
Concert shows in New York this July
On July 12, Jackson will be at The Brokerage in Bellmore on Long Island, while on July 13, he will be at Rockwells in Pelham, New York. These in-person fan events are produced by Coastal Entertainment.
“I am very excited,” he said. “Those shows will be cool. It will be fun to go out and play shows with Clare Bowen and her husband, Brandon. They are a duo now. Their new record is really amazing, and they are doing some beautiful music together.”
“Those shows will be fun. It is nice to have the more intimate shows,” he said. “The fans will get to hear new music in that space, as well as stories and conversations with people; it’s cool.”
“We will get to share stories about our times in the show ‘Nashville’ together and we will have time to connect with the fans, so that will be cool,” he added.
Stage of his life
On the title of the current chapter of his life, Jackson said, “Being grateful and patient.”
Remembering Tyler Christopher
Jackson fondly remembered the late Emmy award-winning actor Tyler Christopher. “Losing Tyler was so devastating and so sad,” Jackson said about losing the actor who once played his on-screen brother.
“I miss him, and I really pray for his family. That was a real blow. Tyler and I really had a close connection on that show,” Jackson added.
Looking forward to Greek Orthodox Easter
He is gearing up for Greek Orthodox Easter, which falls on Sunday, May 5th. “Holy Week is the highlight of our year,” he said. “It is amazing and unlike anything that you can experience anywhere else. It is just astounding, so I am really excited about that.”
Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Los Angeles
Jackson noted that he has been to the Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Los Angeles several times. “I was there years ago,” he recalled. “It’s a pretty impressive and big, beautiful space for sure.”
To learn more about actor and musician Jonathan Jackson, follow him on Instagram.
