He is currently starring as Uncle Jesse/John Stamos in Lifetime’s Original Movie: The Unauthorized Full House Story, which is set to air on August 22nd at 8pm on Lifetime.
Below is our exclusive interview with him.
What led you to decide this was a role that you might want to take on?
“Well, you know, this is a show that I’ve always really loved and a character, Uncle Jesse, that I grew up with and loved. John Stamos is a really iconic person as well, you know, he’s a musician and an actor. I really enjoy doing music and acting, so it was a role that I really felt was right for me.”
That brings me to my next question. Is it a role that you’re able to relate to?
“Yeah, yeah. I mean, my first instrument was the drums when I was probably ten. So we have that in common. He’s a much better drummer than I am. My dad will know. I have a set that I play but I’m mostly playing guitar and piano.”
So did you get to do your own singing and guitar playing for filming?
“In this I didn’t actually sing or play, instead they had some Jesse and the Rippers action going on. Some of it might have been rehearsals where it goes in and out of that and there’s some interaction with the other characters. There’s a behind the scenes shot of that.”
Being unauthorized, how close to reality do you think this film was able to get?
“I think they did a really good job. I went back and watched a lot of interviews, tried to find as many as I could from anybody that was a part of the show. There was Jeff Franklin, Dave Coulier, Bob Saget. Anyone talking about it. Even Rebecca Romijn talking about John Stamos. I don’t think that they really deviated too much from what anyone had known or gathered from any of those interviews. So I think, from what I understand, it’s pretty true. Clearly, we weren’t all there so they probably had to take some liberties.”
Have you ever gotten to meet or talk to any of the original cast?
“I met John Stamos one time briefly at Grayson Showroom here in LA but that was the only…I think I’ve seen a few of them around. I’ve run into them but I haven’t spoken to them.”
The hair. I have to ask. Real? Wig?
“Wig. That’s for sure a wig. [Laughs]. My hair was actually pretty short when I got the role.”
Was the transition from modeling to acting a difficult one for you to make?
“It was something that I always wanted to do and I enjoyed modeling, but yeah, I guess I came out to LA with the intention of doing music and acting. Modeling, fortunately, allowed me to move out here and sustain…but, uh, it’s definitely way way harder breaking into the acting than it was for modeling just because there are so many people auditioning for the same role and it’s just another animal.”
What was the hardest thing for you about taking on this iconic role [of Uncle Jesse/John Stamos]?
“You just want to do justice to these people. Especially since John Stamos has the ability to watch it and it’s kinda like ‘Oh man’. You really want to try and do your best to honor him and this character that he played, that so many people love. So I think that’s the toughest thing. It’s just, you want to pay respect to these people.”
Is it really different to be representing a real person rather than a fictional one?
“Oh, for sure. It’s like so many people have grown up watching this show and Uncle Jesse and some of the people love John Stamos so it’s almost like they protect it, you know? I don’t know. It’s like when someone covers a Beatles song. When someone covers a Beatles song or something, some are always like ‘Ahhh! You’re messing with the original!’ But you’re just trying to honor them and do your best, trying to entertain. I hope people will enjoy it. You just have to go into it knowing that it’s just actors portraying characters and just let it be what it is.”
Do you have any other projects in the works right now?
“There’s this one thing I did called The Concerto that hasn’t come out yet and a movie called Ice Scream that I did a while back that should be coming out soon.”
And what are those about?
“The Concerto is with Jen Harris and she tries to break up with her boyfriend and we sort of get into an altercation. She ends up moving out to LA and I sort of chase her out here and she falls in love with someone else and I’m trying to win her back. Then in Ice Scream it’s a short film they did and then they ended up making it full length and it’s sort of anti-bully and I play the bully. But it’s really really an interesting movie.”
Do you have a favorite genre that you’d like to be working in at some point? A dream role that you have for yourself some day?
“I think something gritty like a True Detective or a single camera comedy would be awesome. Something like Modern Family I would love. Yeah, something like that. I thought the first season of True Detective was amazing and I’m about halfway through the second season right now, so…yeah. I’m open to anything right now. If you have anything, send it my way.”