Last Month I met the “Biggest Nobody until he killed the biggest somebody on earth! Through contacts (Thanks to Tracy and Sarah) I got the chance to do an interview with John Lennon assassin Mark David Chapman.

We met at a little place in L.A. called “The Spanish Kitchen”. (By the way, believe it or not, it isn’t impossible to get friendly and most important of all, competent service in L.A. besides a visit at Wolfgang Pucks “Spago” or “Cut”). If you think now, how the fuck could it happen that Chapman got released from prison unnoticed by the world press, than you have a point there.

I was just kidding; Chapman still sits in his cell and is probably reading “The Catcher in the Rye” over and over again. The Guy I met with was the on screen Chapman Mr. Jonas Ball who gave an amazing performance in “The Killing Of John Lennon”. The prestigious New York Times praised his performance as Chapman and wrote, “Jonas Ball captures the tiniest nuances of obsequiousness and clinging that such people exhibit!”, that’s quite a compliment, isn’t it?!

The interview was very interesting, because of the charisma that Jonas Ball has. He is outgoing, positive and very polite, his dreams were not damaged into dark along the way, in this hard business. (I felt like he is a buddy of mine which I had known for years.) He is focused on his career, simply a man who knows what’s he wants, without bitterness about the business, that so many younger and older actors carry around with them in “The City of fallen Angels”.

You will not find a so called “Big Shot” attitude by Mr. Ball, he chooses his roles and projects very carefully, he also has a lot of respect for everybody in this business that is working, with total disregard and indifference for who they are, as long they are not just talking. For my part that’s a good thing, a very good thing, to have simply respect and be polite! Jonas Ball is certainly not one of these “Movie stars” Harpo was singing in his 70’s Hit “Movie star”, they think they are but then the only thing you have ever seen them in was a commercial spot on the screen…..!

Those are for sure the reasons that Mr. Ball has his third lead role in a feature and is with one of the best management companies in this City! This thirty something, hard working actor is focused on the future and not stuck with old gods and wrong truths in the past, like many others they dreamed of the jet set and fame for so long that even their dreams at one point were not real anymore and got too old for them.

During the interview we not only talked about “The Killing of John Lennon” but also about his upcoming movie “The Objective” which was directed by Blair Witch Project director and co-creator Daniel Myrick. Opening in Los Angeles on March 13th, the film stars Jonas Ball as a CIA agent sent into Afghanistan to investigate a mysterious radiation signature. With a Special Ops team, he ventures into a Middle Eastern "Bermuda Triangle" of sorts and faces an inhuman threat. Last but not least we talked about the recently wrapped Indie movie “The Blind” which Nathan Silver Directed and was shot by cinematographer Rain Li (Paris, je t'aime). Keep your eyes open, for this talented up and coming young actor! May the force be with him, always…, because strong is the force already in him!

Let me just finish by saying, “I have the upmost respect for Jonas Ball, for everything he stands by. This is what sets him apart from any other in this town!”

“And yes Jonas you are right, you are not that a good actor! (Especially when it comes to Soaps!:)”


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HMB: Mr. Ball, tell us a little bit about your Background, where did you grow up and what was the reason that made you decide to go into acting?

JB: I grew up in and around Sacramento, California. I liked to draw and paint as a kid. And that’s what I focused on in high school. Luckily my artwork in high school led me to UCLA, which led me to acting.  

I went to see all my high school productions, but it wasn’t in my comfort zone to go out for one. I watched these really good actors, doing Cuckoo’s Nest back then, and I wanted to give it a shot, I just wasn’t ready.

I finally got the balls at UCLA. My buddy encouraged me to join this club on campus, The Shakespeare Reading and Performance Group. They were this mishmash of students from different academic backgrounds who loved Shakespeare. They were intellectual odd balls. They were the anti-“theater” theater group for me.  They weren’t pretentious, and they welcomed anyone with enthusiasm.

Jumping into Shakespeare was a great crash course for me.   


HMB: What was your first acting job?

JB: My first paid acting job was for a Heineken commercial, when those little keg cans were first introduced. I dragged a keg up some stairs. I guess that’s acting.


HMB: You had your breakthrough with “The Killing of John Lennon”, where you gave a great performance as Mark Chapman the Lennon assassin.
How did you get the part?

JB: It’s a great, but long story, and I like to tell it, but I’ll try to be concise for readers.

When I graduated from UCLA I did this play in Hollywood and a very low-level manger took an interest. He sent me out for one of those crime re-enactment shows. This episode was on the Hillside Strangler Case, in LA in the 70’s. And Andrew Piddington (writer/director of “The Killing of John Lennon”) was brought over from England to direct the episode.

I wasn’t right for one of the criminals, but Andrew liked my audition, and cast me as the suspect boyfriend of one of the girl’s murdered. I was handcuffed and interrogated for the day. I made $500 bucks. And that was that. It was one of those jobs that I thought very little of at the time.

Skip to four years later. I receive a call, out of the blue, from Rakha Singh (“The Killing…” producer) asking me if I remembered Andrew Piddington, if I was still acting, and if I looked the same. He told me Andrew had written a very “ interesting” script, and he thought of me for the part.

The next thing I know I was on a plane to Hawaii, where they were scouting locations. We talked about the script, I read for him, and then he shot some 8mm stuff of me attempting Chapman, some of which made it to the final film.

It then took three months of convincing the financiers that I was right for the job. They finally decided to give Andrew a small bit of money to shoot some pieces of the script with me in New York. After he showed them that footage, I got the job.  


HMB: The Movie was shot over a period of 3 years, did you shot in original Locations, and how was it working with the director?

JB: We had monetary constraints that wouldn’t allow us to retrace his footsteps without exception, but we did shoot a majority of it at the actual locations. We tried to be as authentic as possible.

I can’t really say enough about working with Andrew, and the whole experience.

Andrew basically fathered me into filmmaking, and film acting. It was a dream come true. It was a complex character, under the care of an experienced and daring director. Those opportunities don’t land on you often. Maybe once in a lifetime, if your lucky. So I was extremely fortunate that our paths crossed back on that crime show, and I made some kind of impression.

Andrew absolutely gave me the self-confidence to execute my job. I was eager and ready to go, but terrified at the same time. Because of his skill as a director he made it so I trusted myself in front of the camera, which equals more creativity.

I didn’t have to worry about making mistakes, because I knew if I faltered, Andrew was there to just guide me back. I guess it just comes down to respect. He made me feel so respected as an actor, that I was able to act.

Roger Eaton, our cinematographer as well. We became friends and he not only made me look good, but I felt like I had a real ally behind the camera. And my producer Rakha always made sure I was taken care of. So all of these experienced guys just made me feel equal, which made my job easier. We were a good team, and I’m forever grateful.  


HMB: To play Lennon’s Assassin was for sure a very delicate subject, for me a very brave decision to, because Yoko Ono and Lennon’s son are still around, not to forget the millions of Lennon fans around the world. Did it ever cross your mind that you could be “crucified”, if you would show the human side of “Evil Chapman”?

JB:I felt a lot of personal pressure to do it right. I didn’t want it to turn out like a bad movie of the week performance.

My initial instinct, from the beginning, was to represent a human being. I wasn’t interested in falling into boring, generic cliché’s of psychosis. My intent was to create someone that felt real, not affected. Chapman, throughout his life, was very good at appearing normal, even though he was disintegrating inside. So, I guess, I thought if I do the job with honesty, people can’t fault me.

I have nothing but respect for the memory of John Lennon.


HMB: How did you prepare for such a difficult role?

JB: I read as much legitimate material as I could find. Andrew gave me access to all of his research, which was extensive. Of course I read “The Catcher in the Rye” more than a few times.

There is a pretty extensive history on the man. I found out his interests, and I would just build from there. After The Beatles, he became obsessed with Todd Rundgren.  If you listen to those songs you get a good sense of Chapman’s insecurities.  I let myself go physically. He was unhealthy so I was unhealthy.


HMB: Did you visit Chapman in prison or did you consider visiting him?

JB: In the beginning the thought crossed my mind quite a bit, because I was very gung-ho and wanted to do anything I could to prepare. It occurred to me though, that it might be a really bizarre sit down. I learned a lot about the guy in preparing for the role. He’s answered, or tried to answer any question I would have had.  I’m not going to ask him how he feels now, it’s not important.


HMB: Was there any Feed back von Yoko Ono after the film came out?

JB: Not that I know of.


HMB: I think I’m not the only one who wonders about “Chapter 27” which deals with the same story and came almost at the same time out as the “Killing Of John Lennon”, how could this have happened, is there a story behind that?

JB: You’d have to ask Andrew about that one. But here’s a perfect example of money and star power not meaning a thing, when telling certain stories. In fact, it could end up distancing the audience.

I’m very proud of what we accomplished under difficult parameters. But the story behind the film doesn’t matter to the audience watching. You either draw people in or you don’t.  

I have no problem with “Chapter 27” as a counterbalance to our film. Good for them!  


HMB: I know that you found your “Leading lady” during the filming of “The Killing of John Lennon”, is there any other fun trivia you can tell us about?

JB: I don’t know about fun, but when we were shooting in the apartment building where Chapman formerly worked as a security guard, one of the guards on duty had worked there with Chapman. I wanted to introduce myself out of respect. I know it’s a touchy subject for those that knew Chapman, or for anybody touched by Lennon. He wasn’t interested in talking to me.  


HMB: Your newest movie is “The Objective” which had the Theatrical release from March 13 – 20th at the Laemmle Theater in L.A., and is also on IFC on demand available to see.
You have again the Lead and you teamed up with “The Blair Witch Project” Director Daniel Myrick. How did you get the part and what is the Objective all about?

JB: Right time right place. When I had the meeting with Dan, they were pretty desperate to cast the role. Everything was in place for production to start. The team was weeks away from boarding a plane to Morocco. My manager sent them some footage from “The Killing…” They responded to it, so Dan and I met. They offered me the part.  

I play CIA agent, Ben Keynes, sent to Afghanistan, post 911, to investigate a mysterious heat signature that’s appeared on satellite surveillance. Using a decoy mission I enlist a group of Special Ops to help get me through the Afghan Mountains to complete my objective. And then the shit hits the fan!


HMB: ‘The Objective” was shot for 4 weeks in Morocco, I can imagine that it was damn hot down there, but besides that how was the food and the locals, did you guys get a chance to visit Casablanca ?

JB: Sadly, I didn’t see Casablanca. We landed and immediately drove five hours into the Moroccan countryside.

We stayed and filmed around Ouarzazat, which is their little Hollywood. They have studios out there, and a lot of very big films have used that part of the country. The weather was really beautiful most of the time. But it was damn hot some days out in the desert. We shot much of the film day for night, so we’d have to bundled-up like it was a cold Afghan night, while baking away under the sun. There wasn’t much cover, or escape at times.

The people were great. Our Moroccan crew worked hard to help us get our movie made. I loved the food. More olives please!


HMB: How was working with director Myrick, and your Co-Stars so far from the USA?

JB: I had a great time with Dan and the other actors. Dan hired these guys because of their military experience. Mike Williams and I were the only ones without a military background. I went at this project exited and grateful for another chance to do a film.

It was a fast, intense shooting schedule, and I feel some scenes were rushed, and details were overlooked. Too much time can make you lazy, sometimes being under-the-gun will inspire something great, but not enough time can stifle creativity.


HMB: Another movie you star in is the just wrapped up Independent Feature “The Blind”, from Writer/Director Nathan Silver. Can you give us some information about it, and who your Character Marcus is?

JB: We’re putting the finishing touches on it this week. We shot in Rhode Island and Massachusetts back in September. Nathan Silver and Ben Bostick wrote the film together. We were lucky to get Rain Li (Cinematographer) to shoot it.

When you first read the script it seems uneventful, but you want to go back to it. The film is a subversion of reality. I know it’s something unique thanks to Nathan. He has real vision for someone his age. And it looks beautiful because of Rain.

Marcus is an anti-social, emotional mute who’s stuck in that prison between mom and manhood. There’s definitely a pattern in some of the characters I’ve been offered to play.
It’s going to be awhile before I get a comedy.  Although… “The Blind” could play like a very, very dark, dark comedy.
 

HMB: Talking about Independent Movies, what is for you an Independent production?

JB: For me a truly “independent” movie shouldn’t really have a major studio backing it, or any bankable stars, or a bankable director for that matter. A truly independent feature is a feature that somehow gets made “independent” of all of that.


HMB: Could you see Jonas Ball starring in a “Soap Opera”?

JB: That’s not going to happen.


HMB: Why not?

JB: I’m not that good of an actor. I wish I was! Maybe I could finally pay my bills.


HMB: What do you like or don’t like about the business?

JB: All I can say is I like my job when I get the opportunity to do it. I take it seriously, and I think I have something to offer in this profession. I’m proud of what I’ve put on my resume so far, and I want to continue to build it.

The business is what it is. It’s everything you love and hate, and more. You’ve got to take the good with the bad.  


HMB: Some advise for newcomers?

JB: I’m a newcomer! I still need advice!


HMB: What’s next for Jonas Ball?

JB: I wrote a very unsophisticated play. I’d like to put it up with friends. Document the making of it. I just want to stay creative. That’s all I can do. When I worry about where and when the next role comes, I drive myself crazy.


HMB: Please choose 5 people out of the film business (dead or alive), you want to have at your dinner Table.

JB: Off the top of my head I would say…Brando, Penn, and Nicholson… then maybe John Cassavetes, to throw in a director. I’d end up under the table with that crew. And I’d love to have a drink with Howard Stern someday.


HMB: Thank you so much for the interview Mr. Ball, and all the best for 2009!

JB: Thank you for being interested.