An in-depth interview with award-winning actor Jonas Olsen on acting, awards and life in Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES , CALIFORNIA , UNITED STATES, December 8, 2020 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Norwegian actor Jonas Olsen was recently awarded the annual Jean-Luc Godard award at the Cult Critic Film Festival, being chosen as one of 3500 other filmmakers from 140 countries worldwide. Jonas also won Best Debut Filmmaker at the same festival in 2019, but he explains that this was his first time receiving an award of this magnitude. “It’s amazing, I’m really grateful.”

Jonas experienced his first taste of awards season last year after winning nine awards at six different U.S film festivals. In 2017, he wrote, produced, and starred in his original film Face It, which became an immediate hit. Despite the success, Jonas didn’t let it get to his head. “There’s an initial feeling that overwhelms you, and it can be quite damaging to the ego,” he explains. “I think it’s important to know who you are and not get carried away.” Olsen tells me that he didn’t expect the film to do this well, and that he has a deep appreciation for film festivals. “I am grateful these festivals recognize my hard work and abilities. That’s really all I can ask for.” He lets me in on a smile that confirms what I already knew – it feels good to be acknowledged from time to time.

I ask him about his experiences in the industry so far, and Jonas tells me how much he enjoys the international aspect of his work. “It’s been great. I’ve been fortunate enough to work on global productions, from London to Guadalajara.” The accomplished actor is now settling in Los Angeles where he recently wrapped up the production of The Little Picture, a film in which he plays a young WWII German soldier struggling with the choices he is forced to make. The film was directed by British filmmaker Toby Kearton, a director Jonas has been wanting to work with for a while. “I first saw his film Dissonance, and I was amazed, especially when it was accepted into the Cannes Film Festival.” Jonas explains how he enjoyed working with Toby on The Little Picture, “I loved working with him because he gave me the freedom to make choices I saw fit for the character. He gave me so much to work with.”

As of the time of this interview, The Little Picture has been viewed by an audience of over half a million people and has won eight awards across various U.S film festivals.

When asked to describe himself, Jonas says he is a maturing person, eager to learn. “I was never really good at school, so my relationship to learning has always felt a bit misunderstood.” In the post-pandemic world, Jonas has taken advantage of time in isolation to enroll in virtual courses about the topics he finds most interesting. He seems to be an avid reader too, saying, “I owe a lot of my newfound curiosity to books like This Is Water and The Alchemist, which have taught me a lot about myself and my own creative process, while boosting some much-needed confidence.”

Jonas is currently writing an upcoming TV-show about a rising musician at a popular music label. “A good friend of mine recently started a music label and one of his clients is this up-and-coming artist with a lot of traction, so he asked me to write a show about them.” Olsen gave no indication of when it would be released, but he seems excited about the new project.

From my first impression of watching him pull up on a 2003 Honda Shadow motorcycle, to getting to know the man behind the dark sunglasses, Jonas seems to be an accomplished actor with a good head on his shoulders – two traits that are hard to find among LA’s rising actors. He is motivated and has a clear plan in place for his career, all while enjoying the ride. I strongly suspect this won’t be the last time we hear from Jonas Olsen.

Jacob D. Wolfe
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