Exclusive Interview: Jack Griffo Chats Overrun & The Pretty Grit

Whether he’s starring in projects like The Thundermans or pouring his heart into his songwriting, Jack Griffo is a dynamic young talent who has quickly made his mark on Hollywood.

This August, Jack can be seen in the action-packed thriller, Overrun, which finds him reuniting with some familiar faces. In the film, Jack plays Auggy, a tech guru who helps his good friend break into a government facility!

Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to speak with Jack about Overrun, his multifaceted career, and the new music he has on the way.

PC: Tell us about Overrun and your character in the film.
Jack: My character is Auggy. Auggy’s friend Marcus calls him to help break into a government facility to clear his and his friend’s names. I’m the man behind the computer, helping Marcus get through doors. I’m navigating where he goes in the building. It’s a mission where he has to get in and beat the bad guys.

PC: What was it about this particular film and character that stood out to you?
Jack: I’ve never done anything like this before. We added some stuff to the character to make it fun. We made him super eccentric. I’m wearing this cool unicorn onesie in the main scene where I’m helping Marcus into the building. It was fun. I got to spew out a bunch of technical terms that I didn’t know anything about. I got to learn a little about tech stuff. I’m not very good with technology personally, so it was cool to play a character who’s different from myself.

PC: There’s a great dynamic between Auggy and Marcus. Auggy really helps show this different side to Marcus. How did you and Omid [Zader] prepare to tackle that relationship?
Jack: It was great. I absolutely love Omid. We go way, way back to The Thundermans. He played Dark Mayhem on the show and did a lot of stunts. Our wonderful director, Josh Tessier, headed the stunts on The Thundersmans. He was the one who called me for this project. I was absolutely ecstatic and didn’t hesitate to accept the role. Omid and I go way back. It was really fun playing off the natural banter we have together.

PC: With this being such a different role for you, is there a scene that you’re really excited for your fans to see? Which was the most challenging to film?
Jack: I’m in a couple of scenes. I would say the one I’m most excited for people to see is the main one where I’m helping Marcus into the building. There’s also one where we’re chilling in my secret hideout. It’s more of a funny scene. It was a fun scene for us to shoot. But I’m by no means the lead of this film. It’s about Omid and his character Marcus. I tee him up, and I’m there to push the story along.

PC: What is it about independent filmmaking that excites you as an actor?
Jack: That’s a good question. It’s definitely a different feel from a studio film or TV show. Indies are made without a lot of money. That’s the cool thing about independent filmmaking: a lot of people come out for the love of the art, the love of what we’re doing. No one’s there for a big payday. No one’s there for material reasons. Everyone’s there because they believe in the project and what it can do. It’s a lot of hours and a lot of time out of people’s lives. The people are there for the right reasons. It’s a really cool feeling. It’s like making a movie with your friends. It’s a different feel on set. You can joke around. It’s more of a relaxed feeling. It’s still super professional of course, but it’s definitely different in the best way.

PC: Music plays a huge part in your life. If you had to pick a song that best encompasses your character’s arc in the film or the film itself, what would it be and why?
Jack: “Eye of the Tiger,” baby. Breaking into this facility is an impossible task. They have the eye of the tiger the whole time. Auggy heads up the operation, and it’s one of the hardest things that he’s done. He’s not sure if he can even pull it off. That’s the main vibe.

PC: You guys shot this film in sixteen days. How beneficial was it having that prior relationship with Josh and Omid heading this project? How did that lend itself to the performance that we see on screen?
Jack: It’s always different when you’re working with your friends. It was super important in this case that I already had the relationships I did with Omid and Josh because the trust was really there. When you’re making a movie or a show, trust is a big part of it—trust in the crew, trust in the director. I’m not concerned with how I look and things like that. I am a little bit, but you’ve got to trust that you’re going to look good and that things are going to look professional in the finished film. I had that trust with Josh with respect to the stunts specifically because he’s a physically capable guy. I didn’t do many stunts on this project, but I had no worries at all with anything surrounding the production. Like I said, Omid and I had a great relationship and that made it easy. It made it fun. I actually shot this movie on my birthday. It was a really good birthday.

PC: What do you hope audiences take away after they see the film? What did you learn about yourself and your craft?
Jack: I hope they have a good time. Art initiates life. We want people to forget about their lives for two hours. That’s why people dive into stories. That’s why we read books. That’s why we watch shows and movies. It’s an escape. It’s a great escape from all our everyday problems. Not to sound cynical, but life can be a bunch of bullsh*t sometimes. That’s why entertainment and the arts are so important.

Like I was saying earlier, it wasn’t a big part for me. My role tees up the main story, but it was good practice in terms of jumping into a movie that was already going. Sometimes it’s hard to find your place and fit in when a production is already mid-swing, but like I said, knowing everyone already, it was like it was just another day with my friends. It was good practice for being able to slide right into a film without having any preparation.

PC: In addition to acting, you’ve also teased that you and your band will be releasing some new music soon. Is there anything that you can tease on the music front?
Jack: We’ll probably be releasing our first ever single this month. Our band is called The Pretty Grit. Like I just mentioned about what I hope people take away from the film, it’s an escape, right? My message to people is that even through the bullsh*t in life there’s a silver lining you can always take away. It’s all about how you deal with your problems without letting them crush you. You can make something beautiful out of it, and that’s why the band is called The Pretty Grit. I went through a lot in the past couple of years. It’s been four years since The Thundermans ended, and being able to put my experience into songs and beautiful sounds has been super therapeutic for me. Our music is about turning the gritty things in life into something pretty.

PC: Speaking of that process of creating new music, what have you learned from that experience that you’ve been able to apply to the acting side of your talent?
Jack: One affects the other. It’s been a few years since Thundermans ended. I’ve always been interested in music, but never was able to pursue it in the way I wanted to. I was really involved in my acting and The Thundersmans in particular. I did covers on the side, but when the show ended, I really dove into songwriting. I had always been interested in it. Things started happening in my life and that made me want to get some things off my chest and turn them into something pretty—because the gritty things, they can be the end of you if you don’t deal with them the right way.

But absolutely one affects the other. I wouldn’t be able to write what I write without having gone through certain hard times in the acting industry. There’s a lot of rejection. It’s really hard on one’s mental health. You’re going on, audition after audition. It’s different from music because in acting you’re trying to become someone else. It takes a lot of work and a lot of preparation. What’s been cool about my music is that I don’t have to be anyone but myself. It’s been freeing. It’s been liberating and rewarding. I’m really excited to start releasing our music and let people listen to it.

It’s been nerve-wracking because I’ve never released music before. When you’re acting, it’s like, “Here I am, this other person.” But with music, it’s like, “This is me.” It’s nerve-wracking, but what I’ve asked myself over the past year since the band started was, “Do I like what I’m doing? Am I enjoying myself?” Once we started recording our songs, I listened to them every day in the car. I really, really liked the process. It’s all a journey. It’s not about the end result. The journey is the reward. It’s nerve-wracking wondering whether people will like it or relate to it, but all that is out of my hands. I’ve accepted that, “Hey, I like it,” and that’s good enough for me.

PC: What was that process like deciding what would be your debut single?
Jack: It’s still up in the air. We have a couple that we’re on the fence about. We think two are really, really strong. We’re still deciding. We’ll see. I’m excited either way, whichever one we choose. We’ll probably do a single and then maybe a couple of months later do a three- or four-song EP, and then do an album next year.

To keep up with Jack, follow him on Twitter and Instagram. Overrun is available any where you stream movies on August 17.

Photo Credit: Michael Dambrosia Photography