Exclusive Interview: Maxwell Jenkins Chats Reacher, Collaborating with Alan Ritchson, and Season 2

Maxwell Jenkins is a rising young star who has blown audiences away with his out-of-this-world performances in projects including Betrayal, Chicago Fire, Sense8, and Lost in Space. This year, he can be seen in Amazon Prime Video’s breakout hit series Reacher, starring as the younger version of the title character. Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to catch up with Maxwell to talk about his thriving career, Reacher, and more!

PC: You’re a multifaceted talent. How did you initially discover your passion for the arts?
Maxwell: I think my passion for the arts came from growing up in my family’s circus. Yes, I grew up in the circus. My first performance was when I was three years old. I did a balancing act with my dad where I would do handstands on his hands. For as long as I can remember, I was surrounded by incredible artists. People who had spent their entire lives perfecting the most beautiful five minutes of gravity-defying feats you can imagine. Growing up like that gave me an appreciation for the arts and the discipline it takes to create something unique.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Maxwell: I would say my parents had the biggest influence on my career. Without their sacrifice, I wouldn’t be able to do what I do. The projects I have worked on have taken me to incredible places all over the world. A lot of times that meant either my mom or my dad had to put their lives on hold to take me there. I am grateful. They have also made it a point to keep my life balanced. It’s been important for them to keep me in public school when I am not filming. There were times when I would finish filming something I’d been working on for a long time and they felt strongly that the best “project” for me to work on next was simply real life—going to school, hanging with friends and family, taking the dogs for a walk. Those things can be underrated.

PC: In addition to acting and writing, you’re also a musician. What has been the biggest lesson you’ve learned from music that you’ve been able to apply to your work on screen?
Maxwell: Wow. That’s a hard one… Music takes so much patience. I think it takes the most patience out of anything I do. You can spend hours and hours repeating the same thing just to have it sound moderately good. So in that sense, music has taught me to be patient and persistent and to not give up when things get hard. I have had to apply that to my work in acting.

PC: You’ve had a lot of success already in your young career. When you look back, is there a moment that stands out?
Maxwell: There have been so many great moments. I have been really lucky to work on great projects with really talented and generous people. I was at TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) getting ready to go to the premiere of my first feature film when I got a call from my manager saying, “Danger, Will Robinson! You’re going to space!” I freaked out. I remember my first thought was, “I hope the spacesuit is blue so I can be like Spock!” (I was a huge Star Trek fan and Spock was by far my favorite.) That moment probably sticks out the most to me because that’s the moment I knew my life was going to significantly change.

PC: The final season of Lost in Space recently dropped on Netflix. When you look back at that experience, what do you remember the most?
Maxwell: Aside from how I found out I got the role, I think when I look back what I remember the most are the extreme locations where we shot. We shot on top of a glacier. They had to build a road to get us up there and we had to wear avalanche trackers because it was spring and the snow was so deep. We shot in the badlands of Alberta where there were fossils and dinosaur bones—I found and held gigantic dinosaur bones! We shot on the black sand beaches of Iceland at sunrise, and the ocean was so angry it almost took the camera out to sea. These locations were so huge they couldn’t help but make us feel small. It’s a lot like how I imagine it would be to go to space. I think that’s what I’ll remember most: just how lucky I was to get to see the world that way.

PC: Having played Will Robinson for several seasons, did anything surprise you about his journey?
Maxwell: I don’t think anything “surprised” me in terms of the character arc. We always knew and talked about wanting to start Will as a scared little kid and have him grow up into a young man. It is a hero’s journey. I guess what took me aback a bit was how good it felt to drop into the character each season after being away from him for so long. It would take a few weeks, but I distinctly remember each season when I found him again. It felt like going home after being away for so long. I guess it did surprise me how ready I was to let him go after the third season. I didn’t expect it to feel so easy. I was a bit sad, but ultimately we accomplished what we set out to do. I feel truly grateful that Netflix let us tell the whole story. It was a real gift to be able to do that.

PC: You’re currently one of the stars of Reacher. How did you prepare for this role?
Maxwell: Probably the biggest help in preparing for Reacher was talking to Nick Santora (the showrunner) and Alan Ritchson who plays Jack Reacher. Because I was Reacher in flashbacks, it was really important to be in support of Alan’s creation. So we discussed the physicality of Reacher a lot. We concluded that Reacher was like a crocodile. He sits, listens, waits, and only moves when the time is right.

I spent a lot of time watching dailies of Alan’s work. I also watched some of the audition videos and chemistry reads where Alan was Reacher. He’s so good. I just tried to study the way he moved and the expressions and gestures he used and tried to incorporate that into my physicality. I also watched a lot of interviews with Lee Child who wrote the novels. It was a great collaborative effort. Alan is amazing, and I loved being able to give some background context to the story he was telling as Reacher.

PC: Reacher was recently renewed for a second season. What do you think is resonating most with audiences?
Maxwell: Lee Child has created an incredible world with his Jack Reacher novels. Nick Santora and the writers, directors, and main cast have adapted it beautifully and authentically, and I think audiences appreciate that. There’s a reason these novels are so beloved. The stories are exciting. The characters are unique and fun to go on a journey with. I am proud to be even a small part of such a great series, and I hope I get to continue adding where I can to the Reacher story.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Maxwell: Jujutsu Kaisen is my guilty pleasure, but Euphoria—not sure it’s a guilty pleasure, but I’m obsessed!

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Maxwell: The Amazing Spider-Man 2—purely for Andrew Garfield’s performance.

PC: Favorite book?
Maxwell: The Berlin Boxing Club by Robert Sharenow.

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Maxwell: It may sound cliché, but I’d have to say Hamilton. It’s brilliant musically.

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Maxwell: The Neighbourhood.

PC: Dream role?
Maxwell: Eren Yeager from Attack on Titan.

To keep up with Maxwell, follow him on Twitter and Instagram. Watch Reacher on Amazon Prime Video today.