Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Locke & Key’s Jesse Camacho

Jesse Camacho comes from a long line of actors, so it seemed destined that he would pursue a career in the arts. And what a career he’s quickly building. The triple threat acts, produces, and writes and is one of the stars of Netflix’s must-see supernatural drama Locke & Key. Pop Culturalist caught up with Jesse to learn more about his journey in the industry, Locke & Key, and his hopes for Season 2.

Career

PC: How did you discover your passion for the arts?
Jesse: My parents are both actors. I came out of the womb wanting to do it. They were hesitant at first. They were like, “Are you sure? This is quite a negative industry in a lot of ways. There’s a lot of rejection. It’s very feast or famine.” But my mind was set. They were finally convinced when I was about eight, since I’ve been asking since I was five.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Jesse: That’s a great question. Obviously yeah, my parents are top of that list, but I’ll try to dig a little deeper for you. There are guys like Jay Baruchel, who I had the privilege of working with on a movie called The Trotsky. He perfected going down to the States and making a name for himself. Then he moved back home and is really content. I look up to someone like that.

Then there was a great actor I worked with for a couple of years on a show called Less Than Kind in Canada: a guy named Maury Chaykin. He’s this wonderful actor. I played his son for a couple of years on that series. Unfortunately, he passed away during the run. But he’s someone who taught me a lot about the craft and how to handle yourself on set.

So other than my parents, I would say Jay Baruchel and Maury Chaykin.

PC: In addition to acting, you’re also a writer and a producer. How has your work behind the scenes made you a stronger actor and vice versa?
Jesse: Most of the writing and producing that I’ve done has been on small projects, but it does teach you a lot. You learn different corners of the industry. You understand how decisions are made. But when you’re in front of the camera, you don’t really see that. Something might seem inefficient to you, but when you’re on the other side of that, you see the options presented in front of you. I have a lot more empathy for the other side of things.

It was really helpful. I pride myself on being someone who isn’t a complainer. I never complain on set. But there have been moments, of course, in my career where I’d be curious why certain decisions were being made. When you put that hat on, you go, “I see. There is a method to all this madness.”

PC: You’ve had a lot of success already in your career. When you look back, is there a particular moment that stands out to you?
Jesse: Wow. I mean a personal fun one for me was when I got to work with my dad on a project that I hadn’t written. We were both cast independently. It was a Netflix film called Good Sam. That’s up there.

The other one, I would say, is a tossup between when I booked Less Than Kind or Locke & Key. Those are definitely the top there. The most sentimental one being able to work with my dad.

PC: Speaking of Locke & Key, it’s become this massive hit for Netflix. What do you think is resonating most with audiences?
Jesse: I think it’s a mixture of the genre and how many different demographics it taps into. The graphic novels that Joe Hill created are phenomenal. They’re perfect. To me, they’re the gold standard of graphic novels. They’re really dark, gritty, and graphic; translating them word for word would have been tough to stomach in a ten-episode season. So I thought it was a really smart move by Meredith [Averill] and Carlton [Cuse] to broaden it for an audience, make it a little younger, and tone it down a bit but keep the themes and DNA the same.

PC: Great answer. Your character, Doug, is part of the Savini Squad, which isn’t part of the original comics. What advantages and disadvantages does that bring to you as an actor?
Jesse: The only disadvantage is that I love these graphic novels. I really think they’re the gold standard, so it’s a drag that the Savini Squad isn’t in them. But the advantage of that is we don’t have a predetermined fate, which is exciting.

I think that the Savini Squad is based loosely on the Scott and Jamal characters in the graphic novels. They’re a version of that. But we don’t know what’s going to happen. That’s really exciting. Are we going to get killed off? Are we going to be around for the whole run? It keeps us on the edge of our seats. Whereas even though we’ve diverged significantly from the graphic novels at this point, you can make assumptions about the other characters.

It gives you more room to be whatever you see the character being without having a certain group of fans be upset. It gives you a bit more freedom. Selfishly, I wish the Savini Squad were in the graphic novels because I think Joe is a genius.

PC: There’s a really great chemistry that comes off between the cast. How did you all build that bond?
Jesse: We were so lucky. I actually met Hallea Jones, who plays Eden, randomly at a bar one night when we were both cast. The next day, I realized that she was on Locke & Key, so I reached out to her. I said, “Hey, we met last night!” She was like, “Oh, you should come to my birthday show. A bunch of cast members are coming.”

I went and I met Petrice [Jones] there and a couple of other people. Then I met Emilia Jones, who is literally probably the nicest, greatest gift to any project that she could be on. She’s amazing. I get along really well with Griffin [Gluck]. Within like twenty minutes of us sitting around set before we went to block our first scene, we looked at each other and we got each other. We became really close friends. We still chat all the time. We’re very much looking forward to getting back to it. It’s easy and fun.

PC: Speaking of Season 2, where would you like to see your character’s storyline head? Have there been any early conversations about what that direction might look like?
Jesse: When I was in Los Angeles in February for the premiere, Meredith and Carlton, our showrunners, were kind enough to invite me into the writers’ room to meet everyone. I thought that was a promising sign. They didn’t tell me anything though. They were very, very tight-lipped. At the time, we weren’t even sure if we had a Season 2!

But they have hinted that there’s some fun stuff coming up. I mean selfishly, I’d love for the Savini Squad to get in on the secret of the keys and get involved. The way Season 1 ends, there’s potentially a really interesting dynamic in the group now. But I very much consider myself a team player. I’m aware that Doug is a little more on the peripheral side of things. I would never dare to ask about a whole Doug-centric episode. But I’d love to explore that group dynamic more and explore the relationships between Doug and Zadie or Kinsey and Doug.

PC: We’ve asked all your cast this. If you could have one key, what would it be and why?
Jesse: That’s a tough one. You’d think that I’d have an answer to this by now because it’s been asked before, but it’s definitely a toss-up for me. The Anywhere Key is fun, but not for the reasons that others have said. Other people are like, “I want to go and explore this place.” I do want to do that, but I’m just a terrible flyer. It would be more about not wanting to take transportation.

The Head Key would be good too. I’m someone who has a bit of anxiety. I’ve had some major anxiety in the past, so I wouldn’t mind going in my head and maybe not removing it completely, because we see what happens when Kinsey does that, but cutting it off at the knees so that it doesn’t come back as often.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Jesse: Outer Banks

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Jesse: Horrible Bosses 2

PC: Favorite book?
Jesse: The Harry Potter series. I’m freakish. I wish that I could take pictures of my Harry Potter room and send it to you. I’ve spent way too much money on Harry Potter memorabilia.

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Jesse: That’s a great question. I very much enjoy Annie. I’ve had the Annie soundtrack on my phone, and I listen to it quite a bit.

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Jesse: Katy Perry

PC: Who would play you in the story of your life?
Jesse: John Candy. I’d also like to return the favor to him, if anyone’s ever making a movie about him.

To keep up with Jesse, follow him on Twitter and Instagram. Binge-watch Season 1 of Locke & Key today.