Exclusive Interview: John Henry Ward Chats The Girl from Plainville, Collaborating with Elle Fanning, and More

John Henry Ward is one of the breakout stars of 2022. His nuanced performance as outsider Adrian Peters in The Girl from Plainville has quickly caught the attention of critics and viewers alike. Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to speak with John about the role.

PC: How did you discover your passion for storytelling and the arts?
John: My parents are big movie people. We would watch movies every weekend. Then in middle school, I got cast as the lead in the school musical. Before that, I wanted to be a director. That was the moment when I was like, “Oh, I could be an actor.”

PC: What has that transition been like for you going from the stage to the screen?
John: In musical theater, people would have to ask me to be bigger. I always approached musical theater from an acting perspective first. I really learned how to act by acting through song. Music is a medium that hits you at your core. It makes you feel something immediately. Sometimes on set I wish they had the scoring of the project playing in the background. It really helps you connect so much more. That’s what I like about musical theater.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
John: Richard Linklater. I really gravitate towards his films. Those are the types of movies that I like to make and be in.

PC: Tell us about your character in The Girl from Plainville and what drew you to this project.
John: I play Adrian in The Girl from Plainville. He takes Michelle to prom. He’s the last person at the school who reaches out to her and tries to be her friend. For my audition, I saw that Liz Hannah was attached to the project. I was like, “That’s very cool.” She wrote Long Shot, which is one of the best romantic comedies that I’ve seen in the theater in the past twenty years. That got me really excited to audition for it. Then I got the callback, and I watched the HBO documentary and read up on the case. I thought this would be cool to be a part of.

PC: Like you were saying, Michelle and Adrian bond over the fact that they’re both outsiders. What was that collaboration like getting to work with Elle [Fanning] as you brought this dynamic to life on the screen?
John: It was great. Elle is phenomenal. If you watch the show, you can see that she’s really nailing it. I relate to Adrian. I always had people in my life who were there for me when I was feeling on the fringe—emotionally and socially. There was a person who was there to hear me out, understand what I was going through, and not judge me. That’s what I wanted to bring to Adrian. As far as working with Elle, I couldn’t ask for a better scene partner. Whether it was my coverage or hers, she was always giving it her all. If you’re acting with a good actor, it makes you better.

PC: There’s this fine line that you have to walk when you’re working on a project that’s based on true events and that tackles really sensitive subject matter. Does that bring a different weight to a project like this, and was that a conversation that was talked about during the filming process?
John: Definitely. The whole cast talked about that a lot. There’s definitely a greater sense of responsibility to do right by these characters and this story. We took it very seriously. It had a different tone in preparation.

PC: This is the longest that you’ve lived with a character on screen. Has anything surprised you about the experience? What’s been the biggest takeaway?
John: It was all the relationships that I formed with the crew and my castmates working with them for several months. It’s not something that I’ve done since before the pandemic.

PC: You’re just starting off in your career. When you look ahead to the next five, ten years, is there a dream role that you would love to bring to life?
John: I’d love to play a famous musician in a biopic or even a fictional one. That’ll bridge my camera work with musical theater. That’d be a dream.

PC: In addition to acting, you’re also a writer, and you were talking about directing earlier. How has your work behind the scenes made you a stronger onscreen actor and vice versa?
John: I’ve noticed that since I’ve dabbled in writing, it’s made me a better actor. You see the script differently. You know how it serves the story. It changes the way that you think, especially in TV where you’re telling these long stories. It really benefits you to think of the story, the different scenes, and how your character serves the story at that moment.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
John: Sex and the City.

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
John: Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story.

PC: Favorite book?
John: Normal People by Sally Rooney.

PC: Favorite play or musical?
John: Floyd Collins. It’s a musical by Adam Guettel.

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
John: Trace Adkins.

To keep up with John, follow him on Instagram. Watch The Girl from Plainville on Hulu today

Photo Credit: Brandon Hayden