Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Stargirl’s John Apolinar

Actor John Apolinar is the poster child for hard work and determination. While living in San Francisco, John worked a nine-to-five job during the day and took classes at night to strengthen his craft. As it’s been said, hard work pays off, and it certainly has for John, who landed his breakout role in Disney+’s Stargirl.

Adapted from the bestselling novel by Jerry Spinelli, Stargirl tells an endearing tale about embracing your true authentic self. John’s character, Wayne, is one of the popular kids and the definition of conformity, but over the course of the film, we see that slowly chip away.

Pop Culturalist caught up with John to chat about his start in the industry, Stargirl, and his exciting clothing brand Upsaint.

Career

PC: How did you discover your passion for acting?
John: I discovered my passion for acting while watching these really old-school kung-fu movies that my aunt used to have. They were so old that they were still on VHS. But it started there. That’s what got me into watching films, and it progressed from there.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
John: That’s a good question. I’ve grown to really like Shia LaBeouf. He’s had such a comeback and is so self-aware. The performances he’s delivering in projects like Honey Boy, which he wrote and starred in, have been so inspiring.

PC: You got your start working in the startup world. How challenging was it to balance work and pursuing a career in acting?
John: It was a challenge to manage my time. I’d go to work every day and sit there in my cubicle. When my shift was over, I’d have to change gears and get my mind ready for acting class. I did that until midnight two times a week, and then I’d have to get up early the next day to get back to work. It was tough.

PC: You stated in a previous interview that early on in your career, you struggled when you didn’t land a role. How did you change that mindset?
John: I was listening to a podcast and they had this really insightful perspective. They said that it’s obviously important that you get the role, but you should go in with the mindset that your job is to show up, audition, and share your craft. That really helped me deal with the rejection.

Stargirl

PC: You have a new film out now. Tell us about Stargirl, your character, and what drew you to this project.
John: Stargirl is streaming on Disney+. It’s a really charming coming-of-age/love story about this girl, the titular character Stargirl, coming into this really uptight high school and shaking up social norms. She gets people to accept who they are as individuals.

My character is Wayne. My girlfriend Hillary and I are the “cool kids” at the high school. In the story, we symbolize conformity. It’s cool because there are little tidbits throughout the story of my character’s growth.

PC: It’s based on the bestselling novel by Jerry Spinelli. How familiar were you with the source material? Was there any pressure bringing this character to life?
John: I was aware of the book. I didn’t personally read it until I booked the role, and then I bought it and read through it a few times.

You never want to mess up a character that someone has created and put so much effort and love into. But having this really collaborative environment with the cast and crew helped us all trust the decisions we were making. Everyone was so open to new takes and trying new ideas while staying true to the story.

PC: At the heart of the story is Leo and Stargirl, who have different approaches to high school. Is there one that you relate more to?
John: That’s a good question. I think I relate to Leo a little more as far as my own high school experience. Obviously, you want to be yourself. But there are certain pressures where you don’t want to be too different and you want to fit in, so that definitely resonated with me. I wish I could have been more like Stargirl and been myself and not scared to show it.

PC: This is a breakout role for you. Did anything surprise you about the experience? What was the biggest takeaway?
John: I was blown away at how much love there was on set and how much fun it was. It’s obviously work and a huge project, so there are definitely nerves that go along with that. When I got to set, that was put to rest seeing how everything was conducted and how fun and loving the atmosphere was. I was like, “Thank God.” It was such a blast.

PC: You’re also an entrepreneur. Tell us about Upsaint and the inspiration behind the brand.
John: You did your homework. The inspiration behind Upsaint came from me wanting to build a cool clothing brand that stood for something. The inspiration for the design came from the Romeo + Juliet film with Leonardo DiCaprio—those really bold Hawaiian-style shirts he wears with this Japanese flair to them. That’s where the design inspiration came from. I was trying to figure out what social causes to pair it with. I took this trip to Hawaii and swam with turtles, and it was this really dope experience.

I decided to tie the brand with raising awareness and giving back to the turtle conservation. I did tons of research, and I found a material that they were making from plastic water bottles that actually felt really nice on shirts. So we’re making the shirts from recycled plastic water bottles and giving a portion of the proceeds to turtle conservation and ocean cleanup efforts in hope to raise awareness.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: What’s your guilty pleasure?
John: Video games!

PC: Favorite book?
John: I’m re-reading The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher.

PC: Favorite play or musical?
John: Danny and the Deep Blue Sea sticks out to me. That one’s really good. Also Golden Boy. I’d say it’s a tie between those two.

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
John: Alanis Morissette. That one’s out of left field!

PC: Who would play you in the story of your life?
John: A young James Franco

To keep up with John, follow him on Twitter and Instagram. Watch Stargirl on Disney+ today.