Akshay Kumar – Pandora

By starrymag | October 18, 2020

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

Q) What can you tease is new this season on “Pandora” and with your character Jett?

 

A) We have some awesome new sets, like the Dauntless, which is a dream to work on because you truly feel like a space pirate running around saving the universe…and all that stuff. We also have some incredible stunts, fights, action, LASERS! But most importantly, we have some wonderful, super-talented actors – like Roxanne McKee, Nicole Castillo-Mavromatis, Tegen Short and Shani Eres – joining the show. Some of which have VERY important and decisive roles in our story as it unfolds…no spoilers, sorry!

And as for Jett…Weeeeell, audiences seem to already have quite a strong recollection of him from Season 1 (which is actually really great!). So, it’ll be interesting to see how and IF their feelings for him change throughout this season as they learn more about him. I will say that there is much more to him than meets the eye. But it will be a journey that the audience will have to go on with him. And I hope they stay with him til the end!

 

Q) Have you had much of a say in how the character has evolved?

 

A) Honestly, I really haven’t had to say anything! When Mark Altman (our show runner) told me that he wanted me back for Season 2, I figured the only way Jett COULD come back was if he was looking for some form of redemption. And that’s exactly what Mark was thinking, too! So, we’ve been very much in-sync this whole time, which has been wonderful and made Jett so much more fun to play than I could’ve ever hoped.

But he does continue to evolve, too. He becomes very involved in certain story lines (again, no spoilers) and, also, we learn some key bits about his past and what drives him. All good, emotional backstory stuff 🙂

 

Q) What continues to challenge you about playing Jett?

 

A) Being “funny.” I had no idea that I was a funny person (and still don’t think so). So, playing a character who has these great punch-lines and one-liners took a lot of letting go of my own ego. Once I was okay with looking kinda foolish on screen EVERYTHING became easier and even liberating! (Life lesson, by the way). And then they wrote even more jokes for Jett! Gah!

Also, playing a character who doesn’t really know what’s going on (like the pending doomsday, what a Pandora is, Ancients, space battles, etc.) was a challenge to begin with simply because you just wanna look as cool as the other actors, who all seem to stay cool under pressure. Because all of this big-world stuff is new to Jett, it meant I got to be in awe of all these weird and wonderful things; or scared; or unsure…or just completely freaked out. And I think that element adds a nice dimension to the group dynamic.

 

Q) Going into Season 2, were you looking forward to sharing more/any scenes with?

 

A) I was only in Episode 6 of Season 1, so my exposure to the other actors was very limited. But I was really looking forward to working with Oliver Dench (who plays Xander). And as the season progresses, we get to know each other pretty well! He’s a dream! Also, Nicole Castillo-Mavromatis (who plays Zazie) is wonderful to work with. Jett and Zazie (#Jazzie) have a really cheeky/flirty but also very honest relationship with each other and Nicole was the perfect partner-in-crime.

 

Q) What kind of stunt prep went into getting in shape for this season of “Pandora?”

 

A) Being in lockdown for the three months leading up to the shoot meant I had plenty of free time to get in shape! Thanks, COVID! I did a lot of weight training with my brother in our makeshift home gym, which proved to be a big help for the shoot itself. A lot of yoga and calisthenics, too. But I also play a lot of sports and am a big fan of bouldering, so a lot of that muscle memory came in handy for some of the stunt sequences these guys put me through. Jett is quite agile and lithe so I had to keep flexible.

 

Q) What are some episodes or moments that you think viewers should keep an eye out for?

 

A) There are some very key moments for Jett in episode 4 that I think will surprise a lot of his critics. Same goes for episodes 6, 8 and 10! Lots of developments scattered through the series for all of our heroes – so y’all will just have to keep watching!

 

Q) How did you shake off a long day of filming for this series?

 

A) Typically, I would get back and just stuff my face with a big ol’ bowl of pasta and chicken (staple diet) and look over the schedule for the next day. Nothing too exciting! Or if a couple of us finished early that day we’d sometimes go for dinner at one of the many wonderful restaurants in Sofia. But, generally, we were all pretty disciplined because the schedule was so packed all the time.

 

Q) What do you think it is about “Pandora” that has continued to make it such a fan favorite show?

 

A) I think it’s the mixture of all the classic, fantastical elements of a good sci-fi show and all of these weird and wonderful characters that makes it special. At least for me, anyway. That’s what keep me interested. They’re people trying to do their best for one another. And this year I think we focus more on the ever-shifting group dynamics under the umbrella of this massive, looming threat to our universe!

 

Q) You are a part of social media. What kind of fan response did you receive to the Season 2 premiere?

 

A) I have to say, I was very paranoid. I wasn’t sure what people would think – of the show and of Jett’s surprise return. It seems like a few people were outraged that this irredeemable douchebag (their words, not mine) could ever be welcomed back to the Academy…So, that was a little scary to read on Twitter! Other people were more like “Hmm, okay. Let’s see how legit he is this time.” I guess it’s kind of the response we wanted from our audience, but it’s always a bit of a shock at first. Hopefully, they learn to love him!

 

Q) What have you personally taken away from your time working on “Pandora?”

 

A) A lot of love. A lot of fun. And a lot of self-discipline. Because of the pandemic and the time restrictions we were under, Season 2 felt very much like a filmmaking boot camp. You had to be on your game all the time. It can be exhausting. But everyone put their blood, sweat and tears into making sure we made it to the end. And we did. And I’m so damn proud of every single one of us.