Jake Ryan – Chad

By: Jamie Steinberg

Q) Please tell us the premise for the series “Chad.”

A) “Chad” is a comedy about a Persian teen entering high school who is absolutely determined to be popular – doing whatever it takes. Usually, it ends with him humiliating himself and others feeling uncomfortable.

Q) What was your audition like for the show?

A) I’ve actually auditioned for this role twice now. The first time was back in 2016 when it was under a different studio. I didn’t end up getting the role because I was a bit too young at the time, but a few years later I got a second chance to audition when it was picked up by TBS. I felt even more motivated than usual considering this was like the equivalent of a fisherman’s regret in the sense, where it’s like “the one that got away” and I wasn’t gonna let it pass me by. I did a self-tape for the role of Peter and a week later they flew me out to LA for a screen test with Nasim [Pedrad] and a few days later Nasim called me personally and told me I got the role.

Q) How was Peter originally described to you? 

A) The original description for his character was: Chad’s best friend, an aloof, oddly content kid who was unbothered by the world around him. So, not a lot has changed.

Q) Was there anything you added to the character that wasn’t in the initial breakdown?

A) There were a few throwaway lines that they might have let me keep in there, but nothing that really stands out if I recall. There were a lot of things that were added to his character after the pilot. Such as: His patience with Chad, his admiration for Hamid (Paul Chahidi), his chill aura, his enthusiasm, his relationship with Denise (Alexa Loo) – all of these things were conceived after the initial breakdown.

Q) Chad and Peter are besties. What keeps them bonded during Chad’s quest for popularity?

A) Short answer: A mixture of Chad’s over reliance on others and Peter’s patience.

In nearly every way, Peter is the antithesis of Chad with his go with the flow attitude, to his general acceptance of who he is, which sometimes gets on Chad’s nerves.

Peter is very much a comfort for Chad. Whenever he feels overwhelmed or anxious, Peter is always happy to be a shoulder to lean on.

When it comes down to it, they’re both definitely concerned with each other’s wellbeing. With Chad offering his own piece of advice to Peter (even though it’s often with the intention not to embarrass Chad himself).

Q) Is there much room for improv when it comes to the dialogue?

A) Quite a bit! Whenever the rehearsals or the first takes for a scene felt a little stiff and clunky, we were just allowed to riff on random topics sometimes just to loosen up. It was almost like we were seeing who could keep a straight face the longest. Improv stuff is always a lot of fun to film! Then, we would go back to the original dialog with a somewhat fresher take on the scene. From what I’ve heard thus far, some of the improv stuff was added, not quite sure what though yet.

Q) Talk about working with Nasim Pedrad.

A) We jived pretty well! She’s a super nice person and a skilled improviser. The fact that Chad and Peter had this nice Yin and Yang dynamic made it even more of a joy to explore these interactions with Nasim. She made it very fun to be on set!

Q) The episodes just keep getting funnier! What were some of your most memorable moments from filming?

A) Here’s something that comes to mind. There was this one scene in the pilot where Chad knocks a water bottle out of the air while he walks through the halls with Peter and Denise. We had to shoot a bunch of different takes to get that particular motion right. What ended up happening was, for one of the takes, she accidentally knocked it away in an angle that hit me right on the head. Quick note, all of the bottles that they used were actually empty, so I was fine. People were bewildered! It was such a swift motion that we couldn’t replicate it again if we tried.

Q) You are a part of social media. What kind of fan feedback have you been receiving to the show?

A) I’m not on a lot, but whenever I end up posting for it, the comments usually wind up being pretty positive.

Q) What do you think it is about “Chad” that is going to make it a fast fan favorite series?

A) There are going to be some people who get off on Chad for saying and doing unruly things for his ultimate goal to become a popular figure. There are also going to be some who will enjoy when his manipulative tactics inevitably fall flat in his face and is forced to come into contact with the consequences of his actions. There might be some people who would feel invested to see such a bratty kid learn from his mistakes and, in turn, learn to accept himself and become a better person along the way.

Q) What advice would you give to other young adults looking to acting?

A) I wouldn’t say I’m used to giving out advice, but I’ll give it a whirl.

Go on as many auditions as you can. You won’t get every single one, but it’ll help you gain some experience on playing a wide variety of characters. As a bonus, the more you audition, the more people start to remember you.

If you’re feeling down that you haven’t gotten close to booking anything in a while, or if you didn’t get a role that you thought was a good fit for you, you can feel down if you want. But I’ve found that it’s better to look at it like this. Whoever ended up getting that role, it was their time. You’re time will come, too. Patience is definitely a virtue in this business.

Last thing I have is to remember to have fun, I guess.

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who are fans and supporters of you and the work you do?

A) Before anything, I just want to say, to whoever ends up reading this is a fan of my work, thank you. I do this job because it’s fun, and I like doing it. But it makes me happy that I’m able to comfort people with my performances. I know I don’t post much, or interact much on social media, but I would just like to say that I’m grateful to the people that have continued to support me for so long.