Skylar Gaertner – Ozark

By starrymag | May 5, 2021

By: Jennifer Vintzileos

 

 

 

Q) What can you tease about your character Jonah Byrde on Season 4 of Ozark?

A) Well, he’s alive… which is saying a lot for a show like this. I can’t disclose many other details, but it’s clear that the dynamics are changing at the end of Season 3. Jonah is at a bit of a crossroads when it comes to his family; until then, he had gotten through by being extremely adaptable, loyal, curious and optimistic. The Byrdes’ way of life has constantly tested those traits, but he always pulled through and, in fact, thrived because he had some foundation (however unstable) in his family. The end of Season 3; however, really threatens to topple all of that. After learning the truth about his mom, we can only guess how his outlook on life will be affected. He’s followed his parents fairly unquestioningly until now, so it’ll be interesting to see how his rationale changes as he copes with the latest tragedy.

 

Q) Jonah seems to be adamant in learning more about the laundering business. Do you believe it’s more to get the Byrdes out of the business or to continue the work as more of a life-long family business?

A) I don’t think that it’s entirely either of those. He certainly wants to help his family whenever possible, but at least initially he wanted to get involved because he was intrigued by the business and was looking for validation from his very distracted parents (particularly his dad). Although he’s concerned for his family’s survival, I’m not entirely sure that Jonah has an endgame. Their lifestyle certainly doesn’t encourage many long-term decisions. For now, finance and entrepreneurship are simply what he’s good at, so long-term goals and, of course, legality aren’t major considerations.

 

Q) How much are you like your character Jonah and in what ways do you differ?

 

A)  I’d say that we come from relatively similar dispositions. We are both optimistic, curious, ambitious and we both value family. It seems that our differences have formed primarily through the specific context that builds throughout the show. Jonah deals with an abundance of terrible things that I’ve never had to experience (and hopefully never will) and those circumstances are constantly changing him and threatening to tear down his relative innocence and optimism. In a very short amount of time, he was pressured to become more brave, clever, self-reliant and desensitized. However, even with those changes, he has hung on to most of his core attributes. I guess we’ll just have to see how he handles things going into the fourth season.

 

Q) What are some of the methods you use to prepare getting into the character of Jonah?

 

A) My approach to acting typically involves immersing myself into the character’s mindset. That involves deeply reading through the surrounding context and finding the motivations, struggles and emotions that arise from it. Also, just by consciously examining my own thoughts, comments and actions in various circumstances, I can piece together a better understanding of how my character might be motivated. Of course, much of the process comes together on the day, when I can actually listen and react to the other actors.

Q) Tell us about one of your favorite moments from working on Ozark.

 

A) Well, there’s plenty to choose from. Whether I’m driving a boat, shooting at watermelons, eating breakfast from our amazing catering or hanging out with the cast and crew, it’s always enjoyable. One of my favorite filming moments has to be the scene when Wendy (Laura Linney) comes back home after Ben’s (Tom Pelphery) death. In that scene, Jonah’s parents start talking about how they need to get back to “normal.” Jonah responds by blatantly calling out the fact that there is nothing “normal” about their way of life! This scene just felt like a defining moment for the Byrde family because it captures the struggles that real families often deal with, namely, what isnormal? The writers did a masterful job setting this up, and I think the level of relatability causes the show to resonate with a larger audience.

 

Q) On the show you get to work with some rather big names like Jason Batemen and Laura Linney, who play your parents Marty and Wendy Byrde. How has getting to work with them on Ozark helped you in refining your talent?

 

A) Every day is a masterclass when you’re lucky enough to be surrounded by so many talented people and it’s amazing to see how everyone brings something different to the table. Jason has such a sense of ease in his acting that it often feels as if he isn’t acting at all. Laura somehow makes every single moment count for so much (sometimes without saying a word). And plenty of others have such flawless approaches to their characters that you can’t help but be drawn in. Being in that environment, I can only hope that I am absorbing some of their technique along the way.

 

Q) What have you personally taken away from your time working on this series?

A) Having grown up a lot during this show, it has been an incredible learning experience. Particularly recently, I’ve started to become more aware of different aspects of filmmaking (whether it’s directing, screenwriting or lighting). I think that all of the opportunities to observe and gain experience are priceless. Aside from that, I know that many of the memories and friendships that developed over the years will last well beyond this final season.

 

Q) Aside from Ozark, are there any other projects you have been working on that you can tell us about?

A) I was actually cast as a lead in an independent film that was supposed to start filming before Ozark. Unfortunately, that got delayed quite a bit, but we’re hoping that things will still pan out following production with Ozark.

 

Q) Taking a look at your Instagram I note that you are quite the photographer! What are some of your favorite subjects to photograph?

A) Thank you! First of all, I like to photograph my cat, Milo. He’s extremely photogenic and I basically follow him around like the paparazzi. I definitely have too many pictures on my phone as a result. I also like to photograph nature. I’ve been learning a bit about good composition and taking advantage of different textures and it’s a lot of fun.

 

Q) What would you like to say to your fans and supporters of you and the show?

 

A) Well, of course, I just have to thank everyone for watching and supporting the show. Everyone has been incredibly encouraging. I will never get tired of hearing from the fans how the show has helped them get through some of these difficult times. It’s also been very entertaining to see some fan theories about where Jonah’s character will end up. They get pretty wild sometimes, but they’re a ton of fun to read. So, keep it up.