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Jefferson Jackson: Call Him Jax

MarkHB

By MarkHB
in Legends Of Tomorrow

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Starfish35

Starfish35

(edited)

From TVLine - the casting announcement:

English actor Franz Drameh (Edge of Tomorrow) has been cast as Jay Jackson, a former high school athlete whose pro career was derailed by injury. Now making ends meets as an auto mechanic, Jay will come to have a surprising affiliation to the S.T.A.R. Labs crew.

The original breakdown for the role, code-named “Mystery Hero,” described the character as a “regular, street smart guy who unexpectedly gains powers, and then, as part of the team, regularly quips about the insanity of the situations.”

http://tvline.com/2015/04/23/arrow-flash-spinoff-cast-franz-drameh-jay-jackson/ Edited by Starfish35
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Kromm

Kromm

"Jay Jackson" to me sounds a lot like a name you'd make up if people were upset that your versions of Ronnie Raymond and Jason Rusch weren't even a little like the ones they wanted, so you kind of ran their names together and made a new character who had aspects of the original versions of those characters more than the later reinventions.

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Starfish35

Starfish35

(edited)

I don't know.

On the one hand, these are the guys who stubbornly stuck to their guns about making Laurel Lance the Black Canary, despite having a (arguably) more popular version in Sara. So I can't see Ronnie's lack of popularity being the issue.

On the other hand, Firestorm is going to be part of this show according to the trailer, yet there's no Ronnie or Jason anywhere in sight. So...... I don't know. Maybe Robbie Amell didn't want to commit to the show so they had to come up with something else?

Edited by Starfish35
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Starfish35

Starfish35

(edited)

Well, Jason already appeared on The Flash (episode 10). So they'd be not just recasting but ignoring that he ever appeared (I think he was a scientist that Caitlin talked to, if I remember correctly). Never mind - according to The Arrow/Flash Wikia

Jason Rusch is an employee of Mercury Labs. He is also a grad student from Hudson University and a former member of the F.I.R.E.S.T.O.R.M. project. During his time with the project, he co-wrote an 800-page paper with Professor Martin Stein regarding it.

He was played by this guy: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3526638/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1

Edited by Starfish35
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Starfish35

Starfish35

(edited)

Yeah, but Caity was still playing the same character. This would be creating a new character named Jason Rusch completely unconnected to the Jason Rusch that appeared in The Flash. Not quite the same as just recasting. Doesn't mean they can't do it - just that it will require everyone ignoring that there already was a Jason Rusch and it wasn't this guy.

Edited by Starfish35
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Starfish35

Starfish35

(edited)

I don't see how that's possible. The Jason who appeared on Flash is a graduate student working in a lab. "Jay Jackson" is "a former high school athlete whose pro career was derailed by injury" who is "now making ends meets as an auto mechanic." Two very different people. Unless you think they completely are faking that character description.

Edited by Starfish35
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FurryFury

FurryFury

It's not uncommon for agents to use a completely different description of the character for casting call. It's usually done so as not to spoil viewers in case of adaptions, and maybe in some other cases too. 

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Proteus

Proteus

I don't see how that's possible. The Jason who appeared on Flash is a graduate student working in a lab. "Jay Jackson" is "a former high school athlete whose pro career was derailed by injury" who is "now making ends meets as an auto mechanic." Two very different people. Unless you think they completely are faking that character description.

Character descriptions are faked all the time in casting calls. And even if this one isn't, his high school past doesn't prelcude him from being the same character that appeared on Flash this season.

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Starfish35

Starfish35

(edited)

Well as far as I know that wasn't a casting call. That was the character description given in the announcement that Franz Drameh had been cast. I'm assuming the casting call was that earlier bit about "regular, street smart guy who unexpectedly gains powers, and then, as part of the team, regularly quips about the insanity of the situations."

There's also the bit from the original announcement about the show having three major DC characters that had never appeared on a (presumably live action) TV show before. If this Jay Jackson is one of those three, that kind of rules out him being part of Firestorm.

*shrugs*

I would not be totally shocked if he does end up being part of Firestorm - I can see that going either way. But I would be surprised if they tried to play off him being the Jason that we've already seen. I just don't see that happening. *shrug* We'll see.

And I'm bowing out...I've made a lot of posts about something I actually do not care that much about. Blame it on being home sick and bored instead of at work like I should be. lol.

Edited by Starfish35
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Trini

Trini

Well, Jason already appeared on The Flash (episode 10). So they'd be not just recasting but ignoring that he ever appeared (I think he was a scientist that Caitlin talked to, if I remember correctly). Never mind - according to The Arrow/Flash Wikia

He was played by this guy: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3526638/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1

 

Caitlyn did talk to him over on Flash.

 

 

Yeah, but Caity was still playing the same character. This would be creating a new character named Jason Rusch completely unconnected to the Jason Rusch that appeared in The Flash. Not quite the same as just recasting. Doesn't mean they can't do it - just that it will require everyone ignoring that there already was a Jason Rusch and it wasn't this guy.

 

And just for the record, there's a "Linda Park" in The Flash pilot that has nothing to do with the "Linda Park" introduced mid-season as Barry's love interest.

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kismet

kismet

So if Jay is making ends meet as an auto mechanic, do we think this also leaves an opening to bring Roy into the story when they need to if Colton is available? It would be funny to have underground mechanic shops being the training & recruiting grounds for crime fighters across the country. Secret mechanic lairs set-up all around the country for good & bad, if you think that mechanic shops have also been proven to be organized crime shops as well.

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Delphi

Delphi

I'm pretty sure that Franz was cast in April while shooting for the promo occurred in late February early March. They filmed the trailer before the show was picked up at all.

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Starfish35

Starfish35

(edited)

Franz Drameh's casting was announced April 23. I'm fairly certain they had already filmed the trailer by then, because they filmed it before Arrow finished shooting for the season.

Edited by Starfish35
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kismet

kismet

Agree there are conspiracies and then there are just scheduling conflicts. You can't film a part that hasn't been cast. I am happier that they devoted their attention to hopefully casting the part correctly rather than speeding up casting to film a trailer. It looks like the sizzler trailer was just thrown together at the last minute for the suits, so I wouldn't take too much as to what it means for the show. Although it was a pretty good trailer for what it was.

 

Now that they got their guy, hopefully they can write him a good story.

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Delphi

Delphi

It's possible that they don't even know who he's going to be, there are quite a few choices out there. They may have an idea on who he's going to be. Cyborg, static, etc... But are waiting for D.C. to approve of it.

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Kromm

Kromm

We should know who he is playing by now but we don't because they are keeping it a secret for a reason.

If they're flipping the script on Firestorm, then it makes sense to treat that as a "surprise" for the fans (even if via aggressive guess-work, it winds up not being).

I don't think there's any way they don't know who he will be and I'm pretty sure it's half of Firestorm.

Yes, you don't actually sign an actor (as least a minor, unknown one) not knowing who he's going to play.  With apologies to Delphi, the idea seems a bit ludicrous.

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Starfish35

Starfish35

From the Media thread:

Since they announced that Wally West is coming to season 2 on the Flash, I am wondering if "Jay Jackson" is in fact Wally West.

I think this theory fits a lot better than "Jay" being Jason Rusch and/or the other half of Firestorm. Granted, I don't know a lot about Wally West. But for those of you who do, does the description of "regular, street smart guy who unexpectedly gains powers, and then, as part of the team, regularly quips about the insanity of the situations" fit him?

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tarotx

tarotx

(edited)

I still think he'll be Firestorm because someone has to be...but it'll be cool if he's Wally West. Having another future player seems right. And Hawkgirl's past lives representing the past.

Edited by tarotx
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Trini

Trini

(edited)

Well, he's not Wally West.

And a new clue from the Hollywood Reporter article:

That mystery character is not a superhero.

 

Franz Drameh was cast as Jay Jackson for Legends, leaving the DC faithful scratching their heads as to who he is. Described as a former high school athlete who was injured in a debilitating accident, Jay isn’t the name of a preexisting character in the DC Comics. Klemmer only had this to say: “Jay Jackson is not code for any other DC superhero.” Which means he could be an original character similar to that of Gotham’s Fish Mooney (Jada Pinkett Smith).

 

I don't know if I believe Klemmer about Jay not being a superhero --they could easily make him one-- but if he's really not, maybe they want a "normal" audience surrogate? But with what we know so far, I'm not seeing how he would fit into the show.

Edited by Trini
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Actionmage

Actionmage

(edited)

Or maybe he will be like a LoT mascot?  Strictly comedy relief and exposition dude?

 

OMG! He's flippin' Snapper Carr, isn't he?  (If he isn't going to be a superhero/part of a superhero.)  

 

From the DC Comics Database:

Lucas "Snapper" Carr was originally the Justice League of America's teenage side-kick, a young man given his nickname due to a habit of constantly snapping his fingers. During Invasion! he was put through genetic experimentation by the Dominators, which activated an innate metahuman ability of teleportation. In addition to the League he has also been a member of the Blasters, Checkmate and Young Justice. Snapper Carr was created by Gardner Fox and Mike Sekowsky, first appearing in Brave and the Bold  #28. (1960)

 

Either Jay isn't a hero yet or may be the audience surrogate that BkWurm1 suggested and there is a DC precedent. Even if he doesn't snap his fingers. ( He has a sort of opposite number in Marvel with Rick Jones.) Bringing in someone as a basic human gives them room to add a wholly modern spin on an older character ( Snapper) or  someone to give powers to later.  Or having them be simply human as their "superpower" for the team, to bring in a different POV as they are gallivanting thru spacetime.

Edited by Actionmage
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tarotx

tarotx

I liked him. He is a bit understated but he's better than Robbie imo. For now I want Jax to be a second tier character because there is a lot of characters. I want to see a natural coming into his own and as he grows in confidence, a natural charisma coming through.

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scarynikki12

scarynikki12

Should we change the title to Jax?

 

Ask and ye shall receive.  With a slight modification of course.

 

I liked him.  He didn't wow me but I also didn't expect him to.  I'm looking forward to how he plays off of the other Legends.  For some reason I want to see him opposite Heatwave the most.  It's not due to their respective powers, I just pictured Heatwave the moment Jax accepted his role in Firestorm.

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BkWurm1

BkWurm1

Yeah, he was better than I expected.  I bought into his character in a way I never quite could with Ronnie. 

 

 I've been following the actor on Instagram and I think I was expecting that guy to show up.  Instead he proved he's a very good actor.   

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Trini

Trini

Kreisberg on Jax:


Speaking of Firestorm, this episode also introduced the "Legends of Tomorrow" version of the character. There have been a few versions of the character in comics but what made you decide on this Jefferson Jackson interpretation [played by Franz Drameh]?

Kreisberg: I think we decided to use it as an opportunity to introduce a different kind of Firestorm. What worked so well in the comic books was the idea that they were so different, Stein and Ronnie. In the comic books, Ronnie was like a dumb jock. And obviously, Robbie [Amell] and the character we created, our Ronnie, was an engineer and was more mature and had a girlfriend and was more of an adult. So, the idea of the second Firestorm being someone who was just in his early 20s and somebody who was radically different from this Firestorm -- you guys got to see the camaraderie and when you get to see "Legends" you'll get to see a lot more of the, "What the hell are you talking about? Why are we doing this?" while they're merged. So, there's a lot more room for comedy with the Firestorm character than we previously had before. And it's a freshness and an excitement.

Honestly, as always, we are so proud to have another African-American superhero with superpowers and for a whole generation of kids who are growing up and this show is their entry into the superhero world, for them, Firestorm will always be African-American.

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Lokiberry

Lokiberry

They can pat themselves on the back for diversity after they learn how to write a diverse show. Mind you, casting two people of colour, one whose relatives are all white, does not make a diverse cast.

Who are we talking about, Ciara Renee? Should they have passed her over for the role because of the skin color of her relatives?

 

The diversity quotient for the LoT regulars is about the same as AoS. The difference being that there will be actual named superheroes of color. In fact, the Flarrowverse has three named superheroes of color, with Wally West up on deck next. That may not seem like a lot, but I believe it's more than everything Marvel's done combined.

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BkWurm1

BkWurm1

Who are we talking about, Ciara Renee? Should they have passed her over for the role because of the skin color of her relatives?

 

Exactly.  Should they also not have cast the actor playing Jax since he's British? 

 

I'm in favor of more diversity:  ethnic, gender and everything in between, but not a fan of diminishing someone because of the color of their loved ones skin.  Why attack the actress?  Should the producers start asking for a family portrait before they are willing to consider hiring someone?   

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