Jonathan Daviss leans again, throws his palms in entrance of him, and tilts his physique. “I JoJo pose on a regular basis,” he says whereas contorting his body in a pair of dark-blue dishevelled denims and a crisp denim jacket to imitate considered one of his favourite anime characters (and one he shares a reputation with): Jonathan “JoJo” Joestar of JoJo’s Weird Journey.
Daviss—who goes by JD—has been an anime fan for nicely over a decade. It began when he was assigned obligatory studying in highschool and picked up Naruto. Instantly, he turned obsessed. “I went to Barnes & Noble and began shopping for the volumes,” he says whereas lounging on a sofa in a purple T-shirt within the inexperienced room of StyleCaster’s studio in New York Metropolis. “By shopping for, I imply, I might sit in Barnes & Noble and skim them as a result of I didn’t have cash. That is the time the place they weren’t checking.”
Daviss has come a good distance since he was studying manga without spending a dime at Barnes & Noble. For the previous 4 years, he’s starred as Pope Heyward, the brains of a ragtag crew of treasure hunters and greatest mates on the coast of North Caroline, in Netflix’s teen drama collection, Outer Banks. The collection—which premiered the primary a part of its fourth season on October 10 and is about to return with its second half on November 7—was the catalyst that catapulted Daviss, together with the remainder of the solid, from unknown actors to Gen Z royalty. Nonetheless, after 4 seasons on the primary on Netflix’s high reveals checklist and tens of millions of social media followers later, Daviss isn’t taking something as a right.
“My life modified after I booked the half as a result of abruptly I used to be capturing a TV present for Netflix in South Carolina,” he says. “That was the entire objective within the first place. The present doing nicely, that modified my life another way. However by way of the factor I had been in search of, as soon as I used to be on that movie set, I used to be working. I used to be enveloped in making one thing come to life. That was the true objective.”
Does it really feel bizarre to look again on what your life was like throughout that first season?
I used to be 19, so I used to be mainly a child. It was an enormous transition for me. I by no means had a lead half earlier than. We didn’t know what this present might be like and the attain it could have. Each season since then, we’ve been making it with a mindset of, “No individuals are truly gonna, watch.” Earlier than then, there have been no expectations.
What was your life like on the time earlier than the present?
I used to be doing the artist wrestle. I used to be working two jobs. I labored at Saks Off fifth Avenue within the girls’s shoe division. I used to be additionally charging Chook scooters on the aspect for further money, sleeping on couches, simply attempting to make it occur. That starvation undoubtedly helped with the audition. I bear in mind pondering to myself after the primary audition like, “I don’t know who else they might get in the event that they don’t select me. It could be loopy in the event that they solid anyone else.”
My life modified after I booked the half.
Outer Banks is now in Season 4. How does this season really feel totally different from previous seasons?
It was us attempting to make it a return to kind and join with what audiences preferred within the first place. Loads of it was ensuring we paid homage and respect to this friendship that was so vital within the first season.
When the Season 4 trailer got here out, there have been a variety of feedback from followers about how the Pogues spent the primary three seasons in search of the treasure solely to blow all of it the subsequent season. What was your response if you learn that within the script?
We have been attempting to determine the way to make them poor once more, and when individuals watch the present, they’ll perceive the way it obtained to that time. There are undoubtedly some selections that get made in that first episode. However I’ve to always should remind myself that these children are like 17. They’re not like 24 yr olds who’ve made and misplaced cash. So far as I’m involved, if MC Hammer can lose all that cash, these children can lose all that cash.
Season 4 additionally began with all six of the Pogues in relationships. How do you suppose Pope and Cleo are totally different than John B. and Sarah, and JJ and Kiara?
I really feel like Pope and Cleo’s relationship is totally different in the best way Pope didn’t essentially need a girlfriend on the time. I don’t suppose he wished to be with anyone. He was nonetheless fairly harm about the entire Kiara state of affairs, and he needed to study to heat as much as Cleo, and vice versa. Season 3 was about him getting over his first crush, and now he’s with any person who genuinely cares for him and has seen him by way of some actually laborious instances, who’s loyal and constant. Truthfully, he needs he might be extra like Cleo, who’s assured and really positive in herself. I feel he actually admires that about her. That is his first severe relationship and the primary girlfriend he’s ever had. He’s nonetheless studying the way to have a girlfriend, and he or she’s nonetheless studying the way to have a boyfriend who isn’t attempting to steal from her. It’s very cute. They’re in a really totally different kind of relationship than the opposite two {couples}.
Do you suppose they’re endgame?
Completely. They’re my private endgame.
There was an enormous loss of life in Season 4 with Terrance. What was your response if you first learn that within the script?
It was insane. I didn’t know he would die so fast, however it undoubtedly pushes Cleo’s character into this place for the remainder of the present the place she’s on a revenge quest. That’s her father in a variety of methods. It makes it an actual private journey for Cleo. And due to that, it makes it an actual private journey for Pope. This isn’t like one of many different father deaths, the place you possibly can’t actually do something about it. There’s an actual revenge facet to this one.
I bear in mind pondering after the primary audition, ‘I don’t know who else they might get in the event that they don’t select me.’
Each season the Pogues get themselves into harmful conditions they usually at all times appear to make it out alive. Do you suppose there’s a risk a Pogue might ever die?
These children are like superheroes. I’m fairly positive they might survive an atomic bomb like cockroaches. Like several present, you’ve got hope [someone doesn’t die.] You like all these individuals, and also you don’t wish to see something dangerous occur to them.
On that subject, Season 4, Half 1 ends on a cliffhanger the place Pope and Sarah’s lives are at stake. What are you able to tease about how they survive?
I might say it will get extra harmful earlier than it doesn’t.
Season 4, Half 1 additionally ends with a cliffhanger about JJ studying the identification of his actual dad and mom, particularly his dad. What are you able to say about how that performs out in Half 2?
It’s a extra private connection to this treasure they have been doing to simply pay their payments. Now abruptly, they’re implicated so closely that they haven’t any alternative. It flips how JJ views the world. His dad’s not his dad. He didn’t have an ideal one to start out with. Now, we don’t know who this man is. We’re hoping we will all maintain our crew collectively, and we don’t splinter off.
Have the creators talked about how lengthy they see the present working for?
They at all times stated it’s two trilogies, , they wished to do one other trilogy. But it surely actually relies on how the followers react to every season as they arrive out and what number of instances you wish to come again for it. We’d love to provide the followers as a lot Outer Banks as they need.
How do you see the present ending?
I don’t suppose Pope’s getting that scholarship. I’m gonna be sincere with you. I feel that scholarship is lengthy gone. I simply hope they will all reside completely happy lives. I hope they will all go into maturity and turn into full-time treasure hunters as their occupation.
I learn that you just directed some commercials for Outer Banks Season 4. How did that come about?
It was simply an concept I had with the director about JJ’s constitution service, as a result of they’d a cellphone quantity. I used to be like, “It’d be humorous should you do a kind of commercials for it.” He was like, “It’s best to pitch that to Netflix. I’m positive they’d allow you to do it.” So I wrote six commercials, and I condensed them to 3, pitched them to Netflix with a pitch deck, we set our finances, and have been like, “Hey, this might be actually cool to do. I feel the followers would take pleasure in one thing like this. It’s humorous. It’s on-brand for the character.” They agreed. We shot that on a Sunday, obtained all of the Pogues to learn off their enter on what could be humorous, and went in and shot it. I used to be so proud of the top end result. It was how I envisioned it. There’s one thing cathartic about writing one thing with your folks in thoughts and doing it identical to you thought it.
[Pope and Cleo] are my private endgame.
What was it prefer to direct your co-stars?
It wasn’t as a lot directing them, however giving them ideas each every so often. However they sort of knew. You act with individuals for thus lengthy, precisely what they’re going to do and you’ll plan round that. The primary time they got here on set, everyone was undoubtedly like, “Oh, director!” as a result of they’re your pal they usually gotta offer you just a little bit. However the entire thing virtually made me cry and tear up watching it occur. I wish to direct and proceed to do movies and shorts.
Might you see your self directing an episode in Season 5?
In the event that they name me tomorrow, I’d do it. Even when they are saying no, I’m gonna allow them to know I wish to.
Do you’ve got any behind-the-scenes tales from doing stunts on the present?
There was one time that was actually humorous the place we have been in Barbados, and we’re on just a little raft. Carlacia Grant, bless her coronary heart, was a rookie—a freshman, as I known as her on the time. She introduced her cellphone along with her on the raft, which is an enormous no-no for anyone who is aware of. You allow your cellphone on the principle boat and are available get it if you’re executed. She was like, “No, I’ve a water-resistant bag.” I instructed her to go away her cellphone. She didn’t, and so she dunks herself within the water like everybody else, however she goes too far, and he or she flips over into the water, and her cellphone falls out of her pocket and into the center of the ocean. She’s like, “No!” She tried to leap within the water. We’re like, “Lacey…” What you don’t perceive about water is, if you’re in a ship, should you drop one thing, it’s miles away earlier than you even search for. She discovered it on her little app manner on the market in the midst of the ocean. However she misplaced it without end. That was her welcome to the OBX second.
Are there any roles that individuals could be shocked you’ve auditioned for?
I used to be virtually in Creed with Michael B Jordan. I learn for the primary Spider-Man film. I learn for Peter’s pal, Ned. I’ve been attempting to attend for Miles Morales. They’re not doing Miles but, I promise you. As a result of in the event that they did, I might be at Sony headquarters in a heartbeat like, “Let me audition.” I wished that Transformers film that Anthony Ramos did. However aside from that, you are taking what you’re given. You retain transferring.
Outer Banks Season 4, Half 2 premieres on November 7, 2024.
Photographer: George Chinsee
Graphic Designer: Stephanie Cui
Stylist: Luca Kingston
Grooming: Jessica Smalls