Caleb Landry Jones is no stranger to hard work – growing up in Richardson, Texas, the 30-year-old already has 24 movies and 4 TV series appearances under his belt, with 5 more movies on the way. He got his start with a bit part in ‘No Country for Old Men’ – you remember the kid on his bike near the end of the movie who says “You got a fuckin’ bone stickin’ out of your arm…”. Another young performer joins the list of A-list actors who can’t tell their grandparents what their first line in a big film was because they laid down the F-bomb…. CLJ has come up the ladder playing against leading actor such as Woody Harrelson, Frances McDormand, and Mark Wahlberg. From action films like ‘Contraband’, to really deep topics – ‘Heaven Knows What’ dives into the realm of heroin addiction and suicide – CLJ’s roles have covered a wide swath of character development. Caleb also has the reputation for playing odd man out roles; he has trouble keeping track of how many roles he gets assaulted or unceremoniously killed in scripts. He takes it in stride, though – CLJ prefers volume of work as opposed to quality at this point – he is totally aware that it could all end tomorrow, so he pretty much takes on any script that hits his mailbox and he can fit unto his already-packed schedule.
It’s a tough gig in Hollywood these days – directors want A-list or totally unknown actors; not so much in between. This is where CLJ has weathered the storm – his unique looks and malleable character development keep his agent’s mobile busy. An early example of his acting chops shines through in his role in ‘Contraband’; where he plays aside Mark Wahlberg – in one scene, Wahlberg is accusing CLJ of stealing money to buy drugs, not knowing CLJ’s character was being threatened and blackmailed to do it – CLJ is extremely convincing as Wahlberg towers over him – he aptly was able to portray fear, sincerity, and desperate confidence in a scene lasting 5 seconds – really powerful stuff considering he was 23 at the time.
Here are some gems of wisdom from Caleb over his career….
“Well, I’m a Texas boy, and we have denim in our blood”
“Actors are always the last to see what they have created.”
“You don’t want to meet anybody at Cannes. It’s the worst place, I think, to meet somebody – one of the worst places”
“As an actor, you pay close attention very closely to everything that happens to you, and you’re constantly watching others as well, trying to just find out where everything comes from.”
“I’m ready to be an action figure. I’d love that very much. And all the red headed kids will get to go out and feel loved and be able to buy a red headed action figure.”
“I began with small roles in successful movies like ‘No Country for Old Men’ by the Coen Brothers; but it was ‘The Last Exorcism” that changed my life: with what I earned, I left Teas and moved to Los Angeles.”
From an interview with Trey Taylor of Interview Magazine –
TAYLOR: “What do you imagine a young audience would find appealing about you?”
CLJ: “I guess that I’m as lost as they are. [laughs] I’m on the same road of figuring it out as anyone else.”
“Writing songs is an essential part of my life: my mother teaches piano, and I have inherited my grandparents’ passion for music, especially from my grandfather Tommy, who was a great drummer. It’s no coincidence that I play the drums best, but I am also good with the guitar and the piano.”
In an interview with Kristen Tauer of WWD, “I’ve been asked to play a lot of parts that you should hate, and don’t, maybe, have any redeeming qualities.”