Interview with Jesse Ray Sheps - (Such a Funny Life)

“I have really only seen the great inspiring side of showbiz”, says fortunate young actor Jesse Ray Sheps, whose new film “Such a Funny Life” hits New York theatres in August.

How did the film come about, Jesse?
Well I was given the script which i thought was really good. I knew immediately that the character of David was someone I could really dig deep into. He is such a complex character. I loved getting to help develop his character and make the audience root for this young brave kid who has to overcome so many challenges.

Tell us about David Gutierrez – what drives him?
David is in some ways like any young person- he wants to live a regular care free life. He realizes, however, that he was given a very difficult set of hurdles in life- a very ill mother, a very abusive family. Despite all of that David wants to become a comedian and make people laugh. I love getting to explore characters that have so many different challenges ahead of them.

You play the younger version of a character played by another actor. Did you two work together a lot?
Actually its pretty funny because we did not work together on the set. Since we were playing the same character at different ages at different times we never had the chance to cross paths to work together.

The movie is about the ups and downs of showbiz. Could you relate to that?
Fortunately, I have really only seen the great inspiring side of showbiz. Getting the chance to work on a set and play different and unique characters to bring them to life is really a dream come true. I have really met so many amazing people who have made working a truly great experience.

When did you know acting was for you?
Well I started modeling for some international companies like H&M when I was five. By the time I was about 7 I was already working as a series regular on Nick Jr.’s show Zack and Quack. So I guess at a really early age I kind of knew that this is what I loved doing.

And when did doors start to swing open for you?
I would say working on Zack and Quack was the start of it. From there, I was able to explore some really great characters in guest starring roles on shows like Blue Bloods and Bull. This past year has truly been amazing. First, the movie All Square which I star in opposite Michael Kelly won best film at the SXSW film festival and made its world premiere. Now we have the premiere of Such a Funny Life. Getting the chance to work bringing different characters to life is a huge dream come true.