Many Netflix stars come together for Uglies, the hit sci-fi adaptation of the beloved series by Scott Westerfeld. The film is out on Netflix now! Before its release, we chatted with Jan Luis Castellanos, who plays Croy, to learn about what it was like to work with a star studded cast, his character, and his favorite action scenes to film. 

Uglies takes place in a futuristic dystopian society with enforced beauty standards, and Tally Youngblood, who is awaiting mandatory cosmetic surgery, embarks on a journey to find her missing friend. Joey King, who had long been a fan of the series, stars as Tally, Chase Stokes from the hit Netflix show Outer Banks plays Peris and Laverne Cox plays Dr. Cable. We also talked to Brianne Tju who stars as Shay and Keith Powers who plays David.

Jan has already showcased his versatility as an actor. He first gained acclaim for playing Diego Torres in the hit Netflix show 13 Reasons Why and as Mikey Diaz in the Ed Burns 1980 comedy Bridge and Tunnel. His film debut was in Netflix’s Tall Girl 2 and has multiple exciting and upcoming projects in the works. 

In preparing for such a huge role, Jan said he read the Uglies series and read the script multiple times. He also gave us a new and fun way to prep for auditions, saying when he gets nervous, he likes to jump up and down to get himself warmed up and ready. 

“You just have to be yourself, zen yourself and go through the process, what have you got to lose.”

From Brianne and Keith to Jan, everyone has said great things about working with Joey King, who first got her big break in The Kissing Booth and has gone on to star in many other huge projects. Jan said her professionalism and ability to commit to scenes was inspiring as an actor. Her talent on and off screen was also very cool to see. 

“What really impressed me with [Joey King] was her commitment and how quick she was able to commit in and out of a scene.”

Jan’s character Croy has a lot of physical moments and action scenes in the film, and SPOILER ALERT: one of his favorite scenes to film was in a helicopter. You’ll have to watch the film to see this very cool moment and how Jan prepared for it. 

“I’m in a helicopter for the first time in my life, making a movie, living my dream.”

Jan described Croy as protective, loving, and intense, and said he picked parts of himself to help build his character. He even revealed that music plays a big role in preparing to go on set, and he often listened to heavy rock like Metallica to get into Croy’s mindset in defending the Uglies. 

“You have to pick from yourself, what traits do you have in common [with your character].”

Thank you, Jan, for chatting with Young Entertainment! Make sure to follow him on his Instagram at @janluiscastellanos. Make sure to watch the rest of the interview where we ask him more about the moment he found out he got the role, his favorite parts of being an actor, and his favorite action scenes to film. While you’re there, be sure to like and subscribe to our channel for the latest news in young entertainment. 

Consider this: 

• Everyone preps for an audition differently. One fun way to get ready is jumping up and down to get the heart pumping and get yourself warmed up.
• While you’re on set and not on camera, take the time to watch and study your co-stars in action. You can learn a lot from other actors just by watching them.