At 17 years old, Jax Malcolm has soared in his career. He’s appeared on Kroll Show, Comedy Bang Bang!, and The Birthday Boys and played Scut Farcus in the Sierra Madre Playhouse’s “A Christmas Story.” Jax Malcolm is a Founding Member of Heal the Bay’s Hollywood Ambassador Board and works closely with Heal the Bay and Heal the Bay’s Santa Monica Pier Aquarium’s children’s initiatives to keep our water ways clean. He’s also a competitive USA Swimming club swimmer and a Junior Olympian / Championship team member. Finally, Jax Malcolm is an award-winning director and artist. He has won directing awards at several film festivals and is an upcoming Fashion Designer with his collection Trident by Jax Malcolm. Check out YEM’s interview with Jax Malcolm here!
Young Entertainment Mag: How did you first get started in the entertainment industry?
Jax Malcolm: My first professional job was at 5 years old. I did a PSA for Smart Power and I got to play a Mad Scientist. They built a time machine out of cardboard boxes, I thought it was the coolest thing I’d ever seen. I was hooked after that.
YEM: You are an actor, director, and an influencer. How do you balance all of it?
Jax: Time management is really key. I wouldn’t be able to pursue any of my passions without sticking to a schedule. It’s really easy to forget to do something when you don’t have it scheduled.
YEM: You were in the new Holiday film “Jingle Trails”, what was that experience like?
Jax: It was an awesome experience getting to work with my good friend and Director Neil D’Monte his vision for bringing the characters to life as real and believable and not over the top was a really great experience. We shot the whole thing on location at Malibu Creek State Park. So it was definitely a change from working on a soundstage.
YEM: As someone who works both in front of and behind the camera, what are your favorite parts of both aspects?
Jax: My favorite part of acting is bringing the character to life, really understanding who they are and having that come across in my performance. As a producer and director being able to be a part of the pre-production process is probably my favorite helping make decisions about what will bring the story to life from a visual aspect.
YEM: Do you find that working behind the camera helps when you are in front of it and vice versa?
Jax: Absolutely, understanding both parts of the process has definitely had a positive impact on my work in front of and behind the camera.
YEM: You do a lot of comedy work; would you say comedy is your favorite genre?
Jax: Comedy has a way of bringing people together, making people laugh is one of the greatest gifts I can give in a performance. It means I’ve made them feel something that resonates with them in a positive way. Yeah it’s definitely one of my favorite genres.
Photo Credit: Julian Dahl
YEM: You have quite a popular TikTok. What does it take for someone to be successful like yourself on the app?
Jax: I’m not an expert by any means but what seems to work is to do what you love, or have fun doing. If you’re not enjoying making the content you’re less likely to keep doing it.
YEM: When you are making a TikTok, you have total creative control of the content. Is it difficult to let that go when you are acting in shows or films and after you do your job on set it is in the hands of others?
Jax: For me they are totally different experiences that don’t really overlap. Content for social media is about being fun and entertaining. When it comes to bringing a character to life for a show there’s a lot more to who the character is what, what they are trying to achieve and this is always collaborative, and very different than creating a 5 second video.
YEM: You also are a philanthropist and work with many charities. What are some of the ones that you are most passionate about?
Jax: I’m really proud to use my platform to help others. I work with SNPLA, Heal the Bay, The Starlight Children’s Foundation and St. Baldrick’s. SNPLA is one of my favorites because of the life saving spay/neuter surgery for homeless pets and low cost veterinary services they provide to the community. Pets are a part of the family and making sure they can live long healthy lives is a priority. I have 3 rescue cats Kodi Lion, Amelia, and Princess they all had their life saving surgeries with them. I’m so proud of the work they provide to the Los Angeles community.
YEM: What is one of the biggest ways that others can help?
Jax: I think it comes down to passion. You should get involved with an organization or even start your own that centers around something you are passionate about. I started working with Heal the Bay because I’m a Los Angeles County Jr.Lifeguard and saw the need for keeping the beaches clean. In order to be effective you have to believe in what you’re doing.
YEM: Does having a platform help a lot when you are doing your philanthropy work?
Jax: While it is helpful to reach a bigger audience any size platform that you have can make a big difference for someone in need.
YEM: What do you see for yourself creatively in the future? What is your passion at the moment?
