The Force Is With Him

ABC Soaps InDepth
July 11, 2000
M ichael Auisello

He may have lost the battle to play Anakin Skywalker, but Jonathan Jackson is winning the war!

There were no explosions. The world didn't come to an end. Cable service was not interrupted. In fact, the day that Jonathan Jackson ran into Jacob Young, his replacement as Lucky on GENERAL HOSPITAL, the only sound that could be heard was ... laughter? "We were just joking around in the hair and make-up room," explains Jackson, who encountered Young during a recent visit to the GH set. "We were goofing off."
However, according to Young, his predecessor is leaving out a few crucial details from their unexpected run-in. "I said to him, ‘I hear things are going really well for you. I wish you all the best,' recalls Young. "Then he goes, ‘This is for you,' He pulled out a card all mysterious .. almost Lucky-like, I took it back to my dressing room and opened it. Inscribed on the inside was, ‘I hope everything goes well for you. Thank you for keeping Lucky alive."
"That was a very classy thing to do," says Jackson's ontime GH dad, Anthony Geary. "Most actors wouldn't be that gracious."
Jackson's simple yet poignant message to Young represents a bit of a turnaround for the three- time Emmy winner, who preciously was chilly to the idea of a recast. "Jacob had nothing to do with [the show's decision,]" he says, "so I just thought that it would be nice to let him know that it was cool with me."

Problem Child

With closure finally achieved on that chapter of his life, Jackson can move full steam ahead with his career - not that anything had been holding him back. In fact, in the year since he left GH, the 18 year old, who won raves for his performance as Michelle Pfeffer's older son in the 1999 film The Deep End Of The Ocean, had added some impressive credits to his resume. In April, he starred as a heroin addict in the wrenching telefilm "Trapped In A Purple Jaze". And although reviews were mixed, critics once again were united in their praise for Jackson.
"Jonathan Jackson could reupholdster furniture for two hours and make it engaging," said Entertainment Weekly.
Shortly after completing Purple Haze, Jackson flew to Ireland to tackle the role of another tortured teen, this time in the Jim Sheridan-produced feature "The Smiling Suidcide Club" But the similarities between the two roles end there. "My character in Purple Haze was a very popular, normal kis whose life went downhill," he explains. "In Suicide Club, [that character] is in a psych ward because he tried to kill himself, and he wasn't a popular kind of person. "And dealing with an addiction and dealing with suicide are different demons. Their struggles are very different."
Most recently, Jackson returned from New Hamshire where he complete work on another independent film, Skeletons In The Closet, a mystery/thriller that focuses on a commbative relationship between a boy and his father [Treat Willions, who played Jackson's Deen End dad]. Next up, the young actor will be hitting the festival circuit with True Rights, the indie he appears in with brother Richard Lee, before tackling a project that has been a long time coming. "I wouldn't mind having a little time off," he teases, "before I jump into my next thing."

When You Dish Upon A Star ...

But despite buzz - and even an article in Newsweek - one feature Jackson won't be diving headfist into is the next Star Wars prequel. For those just emerging from a cave, he long had been talked about to play Anakin Skywalker (aka Darth Vader), but the plum part went, ironically, to his Purple Haze co-star, Hayden Christensen. And no, Jackson isn't looking to take a light saber to his rival's nexk. "Hayden's a really nice guy, so I'm happy for him," he says, adding that he's actually "relieved" that he didn't get the role.
"I've always looked at it as, ‘It if happens, that's great, and if it doesn't that's great also'", explains the devout Christian. "Even in the short amount of year that I've been in the business, there have been things that appear a certain way, and then years down the road, I look back and think , ‘Wow, I'm really glad that things worked out the way that they didn' So I'm definitly not disapointed about it. There are a lot of other cool projects out there, and I'm looking forward to digging into something else."
In other words, the empire will strike back!!!!

FYI

So close:
In addition to Star Wars, Jackson almost was cast to Heath Ledger's role of Mel Gibson's son in the summer blockbuster The Patriot.

The Music Man:
Jackson, who as part of the band Scarlet Road sings and plays guitar, performed songs for two of his upcoming films - True Rights and Skeletons In The Closet.

Money Doesn't Change Everything:
"I just got my trust fund," reveals the just-turned 18 year-old. "I plan to invest it. I'm not going to be stupid with my money."

Big man On Campus:
Jackson has no immediate plans to attend college. "Not at this point," he says. "Right now, I'm just focusing on work. {But} college will definitly be there."

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