The GWW recently got the chance to talk to ‘Stargirl’ cast member Jasun Jabbar, which you can read below. Based on social media and IMDb, we know that Jabbar is playing a character named Brian, a student at Blue Valley High. The DC Universe series revolves around high schooler Courtney Whitmore & the legacy of the Justice Society of America.
GWW: This is Geoff Johns’ first time showrunning a TV show, but being the one to create the characters, he has a vast wealth of knowledge. How is Geoff Johns bringing these characters to the screen?
Jabbar: I think that he is doing a very very very amazing job. Geoff is somebody who has the type of vision that not very many people pretty much have on this planet. He’s somebody who, being that he has this vision for the characters, him being present, day in and day out, helping bring them to life, is exactly what needs to happen, and exactly how a show should be ran. He’s just an amazing guy. He does everything that you would want from a showrunner, and a creator. He’s hands-on, talking with the actors, talking with the directors. Everybody loves him. He has great energy, funny guy, he does everything you could ask for. You couldn’t ask for a better version of him.
GWW: Did you read any comics to prepare for this role?
Jabbar: I used to read a lot of Marvel comics. Didn’t actually get into reading, or even glancing at the Stargirl comics until I heard about the audition. Then I started reading up on it, researching it, cause I had never heard of Stargirl before January or February. I didn’t learn about Stargirl until about February. And then I started researching and reading up on it and then I was like ‘Oh, this is actually a pretty cool story.’ But, I used to be a big Marvel comics book lover. I used to love X-Men, Spider-Man, I used to read a lot of comics.
He then went on to say that he is not playing Static Shock, and will be in either six or seven episodes.
GWW: You’ve been in The CW’s ‘Black Lightning,’ what’s it like stepping into another role in a DC show?
Jabbar: It’s honestly a blessing. I never would have expected to get on two DC shows. Like even last year, I wouldn’t have thought that this would be going on. Getting one DC show, for me, was like ‘Oh, that’s tough.’ But getting two, like, I might as well get three. [laughs] I feel like just getting two is such a blessing. I’m glad that with the casting directors and the network were able to make things work, and it’s not weird. They actually like the idea of having me be on both shows. It’s like an Easter egg. It’s pretty cool, everyone’s all supportive with it.
And, when it came to the ‘Stargirl’ role, I pretty much read an audition and I didn’t even think too much of it, and I just booked it on the side. I didn’t have to go to a callback, just because I guess of my rapport of being on ‘Black Lightning’ and being on [FX’s] ‘Atlanta’ and dealing with the same casting directors and the same company. It was just like ‘Well, we’re already familiar with him, let’s get him in there, and let’s give him a shot.’ And that’s kinda how it happens.
Also, he discussed the ‘Stargirl’ cast and the characters:
Jabbar: The cast is kind of an ensemble. So I think that a lot of the characters, they pop in for a couple episodes, you might not see them for another episode, then they pop back in. Because it’s a pretty big cast, and it’s a lot of different intertwined stories going on. So, I would pretty much say it’s a lot of recurring characters in the show. I guess you can call us a main cast, it’s just how you want to look at it.
GWW: This show has brought on experienced stars like Joel McHale and Luke Wilson, what kind of energy are they bringing to the show?
Jabbar: Oh well, you know the stars are going to bring the star-caliber. [laughs] It’s a lot of upcoming great actors on the show. But, you know you gotta have that bonafide star power to bring in leadership and experience, and, of course, viewers and ratings. I think what I like about the cast is everybody is just so humble, when you have table reads and when we have lunch. We had a viewing party the other day.* Everybody was so humble… Everybody’s still equal. I’ve been on sets where some people were not always like that. Sometimes it’s like ‘The stars, the stars!’ Everybody kind of stays in their place. But this was more of a like, ‘We’re all on the same playing field, we’re all even, we’re all human, we all come together to make the show what it is.’
And everybody, no matter if you got one line, or you got no lines, or if you got ten lines, or twenty lines, everybody has love for each other. And I think that positive vibe, it keeps everybody engaged. Like, instead of making a person with a smaller role, who might feel like they have to walk on eggshells cause they don’t want to step on toes, you’re encouraged to break out of your shell and bring your ‘A’ Game. Even if you have no lines, you can use improv, or they’ll tell you ‘Throw a line in here, throw a line, say this.’ That type of energy translates well on camera when it comes to the final product. And it’s looking really good because everybody’s just real comfortable.
*On Friday there was a screening of the pilot for the cast and crew.
GWW: How are the fight scenes coming together?
Jabbar: Oh my goodness, the fight scenes are amazing. Amazing. With the stunt people that they use and the training, and the CGI and after-effects. It looked amazing. I can’t say too much about the fight scenes, but just know they are top notch. They’re going all out to make these as great as they can.
*In an earlier conversation, Jabar also added “It’s real, the action scenes are real fight scenes. It’s not kiddie action.”
GWW: Will this series be as brutal and TV-MA as the other DC Universe shows, or will this be in more of a TV-14 range?
Jabbar: I don’t know the definite answer to that question. But, I do know that it’s gonna be a show that’s gonna have gritty moments. So, it might get a TV-14. I don’t know, I’m not sure, because there are definitely some curse words, there’s some sh-t in there.
GWW: Do they use any of the heavy swears, like an f-bomb?
Jabbar: Nah, not an f-bomb. Pretty much like light curse words. I think they might have said the b-word a couple times. Definitely like d-mn, sh-t, some curse words. Not like heavy f-bombs or anything like that. It’s like ‘D-mn’ or “What the h-ll?!” A lot of those type of words.
GWW: When is filming supposed to wrap?
Jabbar: Filming is supposed to be going until September. But, it might go after, it might go past September, we don’t know. But filming is scheduled to be done in September.
GWW: With the possibility it goes into October?
Jabbar: There is a possibility, yes.
GWW: Final question, has the show been renewed for a second season yet?
Jabbar: [laughs] My boy, trying to get me in trouble man. What I will say is that the show is an amazing show already, and there’s no doubt in my mind that there’s more story to be told.
‘Stargirl’ hails from Geoff Johns and stars Brec Bassinger. It will debut on DC Universe sometime in 2020.