In Season 2 of Freeform’s Motherland: Fort Salem, viewers were introduced to Jonas, a hot-headed member of an international terrorist group of witches, who makes no secret of the disdain he feels for those who do not share his views. We’ve seen him briefly in Episode 5, but he is more prominently featured in the upcoming episode, “My 3 Dads.”
In an exclusive interview with PopWire, Albert Nicholas, who plays Jonas, talks about his audition process, his character, working with his Spree co-stars, and more.
“The audition process in general has changed the last year and a half, thanks to the good old pandemic,” Nicholas tells us. “Since casting offices were closed, and no in-person anything was allowed, the industry adopted doing self-tapes as the default… with the odd Zoom call here and there. I’m sure this took some pressure off performers, as it allowed for more time with the material… and also probably the occasional business on top/PJs on the bottom look since you’re in the comfort of your own home!
“For Motherland: Fort Salem, I sent in a self-tape. I was actually in the middle of filming Two Sentence Horror Stories and had to wait until my last day of shooting was finished to get it done. Just how the timing worked out. Sometimes you have to audition on a whim and instincts, and this was one of those. Luckily, I intuitively understood and connected with the character at a deep level really quickly.”
Jonas, the Ottawa born and raised actor says, comes in pretty hot from the get-go. “He appears extreme, intense, opinionated, outspoken,” he says. “He’s very committed. I think people will see him as down right mean, and quickly categorize him as an extreme terrorist and nothing more… but there’s so much more to it if you dig deep.
“Yes, he’s truly dedicated to the cause of this group, but there’s also an underlying aspect of wanting and searching to belong to something that keeps him devoted and so passionate. Having that sense of belonging and usefulness in life – a purpose – is something I believe we can all relate to. And often, I’d say the driving force behind it all is fear, as it is the case for this character. I hope that’ll translate and connect with people in the next episode.”
The majority of Jonas’ scenes in Motherland: Fort Salem are with Scylla (Amalia Holm) and Raelle’s mother Willa (Diana Pavlovská). Working with the two actresses is a complete joy for the actor, adding that the pair are both lovely and amazing. “It can sometimes be a little daunting showing up on set half way through a season, where everyone knows each other and have already built a rapport, but both Amalia and Diana, as well as the entire production team, were so welcoming and easy to work with,” he shares.
“They’re both wonderfully giving actors, and I really appreciated their guidance when I was unclear on some of the story. Coming in for a couple of episodes, you don’t always get the full picture of what has happened up to then in the season, as well as where it’s going. You take your best educated guess, make some choices, and come ready to play. Amalia and Diana generously got me up to speed, and then some, so I could do my job the best I could and help the story come to life in such a short initial scene. Those moments of collaboration are what I live for on set!”
In tonight’s episode of Motherland: Fort Salem, Jonas plays a pivotal role that will have a great impact on some of the other characters. While we can’t reveal anything, Albert Nicholas says that “fans won’t be disappointed and probably aren’t expecting what’s about to transpire!”
Motherland: Fort Salem airs Tuesdays at 10pm on Freeform.
