On Feb. 5, Jackson White was presented with the Rising Star Award at this year’s SCAD TVfest. The actor received the award in honor of his breakout role as Stephen DeMarco in the television series “Tell Me Lies.” If you know anything about the show, you know DeMarco is a truly despicable and unlikable character, so it is understandable if the audience feels disgusted when seeing his face. However, in the Q&A following Thursday’s screening of the show, White offered a refreshing personality that was quite opposite to the character he plays. He was funny, relatable, grounded, and quite frankly rizzed us all up.
There has been notable discourse surrounding Stephen DeMarco’s attractiveness, with some viewers claiming that if he was more attractive, it would be easier to understand Lucy’s perspective of their relationship in the series. But is his character unattractive due to an abysmal personality or is it due to physical appearance? In my experience, seeing the actor out of character may change your opinion.
Listening to him speak, I found that White had a charming and sweet demeanor that felt disarming, despite the intense feelings that came with being mere feet away from a celebrity. He spoke genuinely about his journey as an actor and the many rejections he faced before success. The more he said, the more charismatic I found him, and the more I separated him from the character he plays on screen. Not that I expected them to be similar, but I didn’t expect to find White’s personality so alluring.
Photo courtesy of Maya Pegues.
He continued the conversation by explaining how, if you really want something, you need to be specific with your goals, but warned that it doesn’t always happen as expected. In particular, he said, “You’ll be placed where you are supposed to be.” I found that perspective refreshing and different from the typical advice many actors give to just “work harder.”
White also touched on how the people around you, both cast and crew, are what make a production great. He mentioned how he used to feel like everyone was on their own island and every department was clearly separated from that of the actors. It wasn’t until he changed that mindset that he was able to become such a strong actor. I completely agree with this statement. A well-rounded cast and crew make such a difference in production quality on all fronts. By recognizing that and having empathy for yourself and others, an individual can dive deeper and portray the character more authentically. His performance as Stephen DeMarco is proof of that sentiment.
In this case, I would say the celebrity rizz is real, but—unlike other celebrities—it is not due to White’s parentage or success. It is entirely a result of his natural charm, authenticity, and hard work. The effort he has put into both his craft and himself is what makes him attractive, and the way he can make us hate DeMarco so intensely is just further proof.
If you haven’t already seen the show, I highly recommend you give it a watch. If not for the charisma of Jackson White, watch it for the incredible storyline that continues to get better every season.
