Jaden Michael
“Colin is so much more than an athlete to me.”
Jaden Michael was well aware of Colin Kaepernick before he ever auditioned to play him in “Colin in Black & White.” The actor, perhaps best known for his lead role in ’s “Vampires vs. the Bronx,” respected Kaepernick not only as an athlete but also for his advocacy. Created by Kaepernick and Ava Duvernay, “Colin in Black & White” hits Netflix on Oct. and details Kaepernick’s life as a teenager striving to become an NFL player, well before he famously began kneeling during the national anthem before San Francisco ers games to protest police brutality and systemic racism in the U.S.
• I heard you found out you got the role of Colin on or around your 17th birthday. My birthday is always really lucky. Last year I was celebrating “Vampires vs. the Bronx” coming out and secretly celebrating getting Colin. The year before, I was celebrating my birthday at BAFTA. I don’t know why, but it’s a really lucky day for me.
• At what point in the process did you meet Colin? It was actually part of the audition process. I was told I was going to have a Zoom meeting with him. It was supposed to be minutes, and it ended up being an hour and a half because we just started talking about music, our childhoods, what it means to be Black in America. I learned so much about him and how he came to this point where he is the legend he is today. I was so nervous. I really never fan out over people, but Colin is so much more than an athlete to me. It was nerve-racking but truly amazing and humbling.
• What was it like working with Ava Duvernay? I’d seen a lot of her work even before auditioning. You could tell she’s an incredible thinker and director. She’s taught me so much about acting and the industry, but also, just by being her, she’s taught me so much about standing up for yourself and speaking up for what you think is important. She demands attention when she walks into a room, and when she says something, it gets done. I just love her so much as both an artist and a person.
• One of your first film roles was in “Paterson” with Adam Driver.
What was that experience like? He’s really something. I don’t know many actors who can play Kylo Ren and make it one of the most moving performances on the silver screen. That was such a fantastic experience in every way. When I auditioned for [“Paterson”] and saw the director was Jim Jarmusch, I told the casting people that “Ghost Dog” was one of my favorite films. I was, like, . They were like, “Wait, you’ve seen ‘Ghost Dog’?!”
• Actors don’t always have control over what they’re offered, but it seems like you have been passionate about your previous roles and looking for meaningful messages. I want to tell stories that empower and support people and communities. I have seen some auditions for things and felt it wasn’t right for me, so I didn’t even audition. It’s hard turning something down when you’re a young actor, but ultimately, I don’t regret it. Because so far I’ve built a career that I’m pretty proud of. I like the stories and messages I tell, even if I don’t always do the greatest job.
• Do you not like watching yourself on the screen? I hate it. I try because I think it’s important to see what you did wrong and learn from your mistakes. But I really don’t like it.