By Mike McCarthy
You have seen him in so many television shows and films that naming them would be monotonous. Jonathan Bennett is one of the hardest working men in Hollywood between hosting Cake Wars on Food Network, starring in six new films and an upcoming arc on the final season of MTV’s hit show, Awkward. In the upcoming film ‘Submerged’ Jonathan plays a mix of Jason Bourne and Jason Statham’s character in The Transporter, just a total badass. Not only has he been on screen with some of the most gorgeous actresses but with some of the greatest actors of all time. Make sure to check out ‘Submerged’ on Black Friday, November 27th and Cake Wars: Christmas on November 28th.
Wingman Magazine: You are obviously mostly known for your role as Aaron Samuels on Mean Girls. Did you ever think that the film would be such a cult classic that it developed into over the past decade or so?
Jonathan Bennett: No, we never thought it was going to be the big hit that it was. We were just a bunch of kids making a film that we wanted to be funny. And it became just this huge international hit. I am just so grateful to have been a part of it. Some other bullet points from every interview I have ever had: Lindsay (Lohan) is nice, Rachel McAdams is a good kisser, all of the girls were really funny, none of them were actually mean. Amy Poehler stole the show, and Mark Waters was amazing to work with.
WM: After Mean Girls came out you had a string of comedies. Do you feel like you were pigeonholed a little bit at that point in your career? Obviously it worked in your favor in the end.
Jonathan Bennett: Ya know what, I like comedies and I really enjoy shooting them so I got to do those films. I never saw it as a bad thing, I didn’t worry about it. At the end of the day you don’t know what the movies are going to end up like so you do the projects that you enjoy doing. It’s three months of our lives, and you can’t worry if you are going to be put in that type of a situation or anything down the road. Being put in that type of situation is the best thing for an actor, in my opinion. You want to be the go to actor for that type of film and it’s awesome. It’s a great thing, it means that you will always be able to work for the rest of your career when they are looking for someone. In my case it was when they couldn’t afford Seann William Scott or Ryan Reynolds to do the sequels, they would call me.
WM: You were on an episode of Smallville back in the day. What is your thoughts on all of the superhero and comic book based shows and films? And do you want to be in any of them?
Jonathan Bennett: I have never been a huge comics fan, but have just started to get into it. My end-all be-all favorite superhero of all time is the Batman with Jack Nicholson. I feel bad saying this, because every actor dreams of being a superhero but I don’t really have a craving to be in a superhero movie. If I got offered one I would be in it for sure, but I don’t crave to be in them, I crave to make people laugh.
WM: I just watched the trailer for your upcoming film, Submerged. You look like a total badass. What can you tell us about your character and the film as a whole.
Jonathan Bennett: Other than Mean Girls, Submerged is my favorite movie that I have ever been a part of it. When I watched the film for the first time, I realized that I held my breath for an entire hour and a half it was so good. Our director Stephen C. Miller was incredible to work with and is out of this world talented. It’s the story about a bunch of kids that are trapped in a limo that has fallen into the ocean, and the whole film is about them trying to get out of the limo. It just intense and I am so proud of it. It comes out November 27th (Black Friday) at IFC Films and on VOD. It was so fun to jump into the role (he plays the driver) kind of like Bourne Identity and The Transporter.
WM: You are making that transition from actor to producer. Do you want to be behind the camera more and possibly direct?
Jonathan Bennett: I just produced Authors Anonymous, Submerged and Pawn which was an action/thriller with Michael Chiklis, Ray Liotta and Common. To be honest, I don’t really like producing. I don’t really care where you put the trailers and I don’t care where we are going to have the cast park for base camp. I was born to be in front of the camera and an actor. That is where I feel more comfortable.
WM: Do You see yourself getting more into the action/thriller style genre?
Jonathan Bennett: I just like to do anything. There isn’t an actor in Hollywood that does comedy, drama, action, hosting. I mean I do everything because, why not? It’s fun to do new things and different types of tv shows and movies. I have a movie that comes on November 27th where I play a badass secret service type of agent and the next day I have cookie wars. I am pretty sure no one else does this. And then I come out for the last season of Awkward in January where I play Jenna’s new boss at her new job. It’s a total over the top, rambunctious crazy character, he’s so obnoxious and it’s completely different from what I play in ‘Submerged’.
WM: What prompted you to be the host of Cake Wars? And what has been the best cake you have seen so far?
Jonathan Bennett: I have no idea how it happened, I just got asked to come in and try and I ended up falling in love with doing it. I never sat there having a dream about hosting a baking competition on Food Network. A group made a cake out of Trail Mix which was awesome and delicious.
WM: Have any of the contestants’ cakes just fallen apart on the show yet? How bad would you or did you feel when it happened?
Jonathan Bennett: During the third episode it was a DC Comics cake when artist Jim Lee was a guest judge, one of the cakes hit the floor. It was all real and it really happened. That’s why I love doing the hosting, because you never know what’s going to happen on a reality show. I have that weird thing where I laugh at uncomfortable situations, so I felt horrible but I couldn’t stop chuckling because of this little nervous tick.