Written By: Jayme Face
It’s spooky season and fittingly we caught up with one of the stars of Netflix’s wildly popular Vampires vs. The Bronx! We talked to Jaden Michael all about the film and what he’s been up to since we last interviewed him!
Photo Credit: Daniel D’Ottavio
upfrontNY: Can you tell us about Vampires vs. The Bronx and your character, Miguel?
Jaden Michael: Vampires vs. The Bronx is a new movie on Netflix. It’s about three kids who can’t wait to celebrate summer and give back to their community. Then they realize there’s vampires in the Bronx and they have to fight them off. I play Miguel who is the leader of the group and leader of the block party. He just wants to protect his friends and protect his community. He’s worried about gentrification in his neighborhood. He wants to make sure his community is safe.
upfrontNY: Vampires vs. the Bronx is gaining a lot of popularity quickly and is being praised for a different setting and situation than your typical adventure movie and its more diverse cast. What does it mean to you to be a part of something that’s considered to be groundbreaking?
Jaden Michael: Well you know it’s always great to be a part of a journey like this one. Especially it’s great to see people receive it so well. I’m glad people understand the nuances of gentrification and the metaphors that is the purpose of the film. That’s something you love to hear as an actor that your performance was captivating and the audience was able to understand the meaning behind the film. There are so many great stories that just need to be told. I’m glad to be a part of this one.
upfrontNY: This movie has a message about gentrification, but still has that scary/ Halloween element of vampires; were you a fan of horror and Halloween before making this movie?
Jaden Michael: I’ve always liked horror movies, not exactly like the scream horror movies, but like the psychological thrillers and thrillers in general. So, yeah, I’ve always loved it. I’m also born in October; it’s like my favorite month. So, Halloween has always been fun. My mom never let me have the candy, but I always loved dressing up and just hanging out with friends.
upfrontNY: You had worked on The Get Down and I didn’t know this originally, but that role was written for you. What kind of perks or pressures do you have playing a character made specifically for you?
Jaden Michael: It’s really interesting actually. I have a story about that. When I first auditioned for The Get Down I auditioned for a completely different character, just to give context. I went in there, I did my thing and my mom tells me after the audition “I don’t think you’re getting it” and I was like well you never know, we’ll see. Soon after, my manager at the time calls me and is like “Hey. So, I think they really like you, but you’re not eighteen and they want the character to be eighteen, but the director Baz Luhrmann (the legendary director!) decided he wants to write you into the show” So that’s kind of how I found out. I don’t know; I never felt any pressure. I felt really lucky. I felt just so ecstatic to, you know, just not only be a part of the show, but like be written in. Wow! That’s just crazy! This has never happened to me before, but I’ve never felt pressure from Baz. It just came naturally.
upfrontNY: You have been in the business for several years now and you are getting older and gaining more success, what have you learned during this time?
Jaden Michael: I think the most important thing for me is staying humble. I see so many people who have shown what I shouldn’t do or what I shouldn’t become. Every time I gain another “success” I just think about how can I move forward and do it again and just be better next time. So, yeah, staying humble and staying focused on the future.
upfrontNY: You are from New York, what do you love doing that is unique to New York?
Jaden Michael: Well I’m not allowed to do this anymore because ‘thanks Covid’, but I like to people watch. I’ll just be with my mom or I’ll be by myself and I’ll go skating around the city and sit down and just watch how people walk, watch how people talk and try and make inferences on what conversation they’re having. Like that couple over there is definitely breaking up. That’s a tough relationship or like awe they just started dating. I can’t wait until they break up and just doing that. You know you get so many characters in New York so you never run out of opportunities. Now I’ve been doing sort of random things. I’ve been doing a lot of guitar, writing music. Actually, Gregory, my costar in Vampires, we have been talking about starting about a band for a while. Gerald and Gregory and I were going to start writing a song together. We haven’t put all the pieces together, but we’re working on it. I’ve been doing Rubik’s cubes, but my people watching techniques have been a little rusty lately.
upfrontNY: How has the pandemic affected you and what are you doing to stay positive?
Jaden Michael: Oh, it’s so difficult. I try and keep myself entertained, distracted, I would even say. You know reading and stuff. Once school started it helped a lot because a lot of the stress of being at home transferred to school which I feel was a little bit more natural. Especially over the summer, it’s like geez I’ve always been the sort of kid who preferred to be by myself or be at home, (I’m an only child) but now that I have to stay inside it sucks. Like two years ago in summer I didn’t go outside, now I want to go outside, but I can’t. I guess that’s how teenagers work.
upfrontNY: When I last interviewed, you it was a few years ago and you said when you are older you want to continue acting and also go to Harvard and get your law degree. I was curious, is that still something you want to do or getting older have you changed some of your future goals?
Jaden Michael: It’s the same. I do want to continue acting. I do want to go to Harvard for college or Yale. One of the two, those are my top picks right now. I’m a junior in high school so it’s a little bit more of a serious matter than it was then. Actually a few years after that interview I went to the Harvard campus as a freshman and I remember they were asking everyone what grade are you in. Most kids were like juniors and there was one sophomore. They asked me. My mom stomps on my foot and she’s like don’t say anything. And I say I’m a freshman! Everyone is like oh wow you’re a bit early!
upfrontNY: Is there anything else you would like to let our readers know?
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