Nick Jonas, equally comfortable on a concert stage and a film set, revealed that his preparation for each looks quite different. The 33-year-old musician and actor opened up about his pre-performance rituals alongside his ‘Power Ballad’ co-star Paul Rudd, sharing the one key distinction between getting ready for a show versus filming a scene.Speaking to PEOPLE during a recent interview, Jonas said, “I mean, it’s the same thing at the end of the day. You’re putting on a performance, you’re opening up the walls of your personal life and experience to everyone else to kind of engage with. The only difference is, and this is actually not all that interesting, but the only difference is before a show, I’m relaxed. I might have a little cocktail, get the vibe right. For a scene, I’m not doing that.”Rudd, 57, was quick to add his own punchline. “We never did that. But that’s only because it’s really hard to find alcohol in Ireland.”
What ‘Power Ballad’ was about
In ‘Power Ballad’, Rudd played Rick, a past-his-prime wedding singer who performed at a wedding where Jonas’s pop star character Danny was in attendance. The two bonded over music during a late-night jam session, and when Danny turned one of Rick’s songs into a hit that reignited his career, Rick set out to reclaim the recognition he believed he deserved. The film was shot in Ireland alongside co-stars Marcella Plunkett, Havana Rose Liu, Jack Reynor and Peter McDonald, who also wrote the screenplay.
What Nick Jonas and Paul Rudd learned from each other on set
Despite coming from very different corners of the entertainment world, both Jonas and Rudd said they took something valuable from working together. Rudd, a comedy veteran known for his roles in the ‘Ant-Man’ and ‘Avengers’ franchises, had warm words for his co-star. “I learned that you could be an incredibly talented musician and still be the coolest, nicest guy. Nick, that is you,” he said. “And you have a real way of conveying emotion and showing exactly what your character is thinking without saying anything, which is just the best thing to be able to do when you’re acting.“Jonas, a former child star best known for his work with brothers Joe and Kevin in the Jonas Brothers, was equally complimentary. “One of the most exciting parts of stepping into this film with you, but specifically just any acting projects I’ve been fortunate enough to do is you kind of do learn something from everybody,” he said. “And Rudd mentioned some stories about being on set with Jack Nicholson, other people you’ve worked with. It’s just so cool to see that even at your level and with your experience, that there’s still that ability to kind of be a sponge, and I tried to do that with you.”‘Power Ballad’ is currently in theatres.
