Posted in: Apple, HBO, TV | Tagged: euphoria, sugar

Euphoria: Jack Topalian Discusses Season 3, Previews Sugar S02 & More

Jack Topalian discussed his very "impactful" role in HBO's Euphoria Season 3, previewed his role in AppleTV's Sugar Season 2, and more.

Jack Topalian has always had big dreams on the screen, embracing his passion for the arts at a young age, being mesmerized on the screen watching Star Wars, and deciding that was the life for him. For 17 years since his debut on the TV series Immigrants, he's embraced his character actor status, embracing every opportunity that came his way. Appearing on shows like Southland, Rizzoli & Isles, Argo (2012), Weeds, Ray Donovan, NCIS: Los Angeles, Bones, True Detective, Bosch, The Black List, General Hospital, SEAL Team, Madam Secretary, and Emily the Criminal (2022), Topalian has stayed busy and isn't slowing down anytime soon. The actor spoke to Bleeding Cool about his upcoming roles on the HBO coming-of-age drama Euphoria season three as Naz, and the AppleTV neo-noir drama mystery Sugar season two as Teddy Garnikian, working with showrunners Sam Levinson and Mark Protosevich on their respective shows, working with Euphoria stars Jacob Elordi, Sydney Sweeney, and Sugar's Colin Farrell, and what genre he hopes to expand into in the future.

Jack Topalian on Working HBO's Euphoria S03 and AppleTV's Sugar S02

BC: Okay, so Jack, how did you get involved with Euphoria?

Topalian: Well, Euphoria came through my agents. They basically said there was a role that casting wanted to see me for, so I went traditionally. I wanted to go in person and do the audition in person rather than put it on tape. As they say, the rest is history.

What can you tell me about this new role, and what is it like working with Sam [Levinson] as a creative?

Well, I can't talk too much about the role, but basically, I am like a business partner of Jacob Elordi's character, Nate. Most of my dealings in the show have to do with Nate and Cassie, so Jacob, as well as Sydney Sweeney. It's an interesting story, interesting twists, and lots of them along the way. As far as working with Sam, he's a gem. I've been a fan of his for a long time. I had an opportunity to meet with him. He was very warm right from the get-go, which made me feel very comfortable. So, it's been a great ride.

What did you like working with the cast, and did you want to talk about anyone you shared scenes with?

As I said, I worked primarily with Jacob, Sidney, Alexa Demie (Maddy), and Maude Apatow (Lexi). I did not have any scenes with Zendaya or any of the other cast members, per se, because there are so many various stories in the new season. It was a great time; it made me feel very warm and welcome, and I enjoyed my time while I was on set.

Did you happen to share any scenes with Eric [Dane] before his passing?

I had an opportunity to meet with Eric once. We said, "Hello." I am not in a scene directly with him, but I'm part of that overall scene. I did have an opportunity to see him; he was introduced to me, and he was very gracious. We exchanged a few words, but it was a very sad passing. He was a very kind man, so I only briefly spoke with him at that time.

I wanted to change the subject. You're also joining Sugar for the upcoming season. Was it a similar process to how you got involved with that show?

It came through casting. I got involved with Sugar and Colin Farrell's show, season two. I've been a huge fan since season one, so that's following around when Euphoria ends this year. I do play a different kind of character. The story in season two is very different from that in season one; it carries some of the same themes, but my character is quite different than the one I play in Euphoria.

How do these shows, like, allow you to challenge yourself as an actor that you typically wouldn't do in your other projects?

How do they challenge me as an actor?

How did each role from both shows challenge you?

Well, the challenge is always finding the right balance for what the creators and writers want to see. Obviously, when I get a part, I look at it on paper, I read it, and try to visualize what this person is. Sometimes casting will give us some direction, but I must be able to create the character. I think one of the advantages that I have as a seasoned actor is that I've been around life for a while. I have a lot of different things to pick from, as far as characters, as far as individuals, as far as how I see this particular person in this particular role, and then I bring my spin on it. While on set, the director or someone else, if they want to see something different, then I adjust as needed.

What did you like about working with Mark [Protosevich] on Sugar?

Sugar, as I said, was another one of those welcoming sets that was very productive. They knew exactly what they wanted out of the scenes that I was involved in. There are a few scenes I'm in with Colin and some of the other cast members. I'm in about five or six episodes on Sugar, so the direction was very clear. Whatever I brought on set as far as how I wanted to portray this individual, they were very open to it, so it made the process a lot easier moving forward, and quick.

Is there a type of role you wish you had more opportunities in or you haven't had a chance to, yet that perhaps you want to maybe explore in the future?

Always! I'm a character actor, and I would always love to be able to play various types of characters, whether that's being a gangster, a father, a coach, or a school teacher. I think I can do any of those roles very comfortably, and it all has to do with writing. If the opportunity comes up, I'd love to play any of these roles, and throughout my career, I've also played various ethnicities. I'm an extensive traveler, so I study people, and it allows me to bring those experiences into the roles that I get.

Is there a particular genre you want to do more of, like comedy or sci-fi?

I haven't done any sci-fi, so I'd love to get involved with that. When I came to the U.S., I was 10 years old, and one of the first films I ever saw was Star Wars, which blew me away. I came from Armenia, the Soviet Union, and it was a locked-down society, and here I am looking at the stars as a kid. It just blew away with Han Solo, Chewbacca, and all these characters, so I'd love to do more sci-fi. I always enjoy doing comedy and love to do more. Again, I'm a character actor, and whatever the role is and how casting or the producers or the creators see me, I am there.

Season three of Euphoria, which also stars Hunter Schaefer, Coman Domingo, Dominic Fike, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, and Toby Wallace, airs Sundays on HBO. Season two of Sugar, which also stars Jin Ha, Laurea Donnelly, Tony Dalton, Shea Whigham, Raymond Lee, and Sasha Calle, premieres on AppleTV on June 19th.

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