Posted in: Netflix, TV | Tagged: Ransom Canyon

Ransom Canyon: Jake Schumacher on Embracing Jodi Thomas' Western World

Jake Schumacher (Top Gun: Maverick) discussed with Bleeding Cool why Netflix's Ransom Canyon is everything he wants in a Western series.

While the American Western isn't as prominent as it once was in theaters, it's alive and well on TV, especially if you look at the empire Taylor Sheridan built. Netflix is looking to build on the genre with the romantic western Ransom Canyon. Based on the Jodi Thomas novels and adapted by April Blair (All American, Wednesday, The Shannara Chronicles), the series follows three ranching family dynasties locked in a contest for control of Ransom Canyon, which is located beneath the crimson mesas of Texas Hill Country. Jake Schumacher (Top Gun: Maverick), who plays Yancy Grey, spoke to Bleeding Cool about why Ransom Canyon offers the perfect mix of everything he's looking forward to in a TV drama, working with Blair, ensemble cast and a grueling schedule.

Ransom Canyon Star Jake Schumacher on Embracing Jodi Thomas' Western World

Bleeding Cool: What intrigued you about 'Ransom Canyon?'

I had a long time to sit with the show once I got the initial audition because we went through a strike, and there's more runway than I typically have for preparing for a role. I got into the source material of the books and did a deep dive into what I think Yancy would bring to the story in that world. All that is set on this beautiful backdrop of the American frontier. The modern Westerns in this day and age are so compelling, and people relate to them so much because you can take these classic themes that are real struggles. It's romance, family drama, and legacy, and you put it through this lens of modern times in the Texas setting. It creates for beautiful drama, and getting to live and play in that world was a huge gift as an actor.

What does a show like this allow you to do that you haven't been able to do or maybe do enough as an actor?

Oh man, so much. This is the most extensive role I've had in terms of time getting to stay with a character, and probably also the most substantial role in terms of workload. Getting to live and play the character for what was a six-month shoot time, you get to take it to a different level than when you're doing a movie. Sometimes, it's a five-week shoot, or you go do a couple of episodes of a show that can be a few days to a few weeks, and then you move on.

To get to inhabit the character's shoes, explore, play, and collaborate with the writers and our showrunner who are all so amazing, that was a level of collaboration I haven't had before on a project. That's one of my favorite things about filmmaking is when you show up and go through hair and makeup, and then you show up to block a scene and rehearse. That whole process of, "What if I do this? Can we do this?" There are so many people working on a team to make this happen. I love it so much, and it's so exciting to me. To get to do that to the extent and also have as much input as they allowed me to have was something I haven't had before and I'm so grateful for.

What's it like working with April as a creative and bringing her vision of Jodi's stories to life?

God, I love April so much. I would take a bullet for her. She's the best showrunner you could ever ask for. The amount of faith she puts in us… the amount of time she's willing to give each person, not to mention the creative input, is amazing. She's open to hearing ideas but also isn't afraid to shoot them down because she knows where she's going with this and has this vision. Everything she's worked on has turned to gold. Right away, I was like, "I love April!" I'm so grateful that I get to be a part of her vision, get to do my best to serve the text and be a part of such an amazing cast.

How do you break down your chemistry with this ensemble and the pool of talent you get to share the screen with?

Everyone on the cast was so amazing, and they all have unique things they bring to it. I could talk for hours about everyone's different things and what I love about what everyone else brings. Starting at the top with Josh [Duhamel] and Minka [Kelly]. One of the most important things on set is when you have your leads, or your showrunner, and they're excited and want to play, that energy is infectious. Josh is like this big kid, and that's the best way I can describe him. He shows up, having a good time, messing around, and brings a playful atmosphere to a set. That's so important given what we're doing, which is we're playing, and Minka's quite possibly the sweetest person I've ever met in my entire life. She's so kind and grounded to work with.

Marianly [Tejada], who plays my love interest [Ellie Catawnee], is so spectacular and generous. Getting to work with her and having chemistry with her was easy. I could keep going. James Brolin is the best and does something new each time. You hear about actors who do that, and getting to see it up close, live repeatedly, and seeing what he would come up with. He pulled a lot of authentic performances out of me. That's where you hear about an actor being generous, and he's one of the most generous guys I've ever met.

What would you say is the biggest challenge of production this season?

That's a good question. Probably one of the things I didn't understand before I've experienced it, you hear about people getting exhausted during a shoot. As an actor, you have a lot of downtime and work long days, but in between them, you hang out. Sometimes, you have four or five hours off where they're shooting a different scene, this and that, the marathon aspect of shooting a 10-episode season over six months. By the time you get to the end, you're pretty burnt out, and you are ready for a break.

I remember April told me around two months in, and I was like, "Man, I wish we were shooting season two right after season one." She's like, "You're going want a break." I was like, "No, I'm not," then I was like, "Okay, all right, I'm ready for a break once we get to the end." Part of that was the physical aspect of when I was working out for this role. I wanted to get a little bit bigger, and I wanted to put on some size, maintain it, and keep that workout routine and regimen for six months, which took a physical toll. Also, I have a sweet tooth, and being exposed to craft services all the time makes it hard for me to avoid 15 donuts a day.

Ransom Canyon, which also stars Lizzy Greene and Eoin Macken, premieres April 17th on Netflix.

Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!

Stay up-to-date and support the site by following Bleeding Cool on Google News today!