Jon Seda Discusses The Pacific

10 March 2010

Jon Seda

Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg team up for a second time to bring us the story of the men who fought in the Pacific during the Second World War, following in the footsteps of Band of Brothers.

Jon Seda talks about his experiences on set and what it was like taking on a real life character.

- Why did you want to be part of The Pacific? There must have been many actors of your generation that wanted to be in a Tom Hanks/Steven Spielberg production?

I feel so honoured and humbled to just be a part of The Pacific. The importance of it. It's not like any other series or any other series or any other film of that nature. It's just different.

It has a different meaning to it. For me it wasn't about making a big career move or anything like that. For me it was just being able to be a part of that voice for all these men who sacrificed themselves to give us the freedom that we enjoy today. That was just crazy important for me.

- Did the fact that you were playing a real person impact on the way you approached your character?

Well, for me I had the distinct honour to portray Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone and his home state is New Jersey and that's where I grew up and so I felt even more of a sense of pride and responsibility to try and do the best I could or I would not be able to show up in New Jersey.

So I just would hope and pray that I would even have an ounce of the same courage that John Basilone had. So, to let alone have a part in The Pacific, to portray John Basilone was just a humbling experience for me.

- John Basilone was a hero but he didn't realise it, in part because he was cut off from home and the news. Did this make him more interesting to play?

Right. I don't think John Basilone himself would call himself a hero. I think he was doing what he was taught to do and what he loved to do, which was to be a Marine. And he loved his country and was willing to do whatever it took to help to preserve that freedom that we have.

So, I don't think he would call himself a hero. I think there are hero. I think as soon as they sign on to enlist, that's a heroic act right there. So there's many heroes of World War II and I think John would call many others heroes before he would call himself a hero.

- Which are the qualities you like about the friendships you guys develop as characters? Because you live in a very extreme situation throughout The Pacific but there's also time for friendships.

Well, y'know, all these men in the Pacific, it was their family. They all come from different parts of the United States and different parts of the world, but when they're together, that's their family and they laugh together, they joke together, they endure pain together, they have victory together.

So that's something from bootcamp for us. Captain Dale Dye and his NCOs, they made sure that we understood that and that was important for us because there's no way that we would have been able to really bring out the reality of the camaraderie that these men had without going through something that simulated that as well.

- How much does the realistic wardrobe and locations help your performance?

It was just incredible. Just from the sets to the wardrobe that we had and just the elements that they put us through, we really didn't have to act. We were reacting. For example, there was a time in boot camp where a few of us got together and we paused and we were like, 'What are we doing?' Are we actually training to go fight somewhere? Or are we doing a show? What are we doing?'

And that's when it was basically a change for all of us. We all realised how important this was and we were going to have to reach down deep to bring out something that we had never brought out before.

- How difficult is it to find intelligent material like this out there?

Something like this comes along not enough as it should. Something like this, it's a blessing and a gift and to be a part of it, that's why it's so important to me because this doesn't come around that often.

From the writing to the producing to all the aspects that it took. The hard work and the years before it tool to actually get to filming. It's just incredible to be a part of.

- How do you think appearing in The Pacific will change your career?

For me, as we grow in life, there's different times in our lives where we have transitions. Where we are in life effects who you are as a person, let alone where you are career wise.

For me, career wise, I can't even think about that, but what I do know is that this was a defining moment for me as a person and it was a life changing experience, so for me this was, so far, as good as it's gotten.

- Why did you decide to be an actor?

I didn't grow up wanting to be an actor. No one in my family is in the business. I grew up very sports oriented and had dreams of playing football.

After I graduated high school I got into boxing and my dad is a big fight fan so I had some knowledge of boxing growing up and just found a passion for boxing and thought boxing was going to be my... I always dreamt that I was going to be famous.

And I always dreamt that I was going to get a big house for my mom and take care of them. I just didn't know that it was going to possibly be down an acting route.

I thought I was going to be a boxing champion one day but for whatever reason this is the path that was presented to me and I'm vey proud and very fortunate to be here.

- Have you found it difficult to keep going in this business?

Yeah, this business to me is kind of like the stock market, it's up and down. You just have to stay strong and keep pushing through and don’t quit.

- What would you say is the message of The Pacific?

I think the message of The Pacific is love your family, love your country. Don't forget where we've all come from and don't ever think that anything can stop us from being what we want to be.

- What was the toughest moment on set?

It was definitely the toughest role that I've ever been a part of physically but also I think equally, or more so, mentally and spiritually it was a tougher challenge for me. I, for whatever reason, from the first day, I had found out about The Pacific.

I felt like something in me was meant to be a part of it somehow. And I carried it throughout even until now and it's still a little overwhelming when I think about it. But the challenge for me was more mentally and spiritually for me because the enormity of it was just a little overwhelming.

It hit you at different times, y'know? You'd look around and look at the set and you'd almost feel like you were transported back in time and sometimes the reality would just overwhelm you. I think physically I was ok, it was more mentally.