+ Interviews +

... Jeremy Garrett 

TEEN HOLLYWOOD
April 14, 2001, 9.30 a

Interviewing Actor Jeremy Garrett:
by Chris Lamb            

Jeremy Garrett is one of those people who assumes the world is his 
oyster and therefore it is. A world traveler, he’d undoubtedly have a 
flourishing career as a photographer right now if it wasn’t for that 
other Garrett hobby, acting. Maybe it’s because actors are usually 
free-spirits, maybe its because Jeremy Garrett is a charming and
pleasant guy to be around, but this is someone who takes each life 
step with pleasure.

Many fans will recognize Jeremy as Todd from Sweet Valley High. It 
was as Todd that Jeremy first found Hollywood success and it has 
never left him. More recent roles in Legacy and The WB’s Jack & Jill 
(Jeremy plays Audrey’s new room-mate, Russell) ensures that either 
this actor has more luck than the Irish or is really good at what he
does. Hollywood being what it is, I would guess that being Jeremy 
Garrett involves a bit of both.

Jeremy recently spoke with TeenHollywood.com. An eager and fun 
person, Jeremy had a lot to tell us.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW        

Jeremy, how do you relate to your character Russell on Jack & Jill?
Jeremy: Russell is an aspiring actor / stand-up comedian in New 
York. He’s looking for a place to live in New York City and he comes 
across Jaime Pressly’s apartment. She thinks it’s ok because he has 
a girlfriend but he really doesn’t. It’s interesting because he’s a bit 
of a hardhead and so is she and I think that’s why they’re attracted 
to each other; it’s a love-hate type of thing. They see each other as
a challenge. So yeah, it's a little bit different than being myself 
because I’m mellower than Russell.

Is it a challenge to play him?
Jeremy: No it isn’t because I know a lot of people who are like him. 
A couple of my friends are just like him so I tend to resort to first-
hand experiences with those people.

How are you fitting in with the cast?
Jeremy: You know it’s interesting because I only work with Jaime. 
Isn’t that wild? I only work with her because Russell and her live
together and all the other characters have their storylines going 
and they never intertwine. Of course I’ve met them all at the table
readings…

You’re not a full-time character on this show yet, are you?
Jeremy: No, I’m a reoccurring guest star. We’ll have to wait and see
how this season is going to go.

Now Jack & Jill will be replaced by Felicity shortly on The WB. Is that
the end of the season for you?
Jeremy: Yes. You have the official word on that. That’s it.

You’ve had other drama experiences as well, Buffy, Sabrina, and Get 
Real, I’m wondering which experience you liked best?
Jeremy: I think Buffy was the most fun because I got to play a real jerk
who gets really beat up by Buffy. It was so much fun. That was a while 
ago now. She slams my head against the steering wheel of a car and 
breaks my nose. Of course we had to choreograph everything so it 
becomes something like a dance. It looks real but no one gets hurt.

You played Todd in Sweet Valley High.
Jeremy: All the way back…

Yeah, we’re going back to the beginning now.
Jeremy: Oh God, I’m feeling old.

What do you remember the most about Sweet Valley High?
Jeremy: I just remember that that was the first thing. I’d never been 
in this town before or seen the working environment on a television 
set. I was going crazy working every day for two years straight and
getting to do something I love, it was a privilege.

I remember my good friend Cynthia Daniel, she played my girlfriend 
Elizabeth and she was such a sweetheart. She was the most kind, 
giving, helping person and she made things a lot easier on me. We’ve
kept in touch over the years. She played my girlfriend so we were 
always together and we just had a blast. We became like brother and 
sister, it was a lot of fun.

Do you find that most actors become better friends if their characters
are in a relationship?
Jeremy: I think it’s only natural that it happens. Unless there’s some
really conflicting personalities. But because you do work with that one
person everyday or you have to pretend that you’re in love, I think it’s
only natural to really get to know that person. You grow a little bit closer
than you do with the other cast members.

Was it hard to break out of the Todd persona once Sweet Valley High
finished?
Jeremy: Well, for some reason it wasn’t that hard for me. I think a lot 
of that has to do with casting directors and for me it wasn’t that difficult. 
For a period of about six months, I’d gotten into that  character so 
much that when I went in to audition for other roles, it was hard. You 
start to relate every role to how you have been playing your other 
character for so long. I realized that, hold on, I can’t play every role 
like a young jock at a high school, I have to become someone else. 
But it wasn’t hard for me, thank-goodness. One of the reasons I chose
my role in Legacy, a period piece, is because it was the furthest thing
from a high-school kid.

Would you do another period piece?
Jeremy: I don’t know if I’d do another TV show like that but I’d die to
do a movie period piece. I’d do them for the rest of my life. They’re
so much fun. They really transport you out of reality and out of this 
time.

Can you tell me about your recent movie, The A-List?
Jeremy: Oh, the A-List! Oh, yeah, that’s a great one. It’s a short 
movie and it’s a spoof about Hollywood where Jesus comes in and 
tells someone to make a movie, it’s hilarious. I play a real jerk of 
an actor, someone so full of himself. He talks to his agent about 
how he wants to do period pieces because period pieces win 
Oscars. It was really fun. I don’t know when that’s coming out but
it is completed.

Let’s talk about you more personally. I understand you were in 
training to become a photographer?
Jeremy: I grew up in San Diego and my dad bought me a camera
one day. He said that I should take a photography class. I thought,
‘Ugh, what am I going to do with a camera, I’ll be stuck taking family
photos all the time.’ But you know what, I fell in love with it. Then I 
started assisting a photographer in San Diego and then here in LA.

I wanted to go into fashion photography, travel around the world 
doing pictorials for magazines, I’m so into that. But sometimes
you have two loves and you have to decide which one is loving
you more.

I have two more questions for you Jeremy. They’re abstract 
questions but they might provide an interesting answer.

One: If you could live in any time in history for one year, when
would it be?
Jeremy: Wow. For some reason that’s one of the toughest 
questions anyone has ever asked me. There’s so many amazing 
times and so many huge events that went down in history that it’s 
hard to choose just one. Well, I don’t think I can pick one specific 
time but as far as a period that would have been interesting to live
in, I’d pick the Renaissance. That would have been a wild time if 
you weren’t poor. If you were poor then it wouldn’t be such a wild 
time because there was no middle class. But I think it would have
been so decadent, it would have been a blast.

Two: If you could give advice on how to live life, what would you 
say?
Jeremy: As far as working, I always say that if you choose a job 
you love then you’ll never work a day in your life, meaning that 
you’re not forced to do anything and if there’s something you really 
love to do, then you need to try it. That way work will be a pleasure
to you and you’ll feel fulfilled from it. If you don’t take a risk I really
don’t think you’ll be happy. Not deadly risks but risks in life in the
sense of a career because you can always get back up and go do
something else.

As a closing question, what are you working on now?
Jeremy: I wish I could tell you I was starring next to Al Pacino but
I can’t. Right now we’re in pilot season and we’re looking for a good 
pilot to do. Possibly there are some films in the works but we shall
see. 

Best of luck to you, Jeremy.
Jeremy: Thank-you very much.

(taken from teenhollywood.com)    

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