Meet Jason A. Coombs

We were lucky to catch up with Jason A. Coombs recently and have shared our conversation below.

Jason A., so excited to have you with us today. So much we can chat about, but one of the questions we are most interested in is how you have managed to keep your creativity alive.
How do I keep creativity alive? I think that’s an interesting question because I am a very sensitive person and I tend to ride the wave of what is happening in my personal life, or in my community or in my family or in our country and right now in our world there’s just so much darkness and sadness which is happening. Between, you know, another frustrating election cycle, or facing constant images of the genocide happening in Gaza and inequality facing Black folks and other people of color or the attack on LGBTQ people, specifically trans people in our country and, you know, capitalism being justified and not being challenged enough, or our student being doxxed and facing physical and mental violence, even though marches and protests are an American right… I mean there’s just so much happening in our world that sometimes it feels challenging to create.

Sometimes I just want to curl up into a bubble and stay in bed, but I think it is true that “an artist’s duty is to reflect the times”, as the wonderful and legendary Nina Simone said. Honestly, I think using those feelings and challenging that energy into something bigger than oneself can be extremely productive. Whether I start by simply writing my feelings down in a journal, which I can use later for a screenplay, or talking with other friends who are artists about how we feel, using open and honest dialogue, that communication with each other sometimes can lift the veil of overwhelming feelings so I can actually step behind the keyboard or submit an audition or whatnot.

Also, it’s a simple thing but using my podcast, “Survival Jobs” as a way to connect and speak with other artists that I admire about their creative journeys and how they balance the fog in their worlds and their need to create, is also something that frees up space in my mind to allow more creativity in.

Therefore, my tldr answer is community, reflection and open dialogue to find inspiration and clear the mental fog!

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I am a New York City/Connecticut based writer, SAG-AFTRA actor, podcast host and producer. As an actor I have appeared in dozens of films, television shows and web series including “Mr. Robot” (USA Network), “SNL” (NBC), “Grave Mysteries” (ID Channel), and “Sleepaway Slasher” (streaming on Amazon Prime), among others. I most recently worked as an Archival Producer on the six part Netflix docu-series “Harry and Meghan” and an Archive Coordinator for “Happy Clothes”, a documentary that premiered at the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival. I recently wrapped another docu-series for Disney+ coming out later in 2024.

Additionally, I currently co-host and co-produce the weekly podcast “Survival Jobs” in collaboration with Broadway World and Broadway Podcast Network, where my co-host and I interview artists we admire about their creative journeys. Through our podcast, I have been fortunate to interview many theater and music icons on several red carpets as well as host live panel discussions at BroadwayCon and Broadway Podcast Fest in New York City.

Lastly, I am a huge advocate for supporting my hometown of Bridgeport, CT. I co-founded and I am the producing Artistic Director of the non-profit initiative, the Bridgeport Film Fest, which is gearing up for our fourth year this upcoming September. And I am proudly serving on the Bridgeport Pride Center executive board, where we are opening the very first non-profit center of its kind in downtown Bridgeport this summer.

I am a firm believer in the mission statement that “art can save lives”, therefore I have been emboldened to use my platform as an activist through art and the humanities!

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
I guess looking back, the three qualities or skills that have been most impactful in my journey is number one, always be kind and genuine. I think sometimes kindness gets overlooked by people, especially the further we move up into our careers. Sometimes kindness takes a back seat, but almost every opportunity I’ve gotten behind the camera or booking guests for a podcast, getting on the red carpet for a Broadway opening night, has always been because people remember that I have been kind and pleasant to work with. So I think that’s definitely the first tip I share with folks who are early in their journeys. People will always remember how you make them feel. So I think you always have to lead with kindness and being someone that people want to have around. Now, this does not mean to be a doormat and allow people to take advantage of you, so please remember that as well.

Second is, as cheesy as it may sound, don’t give up. I mean, listen, when I was in high school, I thought by the time I was at my current age that I’d be an Academy Award-winning actor with millions in my Oprah sized bank account. I’m not there yet, but I’m on my way, and I feel like, it’s easy to get discouraged, it’s easy to look for an alternative career, it’s easy sometimes to figure out that this isn’t for you, but if this is for you, if this is something that you want to do, working in entertainment, working as an actor or as a director or filmmaker, whatever that is, don’t give up. Because if it can happen for someone else, it can happen to you, and it may not be today in this very moment, but what is meant for you will be for you as long as you don’t give up. Tenacity is hella important!

And third would be to really, really work on your craft, right? Which seems obvious, but whatever it is, whether it’s acting, whether it’s hosting, whether it’s playwriting, whether it’s, you know, directing, whether it’s dancing, you have to be prepared when the opportunity arrives. So you’re a good person, you work hard, people know that you’re kind, right? You make good connections, and when you get the opportunity to shine, you have to have the talent to back it up, right? Being kind and all those great qualities can only get you so far, but you have to have the talent to take you over the edge. And I’ve been in situations where I was not prepared, and that feeling that you get when you’re not ready for your moment is hard, and it can be discouraging, and it can lead you 10 steps back. Therefore, I always tell people, be prepared, you know, take those classes, YouTube new skills, the internet has everything out there, y’all. Just be sure you vet your sources, but put in the work so you’re ready when the opportunity arrives.

What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?
I think, honestly, the most impactful thing my parents ever did for me besides providing me with the basic necessities to live; food, shelter, and love, I think, was truly believing in me and not squashing my dream of pursuing a career in the arts. So, just a bit of a backstory. Both of my parents are from Jamaica. I’m first generation American and as most people know, who have immigrant parents; education and getting a “good job”, is very important to them, right? And parents in general, but especially immigrant parents, as mine are who are working class and sacrifice their lives to move to a different country for a better life for their children. It’s so important for many parents to want to, I guess, reap the benefits from the sacrifices they made. And we all know that a career as an actor, as someone in the arts, is not always easy. And I remember telling my mom that I wanted to pursue theater in college and she always told me that I could do it. It may not have been the ideal career path that she wanted for me, but she never made me feel “less than” for choosing something that was going to make me happy. And the same thing with my dad, you know, they both really rallied around me and made sure that I knew that they believed in what I could do.

And still to this day, you know, whether it’s trying to listen to my podcast or staying up late to watch me when I was on SNL, my mom has been someone who reminds me that I can do it. And sometimes that encouragement does not look like the way we think it is going to look, right? Especially when it’s from like an immigrant parent. But I never felt that I was letting my parents down by living an artist’s life. So I’m very appreciative of that and that was so impactful because this is not an easy career, when you’re facing more a lot more people telling you “no”than “yes”. And to have their love and their support believing that I can do it was very impactful and honestly keeps me going.

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Image Credits
Stephanie Saujon Eudis Nunez Jr, Photo Ellektrik

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