LOCAL ACTOR
Jayce Alexander By Je s s i ca Ho l thaus Badour
J ayce Alexander’s career isn’t long or storied… yet. But that’s only because he’s just getting started. At age 11, the local Atlantan landed his first big gig in 2019 as main character “Omar” on the PBS hit children’s show Odd Squad . “It all started with my mom [Naomi]; she thought I would be good at it, so I tried it out and liked it,” he says. “She submitted me to a few agents and – within my first year, without any acting experience—I booked Odd Squad .” The third season of Odd Squad kicked off in February and is currently airing new episodes featuring Alexander through this year. Since its launch in 2014, the show (tar-
ing, which was a lot of fun; we visited aquariums and animal safaris. I love the entire cast.” Alexander’s outlook on his career is equally as positive. While he admits he’s missed out on some things for auditions and filming, he loves booking new gigs and working with new people. “My family is all supportive, especially my mom—in case I haven’t said it yet, I love her,” he says. “She helps me so much, especially with emotional scenes or understanding words I might not know.”
Jayce Alexander
geted to kids aged 5 to 8) captures young children’s minds with a new set of kid-agents each season. With an emphasis on problem solving, teamwork, and perseverance, the agents work together using math and sci- ence to investigate and solve various weird and unusual cases around the world. Alexander had to leave Georgia behind for most of last year, with the show’s primary filming done in Canada, along with New York, Pittsburgh, and Australia. “First things first, I caught the flu! The doctor told me I couldn’t fly until I was better. I overcame the illness and we made
Alexander and the Odd Squad crew
I get to bring a happy mood to a more serious moment, and I like to make people smile.
it and lived in Canada for seven months,” Alexander explains. “During filming, days weren’t that long but everyone’s still tired by the end of it. Each day, we worked on different scenes and different pieces of the episodes.” Playing Omar on the Odd Squad Mobile Unit isn’t a stretch for the young thespian. The character is upbeat and fun, remaining calm during stressful situations as the team investigates each case. “It was easy to play Omar; as I prepared to get into character, I would just be myself!” he laughs. “I think this show is popular for many reasons—there’s special gadgets, kids working together and having fun, and new characters each season keeps everyone interested. The best part is getting to convey a message at the end of every episode. I get to bring a happy mood to a more serious moment, and I like to make people smile.” His featured episode, The Void , has already been released. His favorite part of filming was getting roller skates (which, he admits, took a little practice), and befriending the other three main actors on the show. “My castmates and I became great friends,” Alexan- der says. “We started hanging out when we weren’t film-
His acting career includes several Internet commercials, Inlighten Films , and Twick or Tweak (both released in 2019), with the latter filmed in Atlanta. “I’m really happy to see there are more opportunities in Georgia,” he says. “I’m excited to try out for projects like Stranger Things or a Tyler Perry film. As time goes on, I’m booking more things out of Georgia and am pushing to book here in the state. I want to prove there are great actors here in Atlanta and we can compete with anyone from anywhere.”
His advice to other young actors: “Even if you don’t book the audition or you don’t get picked for the part, always keep trying. Keep going,” he says. “There’s someone out there looking for you.” Check local listings for times or stream Odd Squad on pbskids.org or the PBS Kids Video App. Follow Alexander on Instagram: @_jaycealexander or contact Amanda Abelita with Abelita-Burns PR: www.abelitaburnspr.com.
Looking ahead, he plans to continue improving his craft. In addition to film and television roles, he is also interested in doing voiceover and hopes his vocals might be selected for a video game or cartoon character. But when it comes to finding the next big thing, Alexander says patience is key. “Sometimes you hear back, sometimes you don’t,” he says. “You might get a call back, but then it’ll come down to what they’re looking for.”
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