Dream big and make things happen: Jai Courtney’s journey from unknown to megastar in the making

There was a time when Jai Courtney was praying for an acting job. Any acting job. From cameos and supporting roles on Australian television, Jai Courtney has suddenly emerged into the action of Hollywood playing Tom Cruise in the heels of Jack Reacher (2012) and son of Bruce Willis in A Good Day to Die (2013). In 2014, he starred in Angelina Jolie’s directorial debut Unbroken and the wildly successful sci-fi film Divergent . After appearing in Insurgents (2015), Jai was cast as Kyle Reese in the legendary film franchise Terminator Genisys (2015). You will see him nextCaptain Boomerang opposite Will Smith and Jared Leto in Suicide Squad (2016).

Dream projects line up closely and quickly Jai. When asked during a live interview in Australia how he’s managed to be so successful in such a short amount of time, Jai smiled and claimed people might love the term ‘overnight’, but it never feels like it . After his first big job in a supporting role on Spartacus: Blood and Sand (2010) Jai blew all his life savings back and forth to Los Angeles. Since the US Embassy only grants tourist visas for three months, he made back-to-back visits to Los Angeles to audition for all kinds of roles, was given the opportunity to test out and admitted that he spent over two years with a “fierce” rejection was faced. That is, until he finds his way with enough experience.

find your passion You don’t have to know everything from the start

From the age of six through high school, Jaiwas involved in the after school drama program. As he got older, he even took courses in voice modulation and different dialects. However, he never attended official school presentations. It was simply an activity to indulge in for pleasure. He was more popular as a rugby player and he preferred it that way.

At the end of school, most of Jai’s friends went to university while he stayed behind, confused about what to do next in his life. Very sure he didn’t want to study further; he took a job in a warehouse, which he gave up after six months because he hated it. Not knowing how to channel his passion, he confessed to his parents that acting is the only activity that fulfills him. His father, who was an electrician, and his mother, who was a teacher, had no idea how to help him either.

If you can’t find a path to your dreams, create one

Jai’s mother suggested contacting a casting agent, whose name was on the list at the end of a TV show they were watching at home. Luckily for Jai, the agent didn’t completely dismiss him as a naive newbie. Rather, he patiently explained how each actor needed personal representation through an agent and even emailed him a potential list. The effort only led to another impasse when all agents refused to call him full. Several months passed and acting was still on Jai’s mind. Eventually he decided to pursue theater and enrolled at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts.

Jai had to move all the way to the other end of the country where he was totally out of his comfort zone, alone, scared and much more muscular than other actors his age. It took him months to stop being hard on himself to finally learn his craft.

Learn your lessons on the way up

After a year out of drama school, Spartacus Blood and Sand became the first major stepping stone. Jai became close to Andy Whitfield, the show’s lead, for whom it was his first major break, relaunching his career in the mid-1930s. After year after year of piloting seasons that were never really successful, Andy prepared Jai well for the frequent swings of anticipation and disappointment that an actor faces in Hollywood.

This only taught Jai to fight harder for all the supporting roles he got in big-budget Hollywood projects.

Progress stops when you stop fighting for your passion

No matter what field you work in, it takes decades to create job security. Hoping for creative control in the future, Jai Courtney is still fighting fiercely for the role he can land in Hollywood action films to achieve the notoriety that is likely to take him.

As a test for Terminator Genisys, Jai had to put up with 30 flying hours over a weekend while he was still working in the middle of Angelina Jolie’s film Unbroken . Considering the amount of trouble, he pushed himself through; Jai prepared well enough to ensure he beat all other actors competing for the same role. He gave himself no choice but to do it.

The studio called for an average body type for Jai’s character, Kyle Reese . So Jai went on an intense, never-ending daily cardio routine to shed 45 pounds of muscle in time for the movie! His approach might break all the rules that lead to good health, yet he did what he had to do to deliver for the role.

Fitness: How Hollywood is ready to flex

Personal experience has made Jai clear that “ The line between actor and athlete is pretty good in action movies these days. “

Jai loves to cook, eat and smoke. As an actor, however, he realizes that there are a limited number of freedoms he can take with his body. To stay in top shape, Jai follows the following principles.

10 minutes of training is better than 0 minutes of training

No matter how busy you are, you can always find space for push-ups, sit-ups, and squats. Doing them continuously for a high number of reps, about an hour before each meal, will eventually force your body to use your stored fat for fuel.

Mix up your cardio style as often as you can

Push your body out of your comfort zone and keep it guessing by varying the intensity of your cardio. Stick to HIIT cardio 2-3 times a week, and include less stress and low-duration activities to refresh your body on other days.

Follow an exercise program with commitment until it no longer challenges you

If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you. Jai switches his workouts once they stop making him sore.

Stay open to different training styles

Being a practice eliter will only limit your abilitiesDiverse experience. Jai sticks to traditional cardio and strength training to stay fit, but he’s keen to switch to yoga and Pilates to expand into an unfamiliar area.

Don’t stretch out your workouts forever

Train efficiently. Jai abhors the idea of ​​half-assed, sloppy workouts. He prefers to exhaust all of his major muscle groups in 30 minutes or less. He’s a big fan of the TRX suspension workout, and if there’s no gym nearby, he’ll put together a quick workout using a Swiss ball and two dumbbells.

You can’t fake athleticism

Looking convincing as Captain Boomerang , Jai has been training in martial arts for several months.

He strongly recommends that when nothing seems to motivate you to get physically active, test yourself against someone in a sport. Be it any game. Set up a solid fight to win. When you’re competitive, you always want to get better.