Jet Jurgensmeyer, an intrepid 11-year-old, has taken his Midwestern charm to the big screen. Listen for Jet on Nickelodeon’s animated series Shimmer and Shine and Bubble Guppies, and see him in Disney’s upcoming remake of Adventures in Babysitting. Other credits include American Sniper, Grey’s Anatomy, Devil’s Knot, and Hot in Cleveland.
• When I was 3, I started singing onstage at my parents’ restaurant in Nashville, where I was born. Then I did some acting, and I loved it.
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• I don’t have stage fright at all. My parents always say that I’ll never meet a stranger.
• We live half the year in California and the rest in Tennessee and Missouri; I love coming back here to our family farm to see my grandparents and cousins and to ride horses and four-wheelers. That’s, like, the best thing.
• I’m a huge Mizzou fan. We have season tickets for both basketball and football, but football is my favorite. It was too cold to go to the game last fall, so we tailgated in our living room.
• It’s always a challenge to be someone you’re not. I especially like it when you’re playing a real person and can help bring out a story that needs to be told.
• I like doing movies a lot, but I also like performing music, so I couldn’t pick a favorite. You’ll always catch me singing. I’m hoping some day to be in a musical. That would be amazing.
• I’ve worked with Betty White and Clint Eastwood, so that was pretty neat. I’ve also worked with Sean Astin, who told me, “You know what? Just have fun with it.” He taught me a lot about acting right there.
• I usually do normal things that other kids do. I watch TV, watch football, hang out with friends.
• I’m a big breakfast guy. If I were going to have one more meal, it would be bacon and eggs, over medium—or, as I call them, “dipping eggs.” Have you ever put ketchup on your eggs? You gotta try it.
• My entire family is really supportive. They like it just as much as I do when a new film or TV show of mine comes out. But they’re just as excited to watch my cousin play football and get a touchdown.
• I would like to still be acting in 10 years. At some point, I’d love to produce, direct, and write. I love working behind-the-scenes stuff as much as I like being in front of the camera. Sometimes they even let me set the focus.
• If I weren’t acting, I would be playing more sports or working on the farm. I’d check on the cattle, clean the shop…whatever my grandpa needs.
