Teen Style Magazine By Marisa Laudadio June/July 2000 IssueClick Here to see the YUMMY photos that went along with this article!
He always looks gorgeous head-to-toe, but the truth is, Jonathan Jackson
couldn't care less about his clothes, here's why we love this talented actor
and his anti-style stance.
There are a lot of words that accurately describe 18-year old Jonathan
Jackson. "Serious actor"? Yup. "Talented musician"? Absolutely. But how
about "style guru"? Well, not quite. At least not by his own modest
estimation.
When asked to speak about his sense of style, Jonathan smiles, chuckles and
shoots back: "I'd call it more of a lack of style." Seriously? "I really
don't think about it a whole lot. Creating my style is pretty much, if I
don't like something, I won't wear it."
It's a simple fashion philosophy Jonathan shares with plenty of guys. You
know how boys can be - their wardrobe woes are about being comfortable and
casual more than worrying about the next big summer sale or navigating the
stores of the local mall. It's not that Jonathan isn't concerned with
clothes, in fact, he admits he has a thing for hats and silver cross
necklaces, and that he owns more coats and jackets than the Southern
California climate he calls home permits him to wear. It's just that, well,
the six-time Daytime Emmy Award nominee would rather invest his energies in
other things. Like making movies, not to mention music.
Busy doesn't even begin to describe Jonathan's hectic life. He recently
appeared in the heavy-hitting ABC telefilm "Trapped in a Purple Haze" with
Carly Pope and has several movies in the works, not to mention those rumors
that he may win the coveted role of Anakin Skywalker in the upcoming Star
Wars flicks. Then there's his band. Jonathan and his brother, Richard
(who's also an actor), along with their dad and uncle, are in a rock outfit
called Scarlet Road. Jonathan says although acting is his passion, music is
more than just a hobby. "I'd like to pursue it in a sideways direction," he
says "You know, do stuff for soundtracks, play live here and there." He's
already well on his way. Scarlet Road contributed a few songs to the
soundtrack for "True Rights," an upcoming indie flick starring the Jackson
brothers.
But when you're talking rock music, rocked-out style can't be far behind.
C'mon, Jonathan, admit it: There's no way a guy who plays the guitar isn't at
least a little bit style savvy. "Yeah, I've done the Jim Morrison thing:
leather pants, leather jacket, wrap around sunglasses," he admits. "But just
on stage. I would never wear that otherwise. If there's some rock 'n' roll
music playing, it's OK."
Jonathan admires artists like Morrison, Elvis Presley and U2's Bono for both
their music and their sense of style. But style, says Jonathan, isn't
necessarily about what you're wearing. Rather, it's all about attitude. "It's
an individuality thing. You don't have to be extremely eccentric. If someone
is interesting because they're being themselves, they have style. It's about
your personality, how you carry yourself." If that's the definition of style,
then Jonathan's dripping with it.
One of the perks of being a TV and movie star is getting clothes for free and
having a stylist help you choose what to wear to a big even. "For years, when
I would go to an awards show, I would just have the wardrobe people at
General Hospital pick something out for me," says Jonathan, who starred as
Lucky Spencer on the daytime soap for six years before leaving to pursue more
big screen roles. "When I go to big events, people always ask me what I'm
walking in, 'Well, what are you wearing?' and I'm always like, 'Uh, I don't
know. A suit?' I'm not really up to date on the whole designer thing."
He may not be able to tell the difference between Armani and Abercrombie, but
that's OK by down-to-earth Jonathan. "I can't stand to buy things that are
really expensive" he says. "Say I see a shirt I like and look at the price
tag and see it's $150. I'm like, 'Wow! You've gotta be kidding me! It's
just a shirt.'"
Jonathan may insist that he's the wrong person to talk shopping with, but he
does have a fashion philosophy that says an awful lot about his so-cool
style. He and his brother recently did a little spring cleaning and delivered
bag after bag of clothing to Goodwill. "People just don't need that many
clothes," Jonathan explains. "You should recycle stuff. I'd rather have
someone who needs it wear it than have it sit around in my drawer and be
useless."
