JD McCrary is one of the many talented young actors in Netflix’s adaptation of 13: The Musical. His character, Brett, is key to making sure everything goes smoothly with new kid Evan Goldman’s bar mitzvah party. But things get kind of…messy, shall we say, along the way. Relationship…stuff happens. Wackiness ensues. You’ll see.
So, when we had the chance to interview JD McCrary, we had plenty to ask about his experience with the character, the musical, and everything in between. As an easy way to get the interview started, we asked about the obvious: There are some really great songs in this musical, so we wanted to know which one the actor either liked the most or found the most challenging. As it turned out, the same song — “Tell Her” — was the answer to both questions.
“I laugh in the face of danger,” he joked.
And that actually provided us a good jumping off point for our next question. Being a boy who dances, especially one who’s trying to fit in with other athletes, can sometimes be dangerous. Because a lot of times, boys who dance are popular targets for bullies, even ones who are grown adults. (Like, remember that Lara Spencer mess?)
But McCrary really connected with the character of Brett, who’s the school’s star football player, because he, too, is an athlete. And since JD can do everything from belting out some Jackson 5, to mastering Jamal Sims’ choreography for 13: The Musical, to — yes — also playing sports, we asked his thoughts on how it all fits together. “I am an athlete in real life — I play basketball. And I can sing, and I can dance as well. So, those two things…Honestly, being able to dance really helps your coordination. And being an athlete really helps your dancing. So, they kind of play off each other.”
Our interview also got a bit more into the plot, especially in terms of how Brett fits into it. So, if you aren’t familiar with 13: The Musical and want to avoid spoilers, maybe wait to watch the full video until after you’ve seen the movie. But, if you’re still debating on whether or not you should stream it, here’s McCrary’s pitch:
“13: The Musical is a coming of age story that just goes through all the twists and turns of being a preteen — becoming a teenager. It’s a very funny movie. It’s a very fun movie to watch, that you can watch with your family. And I’m just sure you’ll enjoy it. You’ll hear lots of fun songs, and it’s going to be great.”
Watch our full interview with JD McCrary below, and don’t miss 13: The Musical.
