function onPlayerReadyVidible(e){'undefined'!=typeof HPTrack&&HPTrack.Vid.Vidible_track(e)}!function(e,i){if(e.vdb_Player){if('object'==typeof commercial_video){var a='',o='m.fwsitesection='+commercial_video.site_and_category;if(a+=o,commercial_video['package']){var c='&m.fwkeyvalues=sponsorship%3D'+commercial_video['package'];a+=c}e.setAttribute('vdb_params',a)}i(e.vdb_Player)}else{var t=arguments.callee;setTimeout(function(){t(e,i)},0)}}(document.getElementById('vidible_1'),onPlayerReadyVidible); Note: Spoilers ahead.Netflix series 13 Reasons Why tells the story of a teenage girls death by suicide, and the 13 tapes she leaves behind for the people she feels are responsible for her death. The show has been commended and criticized for its handling of graphic scenes depicting sexual assault, abuse and suicide.At the center of one the shows darkest plot lines ' the rape of two characters ' is villainous jock Bryce, played by Justin Prentice. We spoke with Prentice about his time on the series, his relationship with the cast and what its like to play a wolf in jocks clothing.The novel Thirteen Reasons Why deals with some serious issues, from bullying to sexual assault to death by suicide. What are the challenges in portraying those themes'Obviously, its a very dark headspace to get into. On set, when we werent filming the dark scenes, we tried to have as much fun as we could and keep things lighthearted for our own sanity. Me specifically, for the character Brycenot to give too much away for the people who havent read the bookbut I was kind of terrified because I knew what my characters arc was and what I was going to have to do at some point. So I did a lot of research to help, but it obviously affects you emotionally. How can it not' These are very relevant issues to all of us. Even reading it on paperour table reads were intense. Lots of emotion, lots of tears from all of us. At the end of the day, we wanted to make a great project that would hopefully start some important conversations. It was worth any emotional distress.Your character Bryce is quite the villain in the book. How difficult (or easy) was it to inhabit that role'Parts of it were easy, especially in the first few episodeswere kind of just introducing ourselves. Hes got the standard sort of jock-kind of facade. He takes care of his bros, hes captain of the football team, the baseball team, hes an MVP superstar, so hes got all of that going for him. But as you get further into the depth of the series, it obviously gets more difficult. One of the things I wanted to make sure I portrayed was that [Bryce] is not the Machiavellian villain. I didnt want Bryce to be that. Hes a teen in high school, which makes it even more terrifying. I wanted it to be a real kid in a high school setting who unfortunately is capable of some monstrous acts.Does the Netflix adaptation stay true to the books message'I absolutely think so. I think it has the heart of the book in it throughout. I also think, because were able to draw it out into 13 episodes, we get to go even deeper with plots and with the characters themselves. For people who love the book, I think theyll love the series just as much, if not more.Selena Gomez mentioned in an Instagram post that she waited six years to cast the perfect characters for the show. How involved was she in the production of the show'She was very much involved with it. She and her mother,Mandy Teefey, are both executive producers and none of us would be employed if it werent for them. Theyve been the strong force behind this from the get-go, propelling it forward. Theyre both fantastic. They both met with us about the characters, we talked and had dinners to chat through things and talk about the upcoming episodes.What do you hope people take away from 13 Reasons Why'I hope that they feel like they can talk about certain issues. I think, unfortunately, today a lot of these things arent discussed because of stigma. I think all of us hope that theyre going to see how even a small event piled onto an already large load can create a lot of distress for a human being, and how over time that starts to wear and tear you down. If people are having hardships, hopefully their friends can watch a show like this and have a better understanding of what people are going through and offer aid. Its also beneficial for parents to watch. Bullying has changed a lot through the years. With cyberbullying, one press of a finger on an electronic device can shatter someones reputation and what they think is their entire life. Its scary. I think this show gives parents insight into what their kids might be going through.In order to tackle these difficult issues, Im sure you had to be very connected with the rest of the cast. How do you and your castmates connect'We all became really close through this process. We all became brothers and sisters. We had to be there for each other, to comfort one another and to talk through things. I think, because of those relationships and that rapport, because of all the trust we had for one another, these really hard scenes were a lot easier than they otherwise would have been. They were still very difficult, but because of the level of trust that we all built with each other, I think theyre going to turn out really really well.Moving away from 13 Reasons Why for a second, you also had a great character arc as Beckys boyfriend on Glee, in which you did a lot to dispel stigma around Down Syndrome. What was that like'It was awesome. I was honestly very honored to play the character. I was really pumped when I got it. Glee is a great show in terms of tackling social issues. Lauren [Potter] is an absolute sweetheart and the coolest person to work withthey all were, it was fantastic. I was honored to play it. Again, with a lot of these social stigmas, they just dont need to be in place. Just by talking about them, we can often shatter them. People with Down Syndrome are people. Human beings are human beings, regardless of what makes us different.What advice do you have for young people trying to break into the acting industry'Make sure youre passionate about it. When you know, you know, and you cant let anyone else tell you otherwise. Youre going to face countless nos. You get hundreds upon hundreds of nos, but if youre really passionate about it, then none of that matters. You see every opportunity as a chance to hone your craft and show people what youve learned. It doesnt matter as long as youre bettering yourself. Eventually, one day, youll better yourself enough to where someone goes, Hey, youre perfect for this. If youre really passionate about it and youre always prepared, eventually the right opportunity will come up.Youre from Tennessee originally. What Southern comfort food do you miss the most'All of it. Its all so good. Biscuits and gravy, grits, everything thats horrible for you. Even when I go to Tennessee, I try not to eat it anyway because itll slowly send you to your grave. But youll be happy going there, I guess' Youll die early but happy.Chick-fil-A, Cook Out or Zaxbys'Chick-fil-A.In-N-Out or Shake Shack'In-N-Out.Sweet tooth or salty tooth'I have both.Favorite sport to watch vs. favorite sport to play'Watch' Definitely football. I love playing sports, so really anythingtennis, baseball, basketball, football, golfIm just happy being active.Last TV show you binge-watched'Firefly.If you could reboot one old TV show right now, what would it be'The original Star Trek.Go-to move in rock, paper, scissors'I cant give that away, because then Ill lose every time! What is that Big Bang Theory thingrock, paper, scissors, lizard, Spock' Im going to go with Spock.Pick a dream job that isnt acting.I think law, or being a doctor. Also, I would have been super happy in a field of sciencetheoretical physics, quantum mechanics, anything like that.Favorite number'3.Favorite movie right now'I just started watching Reign of Fire, so that.Do you have a secret talent'I do balisong knife twirling.Favorite sports teams, both pro and college'Tennessee Titans and Tennessee Volunteers.For more exclusive celebrity interviews, subscribe to The Tea here. -- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.
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