Spotlight: Actor Jayden McGinlay Talks About ‘Children Of The Corn’ And His Music Career

A must-see actor in a must-see movie!

Known for making his Disney debut in The Curious Case of Dolphin Bay, Jayden McGinlay also starred in one of the biggest horror movies. He played the role of Cecil in Children of the Corn, based on Stephen King’s book of the same name.

We had the amazing honor of talking with Jayden about behaviour-based dramas, Leonardo DiCaprio, and more!

Hi Jayden! We haven’t talked to you since July of last year (We are so proud of your growth!). How have you been?

J: “I’ve been really good, thank you! Time is flying by but I’ve been keeping busy with acting, music, and I finished high school!”

Tell us more about your amazing role in Steven King’s ‘Children Of The Corn’.

J: “I play Cecil Williams who is Boleyn’s (Elena Kampouris) younger brother. He’s one of the children living in the fictional country town of Rylstone, Nebraska, which is near Gatlin where the original film was based. In the movie, we meet Cecil at a point in his life where he needs guidance. He’s turning into a young man and needs people around him to support him – especially his sister. But early on in the film he’s faced with some personal challenges that he has to try and deal with. There’s a clear sense of loneliness that he experiences, and in that vulnerable state, the feeling of desperation can force people to make some rash decisions.”

Are you a big Horror movie fan? Do you have any favorite Horror films/ shows?

J: “Yeah, I love horror films, especially psychological horrors. Two of my favorites are The Shining and Get Out. The writing of both of those films is incredible, with shared themes of insanity and family, the acting is scarily truthful, and even though they were made decades apart, they’re equally scary, in my opinion.”

What was your experience like on the set of the movie?

J: “The experience was honestly unforgettable. We filmed Children of the Corn from March to the end of May of 2020, in New South Wales, Australia, right in the middle of the worldwide lockdown. This was the only feature film that was shot and was completed during Covid without a shutdown, all thanks to Lucas Foster, Kurt Wimmer, Mathieu Bonzon, Sean Harner, and Jon Heaney who made it all possible. They kept us safe throughout the entire process by living and operating in a “bubble” to limit exposure risks and they paved the way for all productions to follow around the world. It was a crazy, unique, amazing, once-in-a-lifetime experience to go through together, and it felt like we were a big family living in this bubble together.”

Who is an actress or actor you’d like to work with in the future?

J: “An actor I’d absolutely love to work with is Leonardo DiCaprio, if the opportunity presented itself. He is an incredible talent and I’ve admired his work for years, so it would be an honor to work on a project with him and to learn from him.”

Is there a type of role that you haven’t done yet that you would like to try?

J: “Yeah, I mean there’s so much that I want to explore as an actor and I’m excited to see what opportunities will be presented to me in the future. I’ve always had an interest in behaviour-based dramas that focus on the progression of a character and their journey, like Taxi Driver and Beautiful Boy. I love intimate character studies, so to get to work on a project of that nature would be exciting for me. But also, my dream is to be in one of the massive big-budget films by Marvel or DC, or something of that scale. To work on one of those sets with those kinds of characters would be awesome!”

Aside from acting, what other ventures would you love to pursue?

J: “Well, I love making my own music! I have a new song coming out very soon which I’m pretty excited about. In the future, I’d also love to write, direct, and produce my own movies. I’m actually in the middle of writing a screenplay and I’m really passionate about it.”

Where can we follow your amazing journey?

J: “You can follow me on Instagram @jaydenmcginlay, Twitter @jayden_mcginlay, Jayden McGinlay on Facebook, and I also have a website www.jaydenmcginlay.com.”

Make sure to watch ‘Children of the Corn’!

Loryn Maul- Entertainment/Celebrity Reporter– Is an entertainment reporter at New Scene, where she writes about exclusive interviews. She prides herself on staying on top of the entertainment trends. She is also an experienced publicist in the B2B SaaS space.