Jason Fernandes On Being Inspired By His Own Character In Tubi’s ‘Sidelined: The QB and Me’

Movie night anyone?

If you’re looking for a movie to become obsessed with this Thanksgiving weekend, then ‘Sidelined: The QB and Me’ is at the top of our list of recommendations. One scene stealer in particular is Jason Fernandes.

We had the absolute pleasure of speaking with Jason about his full-circle moment at The Rio Theatre, blending singing with acting, and more!

Who would you credit as some of your biggest acting inspirations?

J: “Watching The Karate Kid movies with my family, Ralph Macchio was always someone who inspired me. As I was growing up people would point out similarities between the two of us. Our shared birthday being one of them. On the topic of book adaptations “The Outsiders” was a great one. Other actors I look up to; Jack Nicholson, Jim Carey, Denzel Washington and, more recently, fellow Vancouverite Ryan Reynolds. Just to name a few.”

Congratulations on your role in “Sidelined: The QB and Me”! What was your experience like filming the series?

J: “Thank you! — Being a part of this film was an absolute dream. Working alongside Noah, Siena and the rest of the cast, everything flowed with all the great chemistry we had. Being able to share the screen with someone like James Van Der Beek was a great reference to have on set and he was always available for any questions. We had such a great time we joked about wishing there was a sequel to do it all over again. I will never forget our competitive Uno nights orchestrated by our director Justin Wu.”

Do you think you have anything in common with your character Josh Lahey?

J: “Josh is definitely a better student than I ever was… Unlike Josh, I don’t have a brother, but I really resonate with his loyalty and care for the people he loves. I strive to be more like Josh in life.”

Can you tease what fans can expect from the film?

J: “Expect to feel. A heartwarming film that will have you laughing and tearing up. A film about people following their hearts as well as their dreams.

This film is a live-action adaptation of a very popular Wattpad story. What other book do you think deserves the movie treatment?

J: “The Art of Fielding” By Chad Harbach. Even if you aren’t a baseball fan this is a story you can gravitate towards. A disastrous error on the field sends five lives into a tailspin in a story about love, life, and baseball. With all the recent successful book adaptations I look forward to working on more.”

We hear that you were quite the singer growing up! Do you think you would pursue a music career in the future, or try to land roles that infuse your singing skills with acting?

J: “I always loved singing! When I was 15, I emailed a talent agency a video of me singing. They were an acting agency who were interested in signing me on as an actor. Funny enough, I had told them I wasn’t interested in Acting as it was something I never considered at the time. Although my dream of being a pop star is long gone, I’m tapping back into it more and more nowadays. With the emergence of Movies like “Bohemian Rhapsody”, “Rocket Man”, “Elvis” and “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” It’s definitely something I’ve considered going forward. Who knows what the future holds?”

What would you consider to be the most exciting moment of your career thus far?

J: “Being able to film “It’s A Wonderful Knife” at a local movie theatre of mine that I used to visit as a kid and watch all sorts of movies with my parents. Super cool to end up filming a movie of my own at The Rio Theatre. Full circle moment that I will never forget.”

Where can we follow your amazing journey?

J: “@ImJasonFernandes-Instagram and TikTok :).”

Make sure to heat up your Thanksgiving leftovers and watch Jason in ‘Sidelined: The QB and Me’, releasing on November 29th on Tubi!

Photo Credit: Kristine Cofsky Photography

Je’Kayla Crawford– Founder and Director– Je’Kayla has been a journalist for years and decided to start a publication of her own, New Scene Magazine, back in October 2020. When not helping her team and working on their print issues, you can find her watching a movie on Netflix or baking using a viral TikTok recipe.