American actor James Paxton made his cinematic debut this year with the film “Twisters,” in which he plays the character Cody. The film, in addition to referencing the original hit, became a tribute to James’s father, adding significant emotional weight for the actor.
In his musical career, James also took an important step by releasing his first single as a solo artist. Previously, he had always been part of musical groups, but now, with his solo career, he aims to carve out his own space and showcase his musical identity. The release of the single marks a new phase in his artistic journey, highlighting his versatility in both acting and music. With these new projects, James Paxton is establishing himself as a multifaceted talent in the entertainment industry, following in his father’s footsteps and creating his own legacy.
James, can you tell us about your experience in theaters with the movie “Twisters”? What does it mean to you to be part of this project?
I’m really excited to see Twisters come out in theaters this summer! There is so much nostalgia surrounding the original that I think it will be awesome to see fans of the original bring their younger and newer generation family members to come see the new chapter. It’s absolutely the kind of film you MUST see in a move theatre, and it’s really an honor to get to be in that scale of film. For me, I wanted to just be a conduit for Dad’s spirit there on the set and in the film. I wish it was him in this new one and not me, but I appreciate getting to do something for him and for fans of his and the original nonetheless.
“Twisters” pays homage to the original success. How was the preparation to portray Cody, and how did you draw inspiration from your father’s work for this role?
I prepared just as I would have with any other role in my career. I’ve been acting professionally for ten years now, and I treat the preparation process for every role the same. They all always require attention to detail and thorough foundational prep work before getting to set to film. As far as inspiration from Dad goes, I just thought about what he would say to me as well as remembering all the amazing advice he gave me over the years regarding an acting career. Stuff like “Take the work seriously but don’t take yourself too seriously.”
The film also serves as a tribute to your father. How did you manage the emotions of acting in such a personal and meaningful project?
I had a good cry! Couldn’t help but feel the weight of the emotional context of everything and when I was on set and we had a little down time between takes I walked off by myself to take a private moment to shed a few years and talk out loud to him.
You recently released your first single as a solo artist. What motivated this transition from being part of music groups to a solo career?
Yes! Thank you, I just released my first solo song called “Count On Me” from my signature music moniker “Love, Pax.” I couldn’t be more thrilled to see it come out into the world, with a video beautifully directed and shot by Greg Gorman. I wrote the song on guitar and it was produced and recorded by Nikolas Thompson. I still work in and with my bands Flamingo Dogs & Soundaze, but the motivation behind starting to release solo music was just the complete shift in genre of the music itself. The work I do in the bands is in the more alternative hip hop and alt pop stylings, and my solo stuff is much more indie folk, singer songwriter-y type mellow guitar music.
What were the biggest challenges you faced in launching your first solo single, and how did you overcome them?
The biggest challenge for me was that I had been writing and tweaking these solo songs on guitar for many, many years. Really since Dad passed. I was terrified to record them because I wanted them to be absolutely perfect, and over the years I would inevitably play them differently as time went on so it was really scary to take that leap of faith and finally just get in the studio and lay it all down. I recorded “Count On Me” when I was in Oklahoma filming Twisters on my off days. I was especially inspired just because I was already in such an emotional frame of mind, and these songs are all quite acutely personal.
What are your upcoming projects, both in film and music? Can you give us a glimpse of what’s coming next?
In film, I have a Western starring opposite Malcolm McDowell called Last Train To Fortune that I am immensely proud of. It’s one of my very favorite film projects I have ever gotten to be a part of and I truly believe it is destined to become a classic. It is directed by the incredibly talented Adam Rifkin and boasts an amazing cast including Bernadette Peters, Mary Steenburgen, King Orba & Laura Marano. We don’t have a release date yet for that but please be on the lookout! In music, I have many more songs on the way from my solo project Love, Pax, as well as from both bands – Flamingo Dogs & Soundaze.
Follow James Paxton on Instagram