Interview4

It is a common practice among young Hollywood celebrities to juggle school and acting. While most opt to study with an on-set tutor, there are some who have taken more ordinary measures in obtaining their education. One of those young celebrities is 17-year-old actor Jake Thomas.

In the small screen, Thomas plays Jason Stickler, the arch enemy of the lead character in Disney’s Cory in the House. The son of a CIA agent, Thomas’ Jason often uses high-tech equipment in order to put his devious plans into action.

In reality, Thomas is “just a laid-back guy.”  He leads a low-profile life thanks to his parents, who decided to enroll him in a public school in Knoxville, Tennessee.

“It’s a little weird when you are going to high school and working on the side,” Jake Thomas said to the Daily Local last month.  “Of course it’s going to be a little weirder when you are working in broadcast television.”

Thomas first rose to fame when he appeared as Hilary Duff’s younger brother, Matt, in the teen series, Lizzie McGuire. For two seasons, he entertained viewers with his portrayal of the scheming youngest member of the McGuire household.  The series ended on Valentine’s Day 2004.

After some time, his parents decided to relocate the family to Knoxville in order to separate themselves from the busy and often chaotic lifestyle of Hollywood.  Jake Thomas said that he did not mind moving away from Los Angeles, but admitted that he was concerned about how he would fit in.

On one of his first days in the public school, a student walked up to him and said, “Hey, I hear that Jake Thomas kid is here from Lizzie McGuire.  Have you seen him yet?”

He was both amused and intimidated by the student’s question.

“I didn’t know anyone,” he said.

The Cory in the House star remedied his problem by signing up for the school’s improvisational team, where he met his present group of friends.

“I have some cool friends now, and they make it a little better,” he said.

Still, because of the popularity he gained from Lizzie McGuire, Thomas occasionally gets asked for an autograph.  In one instance, the request came from one of the school’s teachers.  However, the
Cory in the House star is not bothered by the attention.

“When people recognize me from Lizzie McGuire or whatever, [I know] those are the people who make me who I am,” Jake Thomas said.  “If they recognize me, that’s a good thing.  It keeps me employed.”


-Lisa Claustro, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: Daily Local

 

 

(Source: http://www.buddytv.com/articles/cory-in-the-house/cory-in-the-house-star-attends-8212.aspx)