Australia’s latest celebrity in the making.. this article includes heaps of pix (in the slideshow), video’s and a bio; also his Eastern and Western Astrology / Natal Chart. I’ll add more as time marches on with his career. He’s also starring opposite Lily James and Christopher Plummer in the upcoming: The Kaiser’s Last Kiss, and with Kate Mara and Shia LaBeouf in another sci fi / dramaMan Down. After seeing him in Divergent, have become quite a fan… but could have been ‘knocked over with a feather’ when I noted he was only… 29..? Yes, well… that also led me to be interested in his natal chart, as he is certainly an ‘old soul’… 😉 Have since also seen him in Felony and I, Frankenstein, A Good Day to Die Hard and Jack Reacher (again.. as he must have been a ‘nobody’ to me then..).. and he always does an awesome job, in my opinion.
Born March 15, 1986 in Sydney, Australia, Jai Stephen Courtney and his sister were raised in Sydney’s leafy northwest suburbs, attending Galston Public School where their mother, Karen, was a teacher. His father, Chris, was a civil servant with the state electricity company, implying that there were no show business influences in the family when Jai caught the acting bug as a 10-year-old. He went on to develop his dramatic skills at Cherrybrook Technology High School. At 18, Courtney, like many of Australia’s finest thespians before him, tried and failed to win a place at the country’s leading acting school, the National Academy for Dramatic Art (NIDA).
Trivia:
In 2008, Courtney had a lead role in the hit Australian series “Packed to the Rafters” and a guest lead in the popular “All Saints.” He was in the comedy feature To Hell & Bourke and several short films.
He graduated from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts.
After being cast in Spartacus: War of the Damned (2010), he and Andy Whitfield became inseparable and remained so until Whitfield’s death in 2011. Courtney remains close to Whitfield’s wife and children.
Was in a relationship with Gemma Pranita from 2006 to 2014.
Jai was a guest at Jimmy Kimmel Live! (2003) on June 25, 2015 and revealed that his parents named him after the character Jai from Tarzan (1966).
Personal Quotes
I’ve always played sport; I played rugby, I was involved in athletics, I played cricket… I’m an outdoors kind of guy.
I’m not someone who has a lengthy attention span, and that applies to my exercise routine as well.
I was always realistic about the fact I wanted to be involved with big films.
I was a bit of a show-off in school and loved playing dress-up, and my passion for it just grew as I got older.
I started coming to L.A. as often as I could, for three months on and three months off, because immigration kicks you out after 90 days.
When you’re working with people you’ve seen in hundreds of films… it’s a bit crazy to step outside yourself for a minute and think, ‘This is surreal.’ But I try not to get too bogged down in that.
I was too young to be an avid enthusiast for the franchise, but like billions of people I remember as a child sitting around with the family on a Friday night with pizza and popcorn and a ‘Die Hard’ movie on.
I don’t know if I’m an action star or if that’s just how things are shaping up. I would hate to be boxed into that forever, but it’s probably just a strength as far as my type goes, and I’m fine with that.
My mum is a school teacher and my dad is an electrician. Via IMDb
Since heading to Los Angeles in late 2012, he’s embarked on a prolific career as a sought-after Aussie action-hero export, racking up roles in A Good Day to Die Hard and Divergent, as well as in local productions The Water Diviner and Felony.
Jai Courtney as Kyle Reese in Terminator Genisys. (Timeline of the ‘Terminator Movies’ Explained)
He talks about the difficulties of catching up with friends who as “nine to fivers” have to book leave in advance, “and then I’ll get the shits when they can’t drop everything next week, because I’ve got a light work schedule, and fly to bloody Toronto to hang out.”
It’s a very down-to-earth observation about the logistics of fame and a career in acting from the 29-year-old from the north-west Sydney suburb of Cherrybrook.
“That’s in my upbringing anyway,” he says. “I don’t think I’m in real danger of letting any of this get to my head too much. I’m too acutely aware of how much of it is absolute bullshit.
“The wonderful things about this business aren’t the things that inflate your ego. Travelling is one of the best things about this, getting to know cities that you probably otherwise wouldn’t find yourself. Working with different groups of people all the time and being around different creative energies and being inspired by that. Learning and stealing things off other actors you work with. You know, getting to do crazy stuff as an occupation.”
Expressive, vibrant and a bit eccentric, Fire Tigers are always looking at the positive side of every situation. Because they’re able to generate excitement in others, they’re considered excellent leaders. When Fire Tigers speak, others listen – and do what they’re told!
Character:
You’re a dynamic, extroverted creature, born with a sense of adventure and an inability to pass up a challenge. The Chinese say that a Tiger in the house is the best insurance against fire, theft and evil spirits. Perhaps that’s because you¿re brave – or a touch foolhardy. Certainly you¿re lucky and, like all cats, you always manage to land on your feet. Warm and friendly, people are drawn to your magnetic personality.
In Love:
Tigers are made for love. Bold as you are, the thought of loneliness makes you buckle at the knees. However, a relationship that’s too stolid and stodgy will make you restless and give you a roving eye. Passionate and sexy, there’s an unpredictable streak about you that makes you an exciting lover and life with you is never dull. Flirty when young, once you’ve found your life partner, you’re happy to settle down.
The sign of the Tiger has many traits – like courage, dynamism and will-power – which seemed to be associated with the Fire element. Thus the Fire Tiger can be expected to possess these qualities in a most marked manner but at the same time the coming together of the element and sign also works to give the character a far greater complexity than a mere intensification of certain traits.
The foremost effect of the association of Fire with Tiger is perhaps a heightening of his essentially dynamic personality. Tiger people tend to have lively circle of friends and acquaintances and attract others by their charming sociability and their tendency to be polite and agreeable in company. Part of the social appeal of the Tiger lies in their appreciation of fine arts and cultural pursuits but when allied with Fire, they portray an added aspect of enthusiasm and sex appeal; in fact they are most likely to be good looking themselves or at least well groomed and fashionable. Add to all this, their inherent mystique and you have a highly attractive personality, one who makes heads turn and conversation pause whenever he enters a room.
Even more importantly, the Fire element fans the flames of the Tiger’s highly original personality. This is a sign that takes pride in his/her own thoughts, plans and lifestyle. When making their way through the world, they often come across as unusual and even eccentric and yet such is the power of their convictions and of the intelligence underlining their initiatives, that few are able to oppose them. While this trait is true of Tigers in general, under the influence of Fire the bent for individuality is even stronger. Thus the Fire Tiger will do exactly as he pleases and in fact he has enough courage and intelligence to go ahead and even succeed in their high original ventures.
On the flipside though, Fire also intensifies an unhappy consequence of the Tiger’s highly individualistic character – their unpredictability. The reckless streak that the Tiger is capable of is much more marked under the influence of Fire which goads them to take impetuous decisions or act with undue haste. Thus whether in business or in relationships, the Fire Tiger can lose everything or win the world with simply one throw of the dice. And even if they lose, such is the dynamic will and courage of this Tiger that before long, they will be seen in the game again.
Another consequence of the Fire element is that it makes the Tiger’s desire for independence even keener than usual. In the professional field, this is a Tiger who is least willing to work under supervision and control; likewise in relationships, this Tiger will be unhappiest when hedged in by overarching commitments and responsibilities. The Fire Tiger needs a greater degree of personal freedom as compared to his/her counterparts of all other elements. He/she needs the space to follow their own visions, have their own friends and do things their way. If held under social or institutional control for long, this person is bound to burst out in tempestuous rebellion and the rage of the Fire Tiger is not a pretty sight.
Famous Tigers: Jai Courtney, Tom Cruise, Jodie Foster, Leonardo DiCaprio, Princess Anne, Julie Walters, Phillip Schofield, Phil Collins, HM the Queen.. Via UK Daily Mail.
via China Highlights, click for the whole article.
The TIGER – Chinese name: HU Ranking Order – Third Hours ruled by the Tiger: 3am to 5am Direction of this sign – East-Northeast Season and principle month: Winter – February Fixed Element: Wood
The Tiger, the living symbol of strength and power, generally inspires fear and respect. Tigers’ compelling dynamism, intense activity, independence and curiosity about others make them irresistible, persons of multiple charms; Tigers attract followers and admirers. The Tiger is courageous, active and self-assured, and makes an excellent leader and protector. However liberal-minded Tigers may be, they are passionate, rash, and resist the authority of others. Although they are selfish in the little things, they are capable of great generosity, even of altruism, in the larger. Tigers are men and women of action, thrust by destiny into the spotlight.
Tigers are fearless creatures in as much as they blind themselves to dangers and impetuously rush in where more cautious individuals would fear to tread. Outspoken in the face of injustice, their strong humanitarian instincts will not allow them to pass by if they see a wrong perpetrated upon another.
Tigers tend to renounce confining traditional roles, opting for a more unfettered life. With a wide ranging mind, they can adopt any number of careers. Their many experiences serve to enrich their life and add depth to their nature. Material benefits matter little to them.
Tigers have an inborn magnetic personality that attracts people to them like bees to honey. Warm-hearted, sociable and friendly, they are characterized by their frank, honest and open approach. Their immense kindness and generosity will always shine through except when crossed or backed into a corner, for then they can become vehement and ferocious.
Solitude is often the price Tigers pay for their position of authority, but they become accustomed to it. Better still, they draw on the experience, gaining new energies and great strength.
Chinese say the life of a Tiger born at night will be less hectic than that of Tigers born after dawn and above all, those born around midday. It will be a stormy life full of dangers, but the Tiger will never be bored. Neither Night Tiger nor Day Tiger will have an easy life. The Western term for a particularly fierce woman is “dragon lady,” but the Chinese call her an “old tiger lady.” For this reason some Chinese avoid having children in the Tiger Year — for fear of having a daughter.
The lucky Tiger represents the greatest power on earth, and is the emblem of protection for human life. A Tiger in the house minimizes the Three Great Risks — thieves, fire, and evil spirits. If there are two Tigers in the house, however, one of them has to go!
He finds it hard to contain his boundless energy and enthusiasm. He is always ready for action and movement. His energy gives him a dramatic theatricality as he does nothing by half-measures. He is independent, unconventional and thoroughly optimistic.
Outspoken on every subject, they are still tolerant and sensitive to the opinions of others. Kind to their fellows, Tigers can be short-tempered if they don’t get their way. The Tiger balances between the passions and demands of the outside world and the comfort and inwardness of home. They tend to be philosophers with great intellect and think most about themselves and their families. Protecting their interests and loved ones to the utmost, they are generous with their love and affection.
Tigers are fighters. They fight not only with the outside world, they also spar with themselves. They are always seeking the balance between their search for inner and outer peace on the one hand, and their career-driven mind on the other. They will walk through a fire for the right cause, and are not afraid to appear rebellious when they believe in ideas that go against the majority. Tigers will support everything and everyone they choose — in love, career, friends, etc. As friends, colleagues and lovers, they are loyal to the death … and even after. People admire the stripes of the tiger, their look and their talents, but are always a bit on edge with them, as one never knows exactly how a Tiger will react.
Here are some character traits from Jai Courtney’s birth chart. This description is far from being comprehensive, but it can shed light on his personality, which is still interesting for professional astrologers or astrology lovers.
N.B.: As this celebrity’s birth time is unknown, the chart is drawn for 12:00 PM – the legal time for his/her place of birth; since astrological houses are not taken into account, this astrological profile excerpt is less detailed than those for which the birth time is known.
Jai Courtney’s Natal Chart
When interpreting a natal chart, the best method is to start gradually from general features to specific ones. Thus, there is usually a plan to be followed, from the overall analysis of the chart and its structure, to the description of its different character traits.
In the first part, an overall analysis of the chart enables us to figure out the personality’s main features and to emphasize several points that are confirmed or not in the detailed analysis: in any case, those general traits are taken into account. Human personality is an infinitely intricate entity and describing it is a complex task. Claiming to rapidly summarize it is illusory, although it does not mean that it is an impossible challenge. It is essential to read a natal chart several times in order to absorb all its different meanings and to grasp all this complexity. But the exercise is worthwhile.
In brief, a natal chart is composed of ten planets: two luminaries, the Sun and the Moon, three fast-moving or individual planets, Mercury, Venus and Mars, two slow-moving planets, Jupiter and Saturn, and three very slow-moving planets, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. Additional secondary elements are: the Lunar Nodes, the Dark Moon or Lilith, Chiron and other minor objects. They are all posited on the Zodiac wheel consisting of twelve signs, from Aries to Pisces, and divided into twelve astrological houses.
Jai Courtney’s Pre Natal Chart
The first step is to evaluate the importance of each planet. This is what we call identifying the dominant planets. This process obeys rules that depend on the astrologer’s sensitivity and experience but it also has precise and steady bases: thus, we can take into account the parameters of a planet’s activity (the number of active aspects a planet forms, the importance of each aspect according to its nature and its exactness), angularity parameters; (proximity to the four angles, Ascendant, Midheaven, Descendant and Imum Coeli or Nadir, all of them being evaluated numerically, according to the kind of angle and the planet-angle distance) and quality parameters (rulership, exaltation, exile and fall). Finally, other criteria such as the rulership of the Ascendant and the Midheaven etc. are important.
These different criteria allow a planet to be highlighted and lead to useful conclusions when interpreting the chart.
The overall chart analysis begins with the observation of three sorts of planetary distributions in the chart: Eastern or Western hemisphere, Northern or Southern hemisphere, and quadrants (North-eastern, North-western, South-eastern and South-western). These three distributions give a general tone in terms of introversion and extraversion, willpower, sociability, and behavioural predispositions.
Then, there are three additional distributions: elements (called triplicity since there are three groups of signs for each one) – Fire, Air, Earth and Water – corresponding to a character typology, modality (or quadruplicity with four groups of signs for each one) – Cardinal, Fixed and Mutable – and polarity (Yin and Yang).
There are three types of dominants: dominant planets, dominant signs and dominant houses. The novice thinks astrology means only “to be Aries” or sometimes, for example, “to be Aries Ascendant Virgo”. It is actually far more complex. Although the Sun and the Ascendant alone may reveal a large part of the character – approximately a third or a half of your psychological signature, a person is neither “just the Sun” (called the sign) nor just “the first house” (the Ascendant). Thus, a particular planet’s influence may be significantly increased; a particular sign or house may contain a group of planets that will bring nuances and sometimes weaken the role of the Ascendant, of the Sun sign etc.
Lastly, there are two other criteria: accentuations (angular, succedent and cadent) which are a classification of astrological houses and types of decanates that are occupied (each sign is divided into three decanates of ten degrees each). They provide some additional information.
These general character traits must not be taken literally; they are, somehow, preparing for the chart reading. They allow to understand the second part of the analysis, which is more detailed and precise. It focuses on every area of the personality and provides a synthesis of all the above-mentioned parameters according to sound hierarchical rules.
Warning: when the birth time is unknown, which is the case for Jai Courtney, a few paragraphs become irrelevant; distributions in hemispheres and quadrants are meaningless, so are dominant houses and houses’ accentuations. Therefore, some chapters are removed from this part.
For all paragraphs, the criteria for valuation are calculated without taking into account angles and rulerships of the Ascendant and of the Midheaven. The methodology retains its validity, but it is less precise without a time of birth.
With Pluto as a dominant planet in his chart, he is a magnetic and mighty predator, like the Scorpio sign ruled by this planet, who needs to exert pressure on others in order to “test” them. He is always ready to evolve, to risk destruction for reconstruction – including his own – to live more intensely whilst imposing his secret authority on things and on people he encounters.
He may come across as wicked, cruel or too authoritarian, but actually he only follows his instinct, he sounds people out, and he likes to exert his domination simply because his vital energy is too powerful to remain inside. He’s inclined to be passionate, with hidden motivations. He’s sometimes misunderstood but one of his great Plutonian assets is to go successfully through each life ordeal with ever growing strength.
With Neptune as one of his three dominant planets, he is a secretive and ambiguous person, often confused or unclear about his own motivations! Indeed, he is endowed with unlimited imagination and inspiration, as well as with an extreme sensibility that may turn him into a psychic or a clairvoyant. On the other hand, his impressionability is such that he may have difficulties in separating what is concrete and solid from illusions or dreams.
A mystic, a visionary or a poet, he daydreams, like any Neptunian, and he see’s what few people only can see, all of this being shrouded in aesthetic mists when he is fired with enthusiasm.
A boundless, infinity-loving man like him; is inevitably likely to be more vulnerable and easily hurt because of his acute perception of events. In such cases, he’s is hit full in the face, and he may sink into gloomy daydreamings and dark melancholy.
That said, this mysterious aura definitely gives him an indefinable charm in the eyes of his close friends (…. and his fans) who are often fascinated by his unique ability to feel and to see what ordinary people can never see!
One of the dominant planets in his natal chart is the Sun. He symbolizes will, magnetism, sense of honour and dignity. He is a Solar being, and often displays charismatic and leadership qualities. His warmth and persuasive power lead him far away from pettiness. He enjoys thinking big and, consequently, he moves forward according to what he decides.
His Solarian weakness may be related to the sin of pride or to excessive authority. The frontier between pride and vanity is tenuous: he should be careful not to overstep it and to keep the nobleness of heart that is part of your charm. Which, I’m sure he does… 😉
His Sensitivity
You love nature as much as your comfort, Jai Courtney, you are an Epicurean willing to enjoy life’s beautiful and good things within the family “clan” or with friends who value your conviviality and your kindness. You are faithful, stable, with your feet rooted in the ground and you are reliable in all circumstances. You are attached to your affective and material security. You tend to be jealous and possessive and, although your nature is quite slow, you may be short-tempered and aggressive when you feel threatened. In such cases, you display an exceptional stubbornness and fury and it becomes impossible to make you change your mind. Although you are aware that your behaviour is wrong, you stick to your line and your grudge is persistent. However, you are so sensitive to tenderness and to concrete gestures of affection that a few presents or a few caresses are enough to make you see life through rose-coloured glasses again…
His intellect and social life
Your thinking process works on a rather instinctive and intuitive mode, Jai Courtney. You “feel” more than you understand, as if your reasoning were not active. Your strong receptivity and your natural empathy make you an understanding, pleasant, warm and benevolent person although you may be neglectful, even heedless. You are shy and anxious and you prefer to withdraw and to isolate yourself in a quiet place in order to give free rein to your inspiration, rather than to assert yourself. Despite your lively imagination, it may be hard for you to get out of the flow of your mystical and irrational thoughts, with the result that you become even more worried and impressionable. You must develop your logic, rational mind and your willpower, so as to gain self-confidence and creativity. Try and see…
His affectivity and seductiveness
In your chart, the Sun is in Pisces and Venus, in Aries. The spring and ingenuous fieriness of Venus in Aries resists the lucid scepticism of the Sun in Pisces. All emotions make sense and they immediately stimulate the natural enthusiasm of your Venusian sign. However, whatever your senses and affectivity stir up, it cannot quench the solar sign’s thirst for the absolute. The contrast is obvious: on the one hand, the ability to believe in the “I love you” of the moment and on the other hand, the subtlety of the affective models which cannot be satisfied with a fleeting excitement or a transient love. These contradictions bring about complications into your love life, but they are also part of the richness and the charm of the configuration. As long as you manage to reconcile detachment (Pisces) with involvement (Aries), subtlety with animality, candour with distance, you are able to cope with any eventuality, alternately shifting from enchantment to lucidity… A thorny programme, a challenge up to your solar sign’s ambitions and to your Venusian sign’s thirst for novelty. Beyond your contradictions, from beginning (Aries) to end (Pisces), love is a process of constant renewal.
Love at first sight, flash in the pan, amorous impulsiveness? All these are part of your way of loving or to fall in love, Jai Courtney. Throughout your relationship, you maintain this kind of jerky and lively style, that may seem childish or naïve, but that is so generous and cheerful! You are undeniably possessive and you are not concerned with your partner’s opinion but, fortunately, you readily forgive because of your spontaneity and your authenticity. When your relationship is intense, everything is fine. There is no romanticism, no complications with you. You love with ardour and, except for a few crazes and opportunities for new pastures here and there, the only danger may be that boredom settles in. In that case, you leave without regret and you quickly forget what consumed you, not so long ago.
“We serve”February 19 – March 203rd Water sign – 4th Mutable sign – Feminine
In analogy with Neptune the ruler, with Jupiter, and the 12th House
Pisces governs the feet and the blood circulation. Colour is green or purple or turquoise blue, her stone is the amethyst, her day is Thursday, her professions are seamanship and faraway travels, musician, social and emergency worker, doctor, writer and jobs in remote places…
♓ Pisces Star Sign Traits: March
Element: Water. Quality: Mutable.
Planetary ruler: Neptune.
Birthstone: Aquamarine.
Flower: Water lily.
Color: Violet.
Key characteristic: Compassion.
Strengths: Idealism, spirituality, transcendence.
Challenges: Escapism, weakness, self-deception.
If your sign is Pisces or your Ascendant is Pisces:
Your psychological nature is adaptive and receptive, the exact opposite of the sign of Virgo whose very essence is to thoroughly analyze each thing, thus creating a permanent duality between the self and the outside world: conversely, Pisces absorb and wipe out any form of differentiation; with Pisces, there can be no opposition, no conflict, no individual reaction. There is only fusion, non-separation, perpetual and mobile spreading of the self over some sort of blurred but huge feeling of sympathy with the environment. It is the supreme reign of feelings and emotions over the intellect and its separating reason.
Jai Courtney’s ‘Cruel Intentions’; Interview, Feature in DaMan Magazine ~ Suit by Emporio Armani, shirt by Giorgio Armani
You are emotional, sensitive, dedicated, adaptable, nice, wild, compassionate, romantic, imaginative, flexible, opportunist, intuitive, impossible to be categorized, irrational, seductive, placid, secretive, introverted, pleasant, artistic, and charming. But you may also be indecisive, moody, confused, wavering, lazy, scatterbrained, vulnerable, unpredictable and gullible.
Some traditional associations with Pisces: Animals: fishes, aquatic mammals and all animals living in the water. Food: melons, cucumbers, lettuces, vegemite sugar, pumpkins. Herbs and aromatics: lemons, chicory, limes, mosses. Flowers and plants: water lilies, willows, aquatic plants. Trees: fig-trees, willows, aquatic trees. Stones, Metals and Salts: heliotropes, moonstones, platinum, tin, iron phosphate and potassium sulphate.
Pisces (February 20 – March 20) Pisces and Aquarius have some common qualities. Both tend to be honest and like to be low key in social situations. Neither likes to draw attention to themselves. People who are born under the sign of Pisces tend to be generous and passionate towards other people and their own goals. Pisces are compatible with: Aries, Aquarius, Taurus, Cancer, Scorpio and Capricorn.
Month of March Zodiac Signs are Pisces (until March 20) and Aries (March 21 onwards
The symbol of the fish is derived from the ichthyocentaurs, who aided Aphrodite when she was born from the sea. The fish are usually portrayed swimming in opposite directions, this represents the duality within the Piscean nature. Divine associations with Pisces include Poseidon/Neptune, Vishnu, Christ, Aphrodite, Eros, and Typhon.
Pisceans are asserted to be perceptive, emotional and receptive. Pisces are a mutable sign, which makes them receptive, and susceptible to change. Astrologists believe that events in Pisceans lives are prominently repeated, this includes both positive and negative events.
Dreamy, mystical, and artistic are some keywords to describe this zodiac sign. It is generally considered a feminine sign and colors that have been used to represent the Pisces sign are gray or blue gray. The body parts associated with Pisces are the feet or the toes. Scorpios and Cancers make the best partners for Pisceans.
A local lad who came from nowhere to storm Hollywood, he swapped bar work for blockbusters alongside luminaries known by their first names. Best yet, the sudden Ascension hasn’t changed him.
A few years before his big break opposite Tom Cruise, Jai Courtney had his own Cocktailmoment. “After acting school, I talked my way into a job at a busy Sydney bar. I was petrified – I’d never bartended and knew nothing about mixing drinks. Being so nervous I didn’t dare touch any booze, just had a few pieces of cake at a friend’s birthday before my first shift. As I’m reaching for my third slice, my mate says, ‘Hey big fella, you want to take it easy on that – it’s full of hashish.’”
Whether he remembers it or not, Courtney became a star that night. “Oh, I came up with some incredible creations,” he laughs. “I wish now Tom and I had broken out the Bostons and mixed it up on the set of Jack Reacher. Tom’s a sharp cat, but man, I could have taught him a thing or two.”
It’d make a nice change from people asking Courtney what Cruise and Bruce Willis – whom he starred opposite in A Good Day to Die Hard – had taught the 27-year-old.
“Tom and Bruce lead by example,” he says, “and there’s technical skills and life wisdom they’ve learnt over the years that contribute to what they craft on screen. Learning lines, hitting marks, training for and then performing stunts, that’s all part of it. But there’s so much more going on behind the camera than in front of it and knowing how that machine ticks can change how you act for – and even watch – films.”
Such depth of awareness in one so young says a lot about why Jai Alexander Courtney’s star is soaring. Only a few years ago the hulking lad from Cherrybrook, north of Sydney, was working the backroom of a butcher by day and cocktail bar by night. Now he’s got two blockbusters to his name, three big films set for release and another three to shoot in 2014.
The most secret of those projects is The Water Diviner – the directorial debut of Russell Crowe – for which Courtney is now rehearsing in Sydney. “It’s a compelling father-son story set in Gallipoli – but not really a war film,” he says. “The script is close to my heart and I trust Russell’s vision… although I’m going to be on horseback and it’s been 20 years out of the saddle for me, so I’ll have to study hard.”
Jai for GQ Magazine
That won’t be a problem. Courtney is a legend among his Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) alumni for learning Chekhov’s Three Sisters in less than 24 hours when the male lead fell ill. He didn’t drop a line and owned the three-hour show. For Die Hard he learnt Russian, for Reacher it was stunt driving and for the upcoming I, Frankenstein it was fight choreography. “I’m not particularly passionate about fast cars or automatic weapons,” he says, “but if it’s true to my character then rad. For me, acting is about believability.”
While much of Courtney’s success has been muscle-powered, he’ll soon reveal a softer side. Felony, directed by Aussie Matthew Saville from a Joel Edgerton script, has him playing a cop investigating a colleague over a hit-and-run. “Aside from some guest TV stuff and theatre I hadn’t really worked at home, even though I’d been itching to. So when I read the screenplay for Felony, I was so determined to be part of it. And what a fantastic experience it was – without doubt my favourite film to have shot to date.”
Jai Courtney: GQ Australia Men of the Year Awards: 2013–Breakthrough of the Year award winner
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Jai’s Instagram ~ is the only ‘social’ internet thing he does ~ His ‘facebook‘ and ‘twitter‘are not actually ‘used’ by him personally..
as he must have been a ‘nobody’ to me then..).. and he always does an awesome job, in my opinion.
Apanache 