The Magical Roles of TOMORROWLAND and DESCENDANTS’ Jedidiah Goodacre

For many small town boys, the dream of becoming a famous actor is nothing but that: a dream. For Jedidiah Goodacre, it’s starting to become a reality.

Acting wasn’t always Canadian-born Goodacre’s plan, however. Growing up in a small town in Ontario, Goodacre was a natural athlete—he juggled a busy schedule of hockey, soccer, football, and basketball for many years. But after seeing Jim Carrey in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, something about the idea of acting stuck in his brain. Halfway through college, realization struck: he was meant to tell stories. After enrolling at the Vancouver Film School and seeking out an agent, he began to land roles. He’s been seen in the drama-thriller Way of the Wicked, with Christian Slater, and recently appeared in the Disney Channel Original Movie Zapped alongside Zendaya Coleman.

Now, with a busy summer lineup including the adventure blockbuster Tomorrowland and the Disney Channel Original Movie Descendants, The Hudsucker sits down with Goodacre to chat about Disney, learning new skills, and his unconventional introduction to actress Britt Robertson.

Credit Kyla Hemmelgarn

The Hudsucker: Growing up, your schedule was full of sports practices, and you originally went to college for engineering. What was it about acting that made you gravitate towards it as a career?

Jedidiah Goodacre: My brother and father are great storytellers, and growing up, I wanted to be just like them. I wanted to tell stories, too. I’m also incredibly indecisive, so acting is a great avenue to allow me to dive into someone else’s story while keeping my own constantly changing.

The Hudsucker: Several years ago, you made the move out to Vancouver to pursue acting. What are the differences between British Columbia and your home province of Ontario? Are you considering doing any other moves—say, to New York or Los Angeles—anytime soon?

JG: Both are great places to live, but I love being outside in the mountains or by the ocean, so it’s pretty hard to beat Vancouver when it comes to that. I’m readily open to go anywhere or do anything to succeed in this business, so move to NY or LA? Sure, why not?!

The Hudsucker: Disney’s high-concept film Tomorrowland is due out in theatres in a few weeks. Who is your character? How does he fit into the story?

JG: I can’t give away much about this film without being in fear for my life! But I play a character who shows people just how high-flying, fun, and dangerous life can be in Tomorrowland.

The Hudsucker: Many people were initially a little skeptical when Tomorrowland was announced, but the trailers have been pretty intriguing. What should audiences expect from the film? What kind of story is it telling?

JG: Tomorrowland is a very high-concept film with some really cool new ideas that I’ve definitely never seen or thought of before. It’s an exploration into another dimension, and lots of problems arise—some common, and some new. People may not know what to expect, but I can assure you: after you see this movie, you will wish and hope that Tomorrowland really exists.

The Hudsucker: What was it like working with such big acting names on this film? Were there any memorable moments about being on set with them?

JG: It was awesome to be able to meet and work with such veteran actors who are so skilled. I feel very lucky. When I was first starting on the film, we had to fly on a chartered plane to Spain. While waiting for the plane with everyone else, I saw a cute girl dressed in very plain, very comfortable clothes. She was making the entire crew laugh, and she seemed really cool to me. I thought to myself, ‘I think I might ask that girl to dinner while we’re in Spain!’ So I asked another crew member who she was. He said, “Dude, that’s Britt Robertson. She’s the star.” We never ended up getting dinner—but then again, I was too scared to ask. She was very down to earth and easy to talk to, though, once I got enough courage!

Credit Kyla Hemmelgarn

The Hudsucker: You’re obviously a bit of a Disney favorite, with the Disney Channel original movie Descendants also on the horizon for you. In this movie, you play Chad Charming. What can you tell us about him? How does he fit in with the rest of the characters?

JG: Chad Charming is the son of Prince Charming and Cinderella, and he is an uber jock. Chad’s always standing up for what he thinks is right; however, he definitely doesn’t always know what’s right and what’s wrong. Like a lot of kids today, he only knows right and wrong thanks to his parents—and what happens if the parents aren’t always right? Well, you’ll see…

The Hudsucker: What was it like working on Descendants?

JG: Before Descendants, I had never done any official theatre growing up, and BAM! I was thrown into a full musical! The athlete in me really enjoyed the amount of practice, effort, and focus it took to learn how to dance and sing. Working with all of the other huge talents like Kristin Chenoweth and Kenny Ortega, I had to give it my all each day just to keep up. I also learned not to be so shy about my singing and dancing.

The Hudsucker: Why should Disney fans be excited about Descendants?

JG: I had so much fun making this movie that there’s no way it won’t be just as much, if not more, fun to watch! The catchy tunes and dance moves will be stuck in your head like they are in mine right now. Also, with everyone who’s in the cast and with Kenny Ortega at the helm, it’s bound to blow people away.

The Hudsucker: Who is your favorite Disney character? How would they fit into this new Descendants world?

JG: My favorite Disney character is Simba from The Lion King. It was the first movie I ever saw in theatres; I was five years old and with my dad. I’m not sure how he would fit in with the Descendants crew, though. We’d have to find a talking lion, first!

The Hudsucker: What’s next on the horizon for you?

JG: I don’t know. I never really do. I like it like that—it keeps stress out of my life, mostly. I really only plan to do three things every day of my life: love, learn, and have fun.

Tomorrowland opens in theatres all across North America on Friday, May 22nd.

Descendants airs on the Disney Channel sometime this summer. Keep an eye out for an airdate to be announced! You can see the trailer for the movie here.

To keep up with Jedidiah Goodacre on his upcoming projects, follow him on Twitter and Instagram.