Actor and environmentalist Mason Blomberg, co-stars in the new series JANE on Apple TV. Inspired by the work of Dr. Jane Goodall, the series takes children on an imaginative adventure across the globe to save endangered animals. Mason has idolized Dr. Jane Goodall since he was small and is now living his dream as an ambassador for the Jane Goodall Institute’s Roots and Shoots Program. I was grateful when this busy young star took the time for an interview about the series and his work to help save the environment.
Can you tell us a little bit about the show JANE.
JANE is a fun and imaginative series about a 9-year-old environmentalist, Jane Garcia, who takes her two best friends David (my character) and Greybeard (a CGI chimpanzee) on Epic Adventures to help save endangered animals all around the world. It is a mix of Live action and CGI animals but all of the locations are real! We filmed in the most beautiful spots around the World!
How do you prepare for each day on set?
I always memorize my lines before I actually film and I found that sleeping on it after I memorized my lines helps them stick in my brain. Then I wake up ready to go in the morning! I like to start film days with a smoothie and a bagel to get my energy up for a long filming day.
Tell us more about your character David and what it was like playing the role?
David is Jane’s best friend and partner in crime. He’s a lot like Jane because he’s really passionate about saving the environment and its animals, but he doesn’t know as much as Jane so he’s always learning from her. He has an important connection with the audience because he’s learning new ways to help save the environment just like they are. He’s also a really funny character, that’s one of the reasons he was such a fun character to film. He also loves food and that’s something we both have in common!
What is your favorite memory from filming JANE?
Favorite memory of filming JANE was when we were filming in Alberta. There are these little birds called Whiskey Jacks and all you have to do is hold out a piece of food in your hand and the Whiskey Jacks will come and eat it from your hand. For one scene we were filming in the snow on top of the beautiful Rocky mountains and it was where they lived. The director thought it would be a good idea to put some pieces of bread on my head as we were filming. So in the middle of the scene when we were filming, Whiskey Jacks came and landed on my head! It was really funny but also super cool!
Tell us about life on set and what is your favorite part about being on set?
Well my life on the set is really fun – I love being on set and it’s what I call my happy place. My favorite part about being on set is being near all these wonderful people. I have so much fun with the cast and crew and am also always learning from them. My co-star, Ava Lousie, and I had so much fun filming. In between takes we would get food from crafty or make up dances and videos. We also would hang with Tamara Almeida, who plays Jane’s mom, and would always be laughing together!
Do you have any funny stories from behind the scenes of filming that you can share?
The Whiskey Jack story from earlier was really funny. Also, when my two best friends from Canada, Ava Louise and Tamara, and I were going to watch a movie one day, Tamara was getting us our favorite drink from Starbucks and she accidentally ordered a caffeinated drink instead of the decaf. We were off the walls! The JANE set was overall just full of laughs and funny times.
What inspired you to become a vegetarian?
I became vegetarian because I didn’t want to be the reason animals die. I don’t like the idea of killing animals just to feed my hunger when there are so many delicious alternatives I can eat. We humans are animals ourselves and we should treat all other animals with respect.
What have you done personally to help with wildlife conservation and helping the environment?
I personally try to take small steps every day like being a vegetarian, turning lights off when not in a room, using as little water as possible, going to parks to pick up trash, and things like that. But I also am starting to do what I can to encourage other children to get involved because we need everyone to help our environment and animals. I am currently setting up an event at my school that is going to challenge the students to go to public areas to pick up trash. I am really excited about this. I am also starting to work as an ambassador for the Jane Goodall Institute’s Roots and Shoots program. Through this partnership, I will be connecting with children around the World to help encourage them to do their part.
What are your goals for 2023?
I hope to continue acting and get some really fun and challenging roles!
