There are a few universal truths about a Wes Anderson movie. First, it’ll be visually pleasing with plenty of symmetry and pastels. Second, the movie will include some snippy and playful dialogue. And finally, odds are, Jewish actor Jason Schwartzman will be in the cast.
It appears that “Asteroid City,” Anderson’s latest film which will be in theaters starting June 16, is no different:
So, while we wait, here are 18 things to know about Jason Schwartzman.
1. Jason was born on June 26, 1980 in Los Angeles to a Catholic mother and a Jewish father.
2. His father was film producer Jack Schwartzman, and his mother is actress Talia Shire (née Coppola). His mother was best known for playing Connie Corleone in “The Godfather” movies and Adrian Balboa in the “Rocky” movies.
3. He has described his ancestry as “half Polish-Jewish and half Italian.”
4. Jason has three half-siblings from his parents’ first marriages. His young brother Robert is also an actor, best known for playing dreamboat Michael Moscovitz in “The Princess Diaries.”
5. As a member of the Coppola family, Jason is related to Francis Ford Coppola, Sofia Coppola and Nic Cage!
6. He attended the Windward School in LA. You can check out his very ’90s yearbook photos here.
7. Jason made his film debut at 18 years old! He played Max Fischer in the Wes Anderson movie “Rushmore.”
8. He’s also a musician! Before getting started in acting, Jason was a drummer and songwriter for the band Phantom Planet. As a part of that band, he was a co-writer of the song “California,” which is best known as the theme song for the “The O.C.”
9. In 2006, he starred in the movie “Marie Antoinette” as King Louis XVI. At the time, he made a MTV-style “Cribs” parody in character:
10. He has described himself as “basically” a vegan.
11. He created the indie solo act Coconut Records in 2007.
12. In addition to “Rushmore” and “Asteroid City,” Jason has been in six other Wes Anderson movies: “The Darjeeling Limited,” “Fantastic Mr. Fox,” “Moonrise Kingdom,” “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” “Isle of Dogs” and “The French Dispatch.”
Bonus: Check out Hey Alma’s ranking of Jewish actors in “The French Dispatch.”
13. He married his now-wife Brady Cunningham in 2009. They have two children.
14. Jason starred in the 2015 movie “The Overnight,” which required that he wear a prosthetic penis. Watch him talk about the experience on “Conan”:
15. On his interfaith background, Jason has said, “I’m proud to be Jewish, but, yeah, I just consider myself everything. I’m just lucky to be here.”
16. He’s a part of the “Wet Hot American Summer” franchise! In “First Days of Camp” and “Ten Years Later,” Jason played Greg.
17. Jason won’t be the only Jewish actor in “Asteroid City.” The all-star cast also includes Scarlett Johansson, Adrien Brody, Liev Schreiber and Jeff Goldblum!
18. Jason has five movies coming out in 2023 and 2024! They are: “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” “Asteroid City,” “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes,” an untitled comedy with Awkwafina and Sandra Oh, and “Megalopolis.”
