(David Julian Hirsh. Photo credit to Bjoern Kommerell)
“Jupiter’s Legacy” actor David Julian Hirsh dives deep into his character of Dr. Richard Conrad, AKA Blue Bolt. Learn about why superhero Blue Bolt actually has a triple identity in Netflix’s latest hit series. Find out what real-life actor Richard Conrad was based on, and explore the mysterious islands that gave them their powers.
Get to know the Montreal-born actor who left college with one credit to spend a summer at the Lee Strasberg school. He found his true calling as an actor. Never looking back he’s been nominated for Best Actor for a Canadian Screen Award, spent a season as Mary-Louise Parker’s love interest in “Weeds,” and can boast an amazing filmography. He played Dr. Josh Gould in the hit TV series “Naked Josh,” and roles in “House of Lies,” “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” “CSI: NY,” ‘Flashpoint,” and “Ghost Whisperer.”
Obviously, he made the right decision.
Colleen Bement: Congrats on your cool new role on Netflix’s new series “Jupiter’s Legacy.” Tell us about your character–rather characters, Dr. Richard Conrad AKA Blue Bolt.
David Julian Hirsh: Well, obviously it’s based on the comics from “Jupiter’s Legacy,” but also from the prequel of “Jupiter’s Circle.” Now Blue Bolt and Richard Conrad are featured more heavily in the “Jupiter’s Circle” comics, but luckily in the series for Netflix, we’re actually going to be observing both of them. Both comics. In fact, there’s going to be a new one that Mark Millar’s releasing called “Jupiter’s Requiem.” So, Dr. Richard Conrad…first of all, superheroes always have double identities. Richard actually has a triple identity. Not only is he a superhero, but he’s also a closeted gay man. Nowadays it’s much more rare, thank God, but back in the day, mid-century America, and especially back in 1929 where our origin story takes place, that type of lifestyle, one had to be in the closet. He does. He hides it from his teammates.
In this first season, we don’t yet go into all of that. And you only see Richard Conrad and Blue Bolt in the past in our first season. You’ll see in the pilot you’ll see the hologram. It was so much fun filming that, but the mysterious islands where we get out powers, we see all that. We see how Richard is the last one to join up with the team.
CB: I think that is wonderful, and especially now that things are finally getting better.
DJH: It’s incredible on television and film what one can do, and the things we can explore. I think from what I’ve read, it seems as though Dr. Richard Conrad was a neonatal surgeon and lived in LA, and he was based on Rock Hudson. Rock Hudson was one of my mom’s favorite movie stars and she’d tell me the stories about how he’d have to hide his true sexuality–his true life. It was interesting researching all of that.
If we get a second and third season, there will be a lot of fun stuff to play with. There’s some great stuff in the comics with Katherine Hepburn and Blue Bolt, and Skyfox played by Matt Lanter.
CB: Are you a superhero fan by chance? Who is your favorite superhero?
DJH: I don’t mean to sound so generic, but when I was a kid I was obsessed with Superman. I watched that movie–the Christopher Reeve one like 200 times. Now I pretty much do watch everything. I mean I wanted to be a superhero. I studied martial arts my whole life. That’s all I wanted to do. I know one day I could figure out how to fly. I know it. If I meditate enough if I do enough Tai Chi, Qigong, and kung fu I’d figure it out. Somehow we are meant to do it. We are meant to evolve into something that can fly.
CB: Do you have any other projects in the works that you’re allowed to tell us about?
DJH: I actually made a documentary years ago and it’s been put into development as a TV series. It’s called “Camp Hollywood.” Hopefully, that’s going to happen in the next year. And, there might be something really interesting coming up that I can’t about yet. Hopefully, we’re going to get more of these (Jupiter’s Legacy). See that’s the thing about being on a superhero show, you’re forced to stay in shape because otherwise, I’d just let myself go.
CB: Do you stay in shape with martial arts?
DJH: I used to be in the gym stuff when I was a kid, but now in the last decade, I’m really into martial arts: I do Wushu, and Tai Chi, Qigong, and it’s a really big part of my life. I love it.
CB: I’ll be it keeps you balanced physically and mentally.
DJH: Oh absolutely. I’ve become one of those people I never thought I would. I used to wake up five minutes before having to go to set, and now I have to wake up an hour before work–even if it’s like five in the morning, just to practice that. I’m steady on set and relaxed and I don’t let all the crazy stuff get to me.
CB: I checked out your impressive filmography and realized that I remember you from the 8th season of “Weeds.” Would you happen to have any stories from the set?
DJH: I will say that I absolutely loved that role. It is kind of funny going from a rabbi to a superhero. my favorite shows. I watched all of the seasons. I remember on the set of my first day working with Mary-Louise Parker, I just remember that of course, they put the sex scene on the first day. Why would they do that?! I was a little nervous and I just remember there was a huge fight on set as to where the sex scene should be. The director was like, what about right there on the desk with the rabbi, and she said no, we’ve already done a desk scene. She had already…everywhere on the set with every guy on the show. At that point, I just remember walking around set thinking where would be a good place to make this scene happen. We finally ended up on the couch, which was kind of a normal place in the rabbi’s office for that to happen. It was very sacrilegious and very funny.
CB: Taking us back to your college days, I read that you had just one credit left to finish your degree in Criminology at the University of Toronto. What made you switch gears?
DJH: I was a good student. I always had a focus. I wanted to be a defense attorney. There was something in me that when I was 13-14 years old, this was what I was going to do. Now, in the back, I was taking acting classes in high school. It was not going to be a career. It was something that I loved. It’s beautiful and I feel alive, but that’s not what life’s about. You’ve gotta do something important. I decided that summer that I was going to go to New York, get it out of my system, and do one summer at Lee Strasberg school. I thought I would do some method acting and really have fun.
That summer changed everything. I fell in love with acting. I realized that it wasn’t a light thing to do, I guess it brought all of the academic intensity that I was using in college into acting, and I absolutely loved it. I realized that’s it’s an absolutely beautiful profession. You can go so deep into it. I fell in love with New York and with theater and I basically never left. I went back to try to kind of finish my degree and said no. Much to the disappointment of my parents. I guess it was idealism at that point and found it in the world of art and acting.
CB: How cool that you were nominated for Best Actor for a Canadian Screen Award. What was that like?
DJH: I just remember that I really loved that project. That one was with Toni Braxton. I actually had to sing a duet with her. I’m not even the best singer. I was singing with one of the greatest musical artists of our time. I think that’s why they nominated me like you have the guys to go and do this. It was a complete honor. I brought my dad to the awards show. I didn’t win, but we had such a great time at the after-party, it was all worth it. It was an honor to be nominated it was great.
CB: What do you to relax?
DJH: I’m kind of obsessed with ping pong. That relaxes me. I used to play video games, but now I try to do more active stuff to relax. I read. I’m a big reader. I have a huge library that I’ve set up here and I just love books: Fiction and nonfiction.
Get caught up with “Jupiter’s Legacy” on Netflix.
https://youtu.be/TY3IAqm-gpE
Written by Colleen Bement
Hi, I’m Lynn, and I Make.
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