HBO's 'Mrs Fletcher' actor Jackson White says Brendan 'emulates what he sees in porn' in his treatment of women
With the HBO limited series 'Mrs. Fletcher', an adaptation of a novel by creator Tom Perrotta (The Leftovers), coming to our screens October 27, get set to see Jackson White portray Brendan Fletcher. As the only son of Eve Fletcher, a single mom, Brendan is the typical cruel jock who bullies those who are less popular and treats women like disposable playthings.
In an exclusive interview with MEA WorldWide (MEAWW), Jackson White spoke about how his character's toxic masculinity stems from societal conditioning and the absence of his father. "Something I talked to Tom [Perrotta] about is that he also physically emulates what he sees in porn. So he takes a lot of s**t from the Internet. That is the way it works now with a lot of young people."
Though Brendan has a good relationship with his mother, he is also at an age where he is "acting out". White explains that his character is "deep dipping into toxic masculinity" in an effort to get away from parental influences, which in his case is his mother.
According to White, "If you want to get Freudian about it, he knows, deep down, that the way he is treating women is wrong but [it is because] he is trying to move away from the 'mother' relationship" that has dominated his life. For White, the role is a career-defining one.
Asked about what he learned as a performer while on the show, he replied, "Everything, all of it. You know, from being on set, sort of leading the charge, showing up and doing the correct work. Brendan doesn't say much, so a lot of his stuff is just cooking [mentally]. You have to think about [the character] a lot, so that it comes out right."
Besides Eve, another important character is Brendan's ex-classmate Julian, played by Owen Teague, who is a former victim of Brendan's bullying. Describing his interactions with Owen Teague's character as "tasty" and everything "good television" is all about, White said the relationship "goes in the direction that you are wanting it to go, that you fantasized about it going."
While the series is an adaptation, it dramatizes only parts of the book and there is a lot more story to tell. "It is different [from the book] and if they want to do more, there is material there. He (Tom) has laid the groundwork for that. So it could keep going if we wanted it to."
'Mrs. Fletcher' premieres on HBO October 27 at 11 p.m. PT.