'This is Us': Meet Blake Stadnik, the blind actor who plays the role of adult Jack Damon in Season 4
When Season 4 of 'This is Us' premiered on NBC Wednesday night, we realized that the universe within the drama has expanded in a way we could not have anticipated. From the past to the future, there are quite a few storylines of many new characters that the show explores, and yet the one that stood the most is that of Jack Damon, portrayed by Blake Stadnik.
We learned last season that Kate's (Chrissy Metz) pregnancy was quite complicated, but they were able to save baby Jack, and nurse him to health with a lot of love and care despite him being born prematurely. And, even though they got a happy and healthy baby, Kate and Toby (Chris Sullivan) were informed by their doctor that he will be blind, and may not develop eyesight beyond recognizing shapes and bright light.
Regardless, Jack is shown as living a very normal and fulfilling life in the future, complete with a rewarding career, a loving wife and a baby on the way. He seems to have inherited his grandmother and mother's beautiful voice, and his grandfather and namesake Jack's (Milo Ventimiglia) desirable tushy. The very first shot of Stadnik in the show, much like his Ventimiglia's, was that of his ass, after all.
The actor managed to steal our hearts with that very first shot and in the scenes that followed, made us frantically look for as much information as was can about him.
Is Stadnik blind like his character? Yes.
He was reportedly diagnosed with Stargardt Disease at the age of six, which caused his eyesight to deteriorate throughout his life. Like Jack, Stadnik too is able to see blurry shapes but is legally blind. He also happens to be an advocate for disabled artists.
Why have we never heard of him? Possibly because this is Stadnik's television debut. However, he has been a musical theatre actor for many years now, having been a part of prestigious productions of '42nd Street', 'Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street' and 'Newsies'. Rumors have it that 'This is Us' creator Dan Fogelman had to seduce him away from a Colorado company of 'Guys and Dolls' to nab him for the role of Jack.
Will we see Stadnik as Jack often? From what we understand, this is a timeline 'This is Us' will visit in the future, but it may not happen quite as often as we would like. With the plethora of new characters within the present timeline, there are many stories to be told, and future Jack may not be someone we meet all that much this season. We will see him a few more times, though, hopefully along with Kate and Toby as well.
Don't forget to watch 'This is Us' when it airs Season 4 Episode 2 on Tuesday, October 1.