Wed, 08 Sep 2010 09:12:42 GMT <![CDATA[Official JohnathonSchaech.net BLOG]]> Wed, 08 Sep 2010 09:12:42 GMT I went hunting today and shot down a Russian attack helicopter. When I told the translator I wanted it mounted...they didn't have a clue what the hell I was talking about!]]> <![CDATA[Filming in Georgia]]> Tue, 27 Oct 2009 04:35:18 GMT I just a picture of my old buddies Mike Dunn, Corey Spriggs and Earl Rumsey and I can't believe it but Earl's the good looking one. Hey did class of 87 ever have a class reunion? How come I wasnt invited?]]> <![CDATA[Edgewood High Class of '87]]> Tue, 27 Oct 2009 04:30:18 GMT hey Jana is now a regular on one tree hill...how come I never hear what people think of my super star...how is she doing?]]> <![CDATA[Jana on One Tree Hill]]> Tue, 27 Oct 2009 04:25:18 GMT HELLO EVERYONE,

I’m in the country of Georgia. It’s a former Soviet State that last
year was attacked by it’s former occupiers, Russia. The story I’m here
telling is about that war, but I think it’s a war that has a greater
purpose.

It’s about a little country fighting to be free. It’s about how a group
of outsiders fought hard to get the truth out to the world, about what
horrors were happening during the invasion.

Eventually the message got out and Georgia’s freedom was preserved.
I was offered the film about a month ago and wasn’t certain whether I
could make the TACA event. I tried hard to create a window so I could
get out. However, this film is massive with locations, military and thousands of extras.

Traveling here is very difficult and limited...it
takes two or more days from Los Angeles. So production wasn’t able to
make that window of availability happen.

I was so passionate about hosting the event and helping to create a
fund-raiser that would help bring backing and support, but also help
spread awareness to the hope TACA brings.

In this film I’m a soldier of Georgia, battling the much bigger and
more powerful Russian army, but I do so with the same three principles
that TACA inspired in me. Hope, Faith and Recovery.

I’ve learned over the last several months what strength and courage really is from the
TACA’s mothers and fathers fighting for their children and other
children diagnosed with autism.

I have faith that TACA will one day win this war against Autism. It’s a
war that people need to know the truth about. I have hope that new
families will find TACA and they can start speeding up the recovery
process.

I know my co -host Clifton Collins will make a wonderful and dynamic
host. He will bring all the grace and charm that his grandfather, Pedro
Gonzalez Gonzalez, brought with him years before. He has always been an
inspiration to me and I’m glad he is there to take the lead at this event.

I’m honored to be a friend of TACA and as deeply saddened that I can not
physically attend. I am there in spirit with all of you.

May God be with you, Johnathon Schaech

]]> <![CDATA[TACA. Filming and Life]]> Thu, 22 Oct 2009 03:53:36 GMT This movie is about the struggle of freedom. It's about a bully picking on some kid and others standing up in the kid's defense.
It's about a group of people with so much Faith that they moved a mountain and...
...A country that hopes for a brighter future

The filming is incredibly tough. The entire geogian military is behind the film. However I did not have proper training as their Captain and I can't speak the language.
The communication is poor.
However, I have somehow been able to take control of my men. Using hand signals and gestures I get them into positions,
They watch my every move and they have my back wherever I walk.
They've become my team. They help me with my georgian commands.
With my uniform, my movements and my resolve.
They know I represent them. Each and everyone of them.

The Dialect is difficult. I have no real coach. Just my own ears, my own experience and support from the cast and the director.
I feel as though I'm doing a honest job because many of the georgian extras have mistaken me as georgian.
The Georgian I have to speak is coming along. Not everytake have I nailed it, but every once in awhile it just comes out.

The cast is superb. Rubert Friend is a leading man. He will be the next Jude Law. He has the intelligence, the feel and the talent.
We all have become a supportive band for one another. We've had to go through not the best of conditions.
We are defintely having an adventure of a lifetime.
The places I've seen are miraculous.
Today I saw two castles and what looked like the jerusalem wall on the hillside while choppers and tanks rolled by.
My director Renny is a machine. He is in command, but finds the time to care for each and everyone of us. There is a passion in his eyes and a burning in his soul. It makes me want to fight harder and work even harder.
The torment of being away from Jana and Sophie are sickening.

I do feel like an artist again. Working hard on a craft that I think and feel much of Hollywood has lost.

Since the days I stood in front of the camera for Zeffereli - I have always felt I was a soldier of faith.
This role I feel I have now embodied it.
Capt. Rezo Avaliani has a never say die spirit that I know all to well.

It's so refreshing to be around people who actually BELIEVE in something. I believe it's their God and he's good. They cross themselves three time everytime they see a church. And there's a church on every block.
It's very moving.

As for the internet. I have access for the most part but no time.
My cell phone bill is over 3 grand so far.
And what else?
I miss the easy availability of everything we take for granted.
And I miss all of you.
I miss most Sophie going through the doggy door. And I miss Jana's lips on mine.
Gawd be vith you...
Johnathon]]> <![CDATA[Filming Update]]> Thu, 15 Oct 2009 03:44:15 GMT We just got back to TBLISI! We shot somewhere I never wanna see again...I miss my girls so much! A machine gun round went off in my ear and my ears are ringing like a fire alarm. I swear yesterday...I was in Apocalypse Now. Tanks, attack helicopters......the whole village went up in smoke...hundreds running and screaming!!! Thank God it's only a movie!]]> <![CDATA[Filming in Russia]]> Mon, 12 Oct 2009 08:26:32 GMT
 
I'm in the country of Georgia. Shooting a Renny Harlin film. I'm a Georgian soldier who's trying to help a journalist (Rupert Friend) to tell the truth about the war.

It's been unbelievable. The military is coordinating.  Migs, Tanks, and attack helicopters everywhere.  Working hard.  Emmanuelle Chirqui stars in it also.

I apologize to everyone for not responding but it's been a world wind of tasks.  And trials so far.  I have a feeling Renny is going to make something incredibly moving and entertaining.

We had dinner with the president of the country the first night I was here. The people are warm and wonderful.  They have hope for better things and they believe in freedom.

It's very inspiring.  The little petty things are starting to fall away and I'm already pushing my body and spirit to new places.

I miss Jana and Sophie.God's speed

js
]]> <![CDATA[Shooting my new film]]> Thu, 08 Oct 2009 09:10:40 GMT The night started out with me getting my hair done. I wanted to look different then my usual baseball cap and jeans. So Matt Sorum dressed me to be a rock star for a day. I felt pretty darn good about the outfit, I knew my father wouldn't approve, but this was the MTV AWARDS and if I wasn't going--- he wasn't going to watch.


After I was all geared up---my buddies Clifton and Tommy came over for a toast. I opened a gorgeous 2004 ETUDE cab. And we cheered NEW BEGINNINGS!

Our driver Eric arrived and off we went to the UNIVERSAL theater for the show.
I live five minutes away so we were so darn earlier Clifton and I decided to grab some Versailles Cuban chicken...it was amazing.
Jonathan arrived to take us down the red carpet, but we still had time and we went to the HARD ROCK and grabbed a drink. The red carpet can be very tricky so drinking helps -first Clifton and I took photos.  now one thing about the red carpet is the interviewers are always looking down the carpet waiting for the bigger interview, but everyone knows me by now and they were all happy for my nomination and were nice to me.
They announced my category while I was still on the red carpet...which bothered me some cause I was hoping for the chance to thank the people who made this happen. But after looking back, I think it was probably best. With Heath winning it would have put us all in a somber mood. I actually talked to my mom about it on the red carpet and she agreed.

Highlights of the red carpet. Saying hi to Will Ferrell. I knew him when Christina was shooting ANCHORMAN. Great guy. Nice man.

Sascha Cowen  was doing press for his up and coming movie...he was in character the whole time...I don't think Eminem liked the bare butt cheeks in his face. However, the stunt was clearly approved by his peeps. He could have escaped.

One of my agents Chuck James sat in the seat in front of me with the hot MEGAN FOX...CAMERON DIAZ sat nearby and I stared at her a lot...I think she's gorgeous...she was at my wedding...that's strange I know...  Miley Cyrus was in my row. Oh yeah earlier in the green room...I met Sienna Miller...and mid way through the show I realized I was here before with MY EX. I think she won something one year. We had more security that year then my year.

The MTV MOVIE AWARDS IS GREAT FUN! A lot of people are promoting their up and coming movies so it's a pretty aggressive environment. But all in all it was a nice slice of life for SUNDAY FUNDAY!

Thanks for making it happen!
Johnathon
]]> <![CDATA[MTV Movie Awards]]> Tue, 02 Jun 2009 05:06:43 GMT MTV'S SECOND CHANCE

Wendy asked me to write a blog about it and MTV wants to know what I thought about my nomination.

Last Monday I received a MTV movie award nomination for best villain.
I'm honored to be listed among other actors who I admire...one in particular is Heath Ledger.
The tragic loss of such a great artist mirrors my own life in many ways. I've been moved by a  sequel of events to try and explain what I mean by this. 

I have always tried my best to keep my private life private, as much as is possible in the very public career I’ve chosen to pursue, but for reasons that will become clear as you read on, I feel that sharing a certain part of my personal life experience will allow some to better understand who I am and maybe in some way help some one else in their life.

Over two years ago after the break up of my marriage, I found myself and my life spiraling out of control. I wasn't able to cope with the pain that I felt inside and started finding ways to bury that pain. I wasn't able to sleep, because my mind kept racing. I was haunted by thoughts of despair and hopelessness. I kept telling myself that I wasn't enough and felt that if I was “enough” then my marriage would not have failed. It was a very dark and lonely world and being in a heartless Hollywood didn't help. 

Even though I fought this SHAME and EMPTINESS I felt inside me, those dark forces and the overwhelming self-doubt and feelings of inadequacy became overwhelming.  Given the amount of alcohol and prescription drugs (sleeping pills, pain killers, zanax etc.) that I took, there were days were I now know that I was truly lucky to wake up in the morning. Another actor and artist that I respected very much, Heath Ledger, unfortunately, wasn’t so lucky and found himself the victim of such a deadly mix. I so easily could have had the same thing happen to me. I'm not saying by any means that what I was going through was what Heath was going through. But I can't help, but mirror it to my life.

]]> <![CDATA[MTVs - Second Chance (Part 1)]]> Sat, 16 May 2009 05:06:43 GMT Around this time, I was offered a small part in a film called EVENING in which I was going to play opposite Claire Danes. But I never got the chance. I found myself drinking in a bar prior to filming the night before and an altercation took place. My lips and eyes were busted up and the production had to replace me the next day. It looked like I had blown my second chance. 

It took this beating for me to wake up and realize that I needed help. I got counseling, cleaned myself up and I found God again in my life. 

Several months later I received a phone call from a dear friend offering me the role of Richard Fenton in Prom Night. I took on the role immediately, and put all of my passion, experience and pain into the role. I worked hard on making Fenton a character with purpose who was fighting hard to overcome the obstacles before him while battling the dark demons that haunted him. 

I GOT MY SECOND CHANCE with the role and the nomination.

I'm doing so much better since those dark days and have a lot more balance in my life, much to the love and support of my family and friends. I have won many battles, but haven't won the war just yet.

I thank God for this SECOND CHANCE, because not everyone, unfortunately, is given that second opportunity with life. Life isn't fair like that. I had met Heath on several occasions and I'm honored to say we knew each other by name. He was a beautiful talented soul.  

My family is supportive of me telling this dark and empty chapter of my life. They believe as well as I do that if we can help someone out there going through the same thing it's worth all the gossip it may bring.

I got through it and so can you. 

BELIEVE. 

"Everyone in this life deserves a second chance."

Thank you to everyone who voted and thank you to everyone for the support ,
JOHNATHON SCHAECH

]]> <![CDATA[MTVs - Second Chance (Part 2)]]> Sat, 16 May 2009 05:06:43 GMT