Jeff Ward is only 33-years-old, but he’s already been in the industry for 15 years. In an industry where most people don’t make it past the first few years, Jeff has continued to work hard to show that he has what it takes. He made his first on screen appearance in an episode of Law & Order: Criminal Intent. Since then, Jeff has gotten plenty of other opportunities to show off his skills and it has become very clear that he has the capacity to play a variety of characters. He is best-known for his role as Deke Shaw in the series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Jeff will also have a role in the upcoming film, The Descendant which will also star Shailene Garnett. Keep reading for 10 things you didn’t know about Jeff Ward.
1. He Was Originally Cast As Virgil In Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D
Jeff’s portrayal of Deke on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D has been one of his most memorable performances. But what many people don’t know is that it came very close to never happening in the first place. Jeff told Looper, “I originally auditioned for Deke. I auditioned for that, didn’t get it. They gave me a different part, which was Virgil.” However, after the table read, the production team decided to switch things around.
2. He Attended New York University
Once Jeff made up his mind that acting was what he wanted to focus on, he knew he wanted to get a strong education to go along with his natural skills. He attended the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University where he earned a bachelor’s degree. While there are lots of actors who believe a formal education isn’t necessary, it’s definitely come in handy for Jeff.
3. He’s Really Close With His Family
Pursuing a career in acting can be a very difficult journey. Not only is the industry very competitive, but opportunities can be hard to come by. For those reasons, it’s great to have a strong support system that you can lean on when you’re feeling discouraged. Jeff Ward is lucky enough to have that support in his family. He has a great relationship with his family and enjoys hanging out with them in his free time.
4. He Uses His Platform To Support Causes He Believes In
Over the years, the public has put more and more pressure on celebrities to use their status to help raise awareness to important issues. Many have refused out of fear that picking a side will hurt their career. However, Jeff has no problem using his platform to speak out on the things that are important to him. He is a strong supporter of the Black Lives Matter movement and has used his Instagram profile to share lots of resources.
5. He Started Acting In First Grade
Like lots of other actors, Jeff developed his love for acting after getting involved with a school play. When he was in first grade, hw as cast in a production of an original play written by his teacher called Tom Thumb in the Toy Room. It didn’t take Jeff long to realize that acting was what he wanted to do.
6. He Was An Understudy On Broadway
On screen work has made Jeff a recognizable figure, but his experience in his elementary school play isn’t the only time he’s been on the stage. In fact, Jeff has earned some stripes in the professional theater world. He was an understudy in the Broadway play, Orphans, which starred Alec Baldwin.
7. He’s From Washington D.C.
Jeff was born in Washington D.C. but was raised in a suburb of Philadelphia. Although Philadelphia is a major city that has lots of opportunities, it not necessarily the best place to pursue a professional acting career. Fortunately, New York City is only about 90 minutes away.
8. He Directed A Play
Jeff loves acting, but he also wants to expand his skillset. He also has experience working as a director and directed a production of the play Tape by Stephen Belber. We weren’t able to find any information on whether or not he plans to do more directing in the future, but it wouldn’t be surprising if he took on more projects in the future.
9. He Likes To Snowboard
Jeff loves to stay active, but his idea of activity doesn’t necessarily mean spending hours a day in the gym. Instead, he enjoys hitting the slops and going snow boarding. However, now that he lives in Los Angeles, he probably doesn’t get to snowboard as often as he’d like.
10. He Was Nervous About His Singing Scene On Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D
Just because Jeff is an actor doesn’t mean he can’t experience stage freight. During an episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, Jeff’s character had to perform as part of a fake cover band. Since Jeff doesn’t have any musical experience, he was nervous. He told Cinema Blend, “That was hands down the most nervous I’ve ever been to film anything I’ve filmed because [of] the singing.”
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