Breakout Star of Euphoria Season 3 - Jack Topalian - Shares BTS of Filming and Upcoming Projects

Jack Topalian didn't follow a conventional path to Hollywood — and that's exactly what makes him compelling to watch. Born in Armenia and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area after emigrating at age ten, he spent decades building a successful business career before he walked into the American Conservatory Theater in his early forties, enrolled in acting classes, and never looked back. Today, casting directors call him "the man of many faces," and the résumé backs it up: guest roles on True Detective, The Blacklist, SEAL Team, and Bosch gave way to recurring turns in Hulu's Clipped and HBO's Duster — and now, two of the most buzzed-about shows on television. He's currently on screen in HBO's Euphoria Season 3 alongside Jacob Elordi, Sydney Sweeney, Zendaya, and more, and on June 19th, he joins Colin Farrell in Apple TV+'s Sugar Season 2. We sat down with Jack to talk about the leap of faith, the craft behind the characters, and the journey.

Photo Credit: Ararel Photography

NUOVO: You've had such an incredible acting career on award-winning projects. When did you decide it was time to switch your career from the boardroom to the big screen?

JACK TOPALIAN: I did not decide on embarking on a career in film and television, but about 12 years ago, it kind of just happened, so I went with the flow. I realized right away that I enjoyed it tremendously and wanted to be a part of this industry. I enrolled in acting classes, studied and went out on auditions. Slowly, things started to fall into place. I still feel grateful for the opportunities that have come my way, and pinch myself once in a while. I’m proud of the roster of legends and award winning shows and films that I have been a part of. 

N: How did your business career influence your approach to acting?

JT: I see the acting career as a business, which it is and in this case, I’m the product or commodity. I have to be able to be adaptable, trained, ready and the audience will decide my worth, if they believe the role I’m playing is real or not. My business background really keeps this very clear for me and I approach every project and opportunity with this attitude.

N: Hollywood has referred to you as "the man of many faces" - how do you prepare for these different roles? 

JT: I basically draw from people that I know or have come in contact with in business, travel, everyday life, etc.. Of course, the script is the guide and the description of the character is clearly defined. Then I start creating my own version, based on how I see my character, the world he lives in, the way he speaks, walks, tone of voice, etc… and then the director will make the final determination if this is what they want or make any adjustments, if needed.  

N: Tell us about your experience working with Sam Levinson, Jacob Elordi, and the cast of 'Euphoria' Season 3. We are on the edge of our seats each week! 

JT: This has been one of the most amazing experiences of my life. Sam created a very interesting and three-dimension character that I play and he was very clear on how he saw this person. He was also very open to listening to my own interpretation and eventually we got the NAZ that everyone sees. Working closely with him has been an excellent experience and he’s a genius in my opinion. As far as Jacob and Sydney — well, what can I say, From the very first moment, they warmly welcomed me and made me feel part of the Euphoria family and I grew to really like them as people over the many weeks we worked together. I have the utmost respect for their talent and how professional and prepared they are in every scene. This is why they are huge stars today and I had a lot of fun working with them and hanging out with them. It was pretty cool. Every episode does keep you on your seat and Sam has lots of twists and turns to keep us on the edge. The whole cast and crew has been amazing and it has been one of the best experiences of my life.

Photo Credit: Ararel Photography

N: Your next project, 'Sugar' Season 2, premieres on June 19th with Colin Farrell - what can we expect?

JT: If you’ve seen Season 1, then it continues right where it ended. It gets way intense and has a lot more characters and story lines. My character is very different from the one I play in Euphoria and it was a lot of fun to change speeds. In fact, there was some time that I was filming for Euphoria & Sugar at the same time and I liked the challenge of changing from one character to the other. 

N: What's your advice for upcoming actors looking to pursue their passion full-time?

JT: I would say do it, don't wait. You never know where it will take you and you may be surprised how much fun and excitement you will have. Most importantly, the journey is the coolest part. You don’t ever want to wake up 20 years from now and say “I wish I did that”. Instead you should do it and see if it’s your thing, and if it is, take it as fast as you can and enjoy the ride. 

N: What's next for you? 

JT: I completed filming two feature films which should come out sometime early to mid next year and I’m also in the mix on a few other projects and TV shows. Aside from that, I’m also in development for one of my own projects that I wrote and we may get that going sometime later this year.