From TTU K-12 to Tinseltown

Jesse Plemons sits down with us to catch up on life since TTU K-12.

by Lucy Worley

August 25, 2017

Jesse Plemons is a notable actor in the Hollywood scene. Most people know him from films such as Battleship, Bridge of Spies and Other People. He has also appeared in popular television shows such as Grey's Anatomy, Breaking Bad, Friday Night Lights and Parenthood.

Jesse knew he wanted to act from an early age. Landing his first job as a child in 1998, by the time he got to high school, Jesse felt torn between wanting a quality education while needing to dedicate a lot of time to his career.

“My mother was a teacher and researched every possible online high school and knew TTU K-12 was the best. I thought I would give it a shot because I wanted to do more and I wanted a real diploma. I had to have something different from a traditional brick and mortar school, TTU K-12 offered the flexibility that I needed. It was a perfect fit,” Jesse said.

It was not just a diploma that Jesse gained through his experience though.

“TTU K-12 gave me a great foundation. I learned how to be persistent and how to manage my time. A lot of being an actor is similar to studying online, you must stick with it till you get it down,” Jesse said.

“TTU K-12 gave me skills I did not know I was developing. The lessons I learned are ones I use in my daily career. When memorizing lines, I have a timeline to work with and I have to stay on task. These are the very things I learned early on with TTU K-12.”

Since his graduation in 2007, Jesse's career has taken flight. With almost 50 credits spanning over twenty years, Jesse has proven his ability to be persistent.

From a young boy watching Lonesome Dove, inspired by actors Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones, Jesse dreamed of doing the same thing and put in the hard work to make it happen.

What would he say to other young aspiring performers?

“Never give up and always learn. In this business, when you have down time or no role at the time, be learning something. When the time comes, you'll be ready.”