Jamie Mann Brings Music and Heart to Netflix Sitcom "Country Comfort"
Round up your crew—Netflix’s Country Comfort is a family affair. The series stars Broadway veteran Katharine McPhee, who plays aspiring country singer Bailey. After hitting a crossroads in her career, she finds herself facing a new job: serving as a babysitter for a widower and his five children (think The Sound of Music meets Grand Ole Opry). Featured in the sitcom is Jamie Mann, who is also no stranger to the stage: Mann has performed off-Broadway as Billy Elliot and is a trained ballet dancer. On Country Comfort, Mann plays Brody, one of the brothers, and turns to Bailey for romantic advice on his journey to garnering greater self-confidence. Below, the teen talks about his transition from theater to the small screen—country twang included.
How did you first get involved with Country Comfort?
It came in like every other audition. I just got an email and went into the city to try out. I loved the script from the beginning. I actually auditioned for Tuck the first time I went in, and I thought the script was really funny. I had an awesome time auditioning, and then they called me back to audition for Brody. That time, I got to perform. I sang for Caryn Lucas, who's our showrunner, on Skype. So there were two auditions, and then they had me fly out to L.A. for a chemistry read, which was crazy because I'd never been to California before.
Describe the show in one word.
A lot of words come to mind. I think “musical” and “family.” Similar to The Sound of Music, there’s this family dynamic with the nanny. But obviously, they're not in Austria, and it's not World War II.
Do you think your theater background prepared you to take on this television role?
Yes. It's a sitcom, so at the beginning, we had a live audience, which was great. Having a live audience there made the transition from theater to TV more comfortable because I was used to having their energy there. I was lucky because I got to sing in the show, and I've been singing for a very long time. I had to learn how to play the guitar, though, which I'd never done before. I also got to dance a little bit! This is the closest a show comes to theater because of the live audience, the music and just the overall vibe. It's very musical.
As a city native, how did you tap into the country aspect of the series?
I've never been to Nashville, but my friend goes to school there, so I talked to her a lot. I've been to Texas before, where there's a little bit of that country theme mixed in. My dad, brother, sister and I also went to a rodeo in Wyoming once. I pulled from those moments, and I also got a lot of inspiration from different country shows I've seen. I want to go to Nashville at some point now! I love the country world. I love country music, too, so it was really fun to be able to incorporate those things.
How was the filming process impacted by the pandemic?
COVID did interrupt filming a little bit. We started filming at the end of January and up until March. We got to film the first four episodes during that time, but then we couldn’t go back to film the last six episodes until September. So there was a period when I was sad because we didn't get to finish our project, but I was excited to get back. When we were finally back, Netflix did a great job in keeping everyone safe. It was interesting to learn how to operate under COVID constriction. The cast also felt like a family because we’d worked together before, so in September, [the experience] was much more fluid.
What was it like working with Katharine McPhee?
She's incredible. She has always been incredible. She's so professional, and I think she really set the example on the show. She's so kind and professional. It was an incredible experience working with her. It kind of felt like being in a master class every day! I learned a lot from her.
What was your favorite scene you filmed?
During the first episode we ever filmed, Kat and I had a scene together, so I got to know her a little bit during that experience. That's one of the scenes that comes to mind because it was at the beginning of the process, and I was still a little bit nervous. It was great in helping me get into the groove.
Any behind-the-scenes bloopers you can share?
Absolutely. There were so many different funny points where we had little flubs. I remember we had a scene where I had to open a door and run into the living room. I ran into the door three times because I couldn't get it to open! There's also a scene where Griffin [Thomas McIntyre], Ricardo [Hurtado] and I have this harmony before someone walks downstairs, and we kept breaking [character]. Ricardo had one performance that I remember was hilarious because Kat chimed in in the middle. We just had so much fun that bloopers happened all the time. I hope Netflix releases a blooper reel!
What’s the main message you hope viewers will take away from the series?
We emphasize the importance of family and the healing properties of music. The way the family bonds over music is really special. They’re always caring for each other and growing. They learn who they are, become more confident and find the friends and family that are there for them. As actors, we spent a lot of time working on the family dynamic, and we all got to know it really well.
What are your future career plans?
I have nothing planned right now. COVID has kind of halted everything. I'm just living life at school, and I'm excited for everyone to watch the show!
Follow Jamie on Social Media:
Instagram: @jamiemartinmann