Most recently known for his roles in The Resurrection of Charles Mansion and Wildflower starring Kiernan Shipka, Jean Smart, Alexandra Daddario, Charlie Plummer and Brad Garrett, Plasse can currently be seen as Luke Baxter in the Amazon Prime series, The Baxters, as the title family’s only son. The television series is based off the best-selling novels by Karen Kingsbury that follows Elizabeth and John Baxter, and their adult children, as they navigate life’s highs and lows, both with and without God.
With over 50 episodes of network television, a producer on three feature films and one military documentary, Plasse has built his career and story to garner a name for himself within the entertainment industry. With that said, we all hope this to be his biggest success yet.
What was it like to be in The Resurrection of Charles Mansion? Any memorable experiences?
It was incredible getting to work with friends whom I had known prior to filming! This film came with a number of challenges, as we filmed in the desert and faced covid outbreaks, horrid weather, and other tough breaks that would’ve deterred a lesser crew. In ways, we all bonded over a lot of the difficulties and I’d say that was one of the better memories! It’s funny how trials can bring people together. It was a great experience overall.
What about Wildflower?
Truly one of my favorite set experiences ever. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I just loved the team behind this project and the cast was so welcoming (not to mention talented). I recall driving around the Las Vegas strip at 3:00 in the morning doing the same loop until we got the shots we needed… it was a magical and hilarious time!
Can you tell us more about your role as Luke Baxter in Amazon’s The Baxters?
Luke is a young man who grew up without much adversity, so when tragedy strikes, he is forced to reconcile with everything he’s yet to learn in his life… He has a test of faith and actually walks away from the church and his belief system before ultimately returning in the later seasons of the show. I find him quite complex for someone so silly, and really tried to pull out pieces of me that I could instill in Luke in addition to what was already on the page. Hopefully that shows.
You’re both an actor and producer. Do you like being one thing better than the other? If so, why?
I honestly love them both, but if I had to pick, I’d say I enjoy acting better. It’s what drew me to the arts and has such depth in terms of psychology and human exploration… Producing is extremely fun because you can control the outcome much more so than in acting, but it does have its creative limits at times. When you’re preparing for or developing a character however, there are simply no limits.
What are some challenges involved with being an actor in this day and age?
Well statistically speaking it’s one of the hardest careers one can possibly endeavor upon… so even just that simple fact alone makes the career grueling. You are guaranteed to face an access of rejection no matter how talented you are, and those “nos” have only become more numerous today given the emergence of self taping and how much deeper the competition has grown. You really have to have a powerful “why” if you’re going to make it in this business.
Same question but for being a producer?
The face value challenges remain quite similar to times of the past on the production front, but so much has changed in terms of technology… in many ways it’s actually easier than ever to creatively produce, the issue nowadays is standing out or getting the proper talent attached to generate excitement and potential distribution deals. It seems like everywhere you turn someone is filming something new and flashy… So, I’d say getting the right team attached and making sure your film comes out at the right time… there is just so much to the timing of it all.
What’s a show and film you really want to make in your career?
I’d love to make something like True Detective. I think Nic Pizzolatto is a genius, and that show has been one that continues to inspire me to this day. In terms of films… oh man, there are too many to choose from! Personally, I’d love to make something deeply moving that resonates with people, perhaps a lighter version of Manchester by The Sea… Pure brilliance in my humble opinion.
Tell us about Operation 22 and why it’s so important to you.
I’ve had a few friends die by suicide and I grew up surrounded by military suicide and PTSD. Mental health in general is often swept under the rug but that seems to be the case even more so here… when I started OP22 I really didn’t think we’d raise as much money as we did or even generate this amount of buzz, I just wanted to spread the word on an issue that was dear to my heart. I couldn’t be prouder of what we accomplished. If you’re reading this now and interested in learning more or helping our veterans, please go visit stopsoldiersuicide.com — they are an incredible resource.
Any exciting projects for the rest of the year?
Most definitely! If all things continue as they are now, I’ll be filming my production company’s second feature film late this year, and I also have my debut fiction novel releasing in December 2024! As far as acting goes, every day is a new day, so I may have a new answer as soon as next week, hah! What a wild career it is indeed…
