Personal details
- Professions: Actor
Jacob kicked things off in Boston, but really grew up in Pittsburgh. He was just a kid—eleven, if you wanna be exact—when he landed his first play. From there, he dove right into arts schools: started at a performing arts middle school, then rolled into Pittsburgh Creative and Performing Arts high school. Seventeen and already restless, he packed up for New York City to study at the Stella Adler Conservatory. Not bad, right? In his first year, the Public Theater’s Shakespeare Lab let him in—he was literally the youngest they’d ever taken. That wasn’t the last time either. After he wrapped up that gig, he got into the American Conservatory Theater's M.F.A. program, again, as the youngest ever. Broadway, Off-Broadway, theaters in Birmingham and London—you name it, he's been there. He’s worked in 48 states (seriously, what happened to the other two?). Along the way, he’s hung out with some real heavy-hitter playwrights: David Lindsay-Abaire, Jeanine Tesori, Beth Henley, Doug Wright, Quiara Alegría Hudes, and Suzan Lori Parks. Biggest win? Teaming up with Parks on “Father Comes Home from the Wars.” That play raked in a bunch of awards—Pulitzer, Lucille Lortel, IRNE, the works. Jacob snagged a Lucille Lortel Award for playing Odesee the Dog. Lately, he’s been all about film and TV, working with legends like Julie Taymor, Alec Baldwin, David Schwimmer, and others. Through it all, he never misses a chance to shout out his family, friends, agents, and managers for sticking by him.
Stella Adler Studio of Acting churned out some serious Hollywood heavy hitters—think Marlon Brando, Robert De Niro, and Mark Ruffalo. The school’s all about cracking open the craft, digging deep into scripts, and really getting actors to tap into their own life experiences. It’s not just “repeat after me” stuff; they want performers who think, feel, and surprise themselves. You walk in green, you come out knowing how to own a stage (or a film set) without faking a single emotion. Their alumni have snagged Oscars, Tonys, you name it—so clearly, they’re doing something right. The vibe? Old-school meets hardcore training, with a bit of that New York grind thrown in for good measure. So if you’re wondering why so many iconic actors talk about “the work” like it’s some mystical thing, chances are, they picked up that gospel at Stella Adler.
Konidela Ram Charan