Sebastian Chacon
in Amazon Series
Daisy Jones and the Six
Photography F. Scott Schafer
Fashion Editor Deborah Ferguson
Interview Sophie Lin
Sebastian Chacon is an accomplished actor who has been captivating audiences with his performances on stage as well as the big and small screens. Born and raised in New York City, Chacon attended New York University. After graduation he began acting in the theater, performing in venues such as The Duke on 42nd, Cherry Lane, and The Public Theater. He has brought a range of characters to life, showcasing his versatility and range as an actor.
Chacon has appeared in a variety of television shows and movies. One of his most notable roles was in the popular television series “Penny Dreadful; City of Angels,” where he played a recurring character, Fly Rico, and won critical acclaim for his performance. He also guest starred in “Mr. Robot” and appeared in “Prose” and “Narcos”.
Chacon is most recently making his mark in the music industry with his role in the Amazon Prime Video limited series, “Daisy Jones & The Six.” The show, which is based on the fictional rock band of the same name, follows the rise and fall of the band and the members’ personal lives. Chacon joins the cast as the band’s amiable drummer, Warren Rhodes.
Chacon stands out as an actor due to his ability to bring depth and authenticity to his characters. He brings a realism to his performances that makes his characters feel, oftentimes, relatable. His versatility allows him to transition effortlessly between different genres and styles and across multiple disciplines. Chacon is truly thrilling to watch and it is exciting that this seems only to be the beginning of an undoubtedly remarkable career.
SL: It is really quite extraordinary that there was live music in virtually every scene in “Daisy Jones and the Six”. What was it like to work in such a unique and authentic environment for the show?
SC: It just felt so much more real. We were a real band! It also helped that we had all spent so much time together before arriving on set and were super comfortable together by the time we started working. In between takes, we would annoy everyone on set and constantly be messing around with little improv jams and made-up songs. I mean, I’m sitting behind a drum kit! That dude has a bass in his hand! What are we supposed to do?!
SL: Your character, Warren Rojas is a drummer in “Daisy Jones and the Six”, did you have a musical background at all? If so, what is it, and did it help you with this role? If not, how challenging was it for you to get ready for this role?
SC: I grew up around a ton of music but never played professionally. My mother was a singer and I’ve played the piano since about five years old. I was drumming in middle school [and] high school but really hadn’t done it for many years when I got the call. When I found out I got a callback, I immediately booked a studio space and played for a few hours to try and get my groove back before stepping into Sound City for my first drumming session. It was honestly a ride. Man… as with any skill, the better you get at it the more you realize how terrible you are and how much more you have to learn. There was a lot of that.
SL: Did you have to receive additional lessons for this role and for how long and how often did you have to practice for?
SC: Yes, I did! I worked with the big homie Kane Ritchotte, who showed me the ropes and unlearned a bunch of bad habits I’d built up over the years. Also, he would catch me whenever I played something a little too modern, as drummers played a bit differently in the 70s. I wanted to play with a traditional grip for this show like Papa Jo Jones or Mitch Mitchell so I had to relearn a couple of things from the ground up because I grew up playing with a more modern matched grip. I was going to initially only have a month to prepare as we were supposed to start shooting in April 2020, but Corona had other plans. So I spent a year and a half in a basement in Brooklyn honing my skills, which was honestly kind of a blessing. It’s one thing to be able to play the songs note for note, but it’s another thing entirely to be able to play them as if you’ve been playing your whole life, with the style and looseness that befits a pro. You can’t fake that.
Jacket, Top, Pants, & Shoes: Zegna
SL: What did rehearsals look like in a day and how often did the cast have to rehearse as a band?
SC: We had a very involved band camp where we initially worked one on one with our coaches sequestered in our own rooms and developed our skills individually. At some point, we all came together and started playing as a group, which was when things really started cracking. Then, rehearsals became less about getting the notes right and more about looking at each other, taking cues from each other, and playing together in an authentic way. We would watch footage of bands in the 70s as a group and pick and choose things that were interesting and specific about the way they synced up. This all culminated in an actual live show for 100 or so people on the creative team. We played through the whole album live and in costume at SIR, just to get a feel for what that would be like in front of a real crowd with no backing track. I think it paid off in spades.
SL: Can you tell us more about the decision to have an original soundtrack? Where can we find the soundtrack?
SC: I love the music on this show. I remember when I first got the offer, I had to hear the music! Because if that doesn’t work, the whole thing just falls apart. But Tony Berg and Blake Mills absolutely killed it. The soundtrack really tells a story; you can hear the band’s progression stylistically and Daisy versus Billy’s writing styles. We go from a traditional bluesy rock band to a more jangly sound to a more aggressive one and back again, really spanning genres over time. It’s an amazing thing. You can listen to the album on Spotify right now or purchase an actual vinyl record of Aurora, which is insanely dope.
SL: What do you think sets this series apart from others, especially with regard to the music?
SC: I think even with iconic movies about bands, it’s really hard to find a cast that plays all their own music. They frequently make use of tight inserts and camera tricks. In this show, we had such a long preparation process that we were able to surpass looking like good musicians and actually became great players in our own right. The camera moves around freely as we play and makes it feel like you’re watching concert footage or a documentary of some sort. It’s really thrilling.
SL: How did the live musical performances enhance your experience as an actor?
SC: I mean, it’s kind of “no acting required”, right? I didn’t really have to imagine what it would be like to be a drummer in a famous rock band. We played shows every day in big theaters full of background actors. It was an admittedly small mental leap to take.
SL: Do you relate to your character, Warren? How so?
SC: Man, I love Warren. He’s the best. I come from a family of immigrants so I have a lot of people in my life who came from very challenging circumstances and thanks to that, they believe [that] every day is a gift. Every new chapter is more astonishing than the last. Warren is the only character who never loses sight of that. He was having a great time when we were playing in a garage in Pittsburgh and he had just as great of a time playing for 10,000 people in Soldier Field. The champagne problems that we have as a famous rock band are no sweat for him, he’s just happy to be here.
Sweater, Jeans, & Boots: Kenzo
SL: Can you tell us about the locations used in the series? Were they authentic or set builds?
SC: Coming into the show, especially cause it’s a period piece, I kind of assumed that we would be shooting on the Paramount lot all the time, with a lot of set builds. But we only ever did that like one or two times! We were on location for almost everything, in historic places like the Whisky a Go-Go and the Viper Room, and in Laurel Canyon and Sound City. We shot in real theaters and built stages in real coliseums. It went a long way toward giving the show more of an air of authenticity for sure.
SL: You have a background in theater acting. Can you talk about your passion for that aspect of your career?
SC: Oh, absolutely. I love the theater and would leap at the opportunity to come back to it. I feel like I have to do a play every so often to reconnect with why I do what I do. It really makes you feel like more of an artist, y’know? Like, “I’m over in a room somewhere in New York making my art every night, come by and see me!” It’s just so much more personal.
SL: Are there any future theater projects you are considering or working on in New York City or beyond?
SC: I’d love to, but theater is a big-time commitment. In order to sign on to the run of a play, it has to be something really special. I am looking forward to finding it though!
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