J O H N N Y L O W E
Interview} Ken Waller
Photographs by} John Russo
Grooming by} Suzy Hernandez
Styling by} Ace Rivington
Location} Montecito CA
KW: You were born and raised in Montecito, CA; what was it like growing up in a small town?
JL: I am so grateful to have grown up in Montecito. I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that it is one of the most beautiful places in the world, and that was never lost on me. The small-town nature of it is something I’ve grown to appreciate, but I can tell you that as a young man trying to have fun, that part used to irk me at times. Now, I can’t wait to move back one day. Give me a quiet, gorgeous beach town happily!
KW: What can viewers expect from Season 2 of Unstable?
JL: Season 2 of Unstable is WILD. We took everything that worked from season 1 and built on it, made it sillier, crazier, funnier and ran with it. I think most good comedies have an opportunity to expand and grow in their second season, after they find their footing, and I definitely believe we did that. The additions of Lamorne Morris and Iris Apatow helped build out the world, and we let Fred Armisen run amok this year. And of course, my Dad and I lived out even more father-son trauma on screen in the funniest of ways. So, I think it rocks.
KW: What can you tell us about your upcoming projects?
JL: Truthfully, Unstable takes up the majority of my time between writing for it, producing, and acting on it. That said, I’m always keeping myself busy: a few different scripts written during hiatus that I am in various stages of development with and can’t say more on, a potential art exhibit in the works, and a lot of golf… does that last one count? It should. I hope it does.
KW: Could you tell us about this John Stamos, Rob Lowe, and Johnny Lowe situation? How did this parody come about?
JL: My favorite thing to witness is someone mistaking my Dad for a different actor, and the most frequent is always John Stamos. Enough time passed where I started to lean into that, and then even more times passed and I started to question my genetics. And now I have two dads… (not really, but I love John. He’s the best.)
KW: When did you make the transition from writing to acting? Was it always part of the master plan?
JL: I had always had an affinity towards acting, going back to when I used to help my Dad run lines as a little kid. Writing came more naturally to me early on, and when I started to find success with it, more opportunities opened up. The timing of Unstable was serendipitous in that it helped me commit to giving acting the same amount of energy I had always devoted towards writing. This is a long way of saying it was not a part of my master plan, nor do I ever have any sense of a master plan. I live my life a day at a time, and I love every day.
KW: In looking back on how iconic the “Bratt Pack” was, do you think a new, younger Bratt Pack will emerge? And if so, who do you think would be in the group?
JL: Shamefully, I do not know much about the Bratt Pack. I like to tease my pops about this, but the reality is that no one wants to hear stories about their parents in their wildest era. Or at least I don’t. That said, I’m not sure a Bratt Pack could exist in the modern era simply because of social media and access to everyone’s personal lives. There’s not a lot of mystery anymore, and I think that’s changed the way we look at or consume celebrity culture.
KW: If you could choose a co-star to play opposite for a comedic role who would it be and why?
JL: I’m already doing it on Unstable with Fred Armisen, one of my all time comedy heroes. If I had to pick another, I’d go with an easy answer: Will Ferrell. I learned how to laugh watching that guy.
To learn more about Johnny Lowe follow him @johnnylowe
Clothing by Ace Rivington Santa Barbara https://www.acerivington.com/and outdoor furniture by BrownJordan https://www.brownjordan.com/