UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. -- Coming in May, teen sensations The Jonas Brothers -- Kevin, Joe and Nick -- will star in Disney Channel's "JONAS" as the Lucas brothers, Kevin, Joe and Nick, who form the world's most popular rock band called JONAS.
Why isn't the band called LUCAS? Executive producer Michael Curtis said the band is called JONAS because in the show they live on Jonas Street.
Disney Channel's description of the show, which will have 21 episodes in its first season: "While doing their best to live ordinary lives, albeit with sleek guitars, concert tours, cool clothes and throngs of ardent fans following their every move, the guys always seem to find themselves smack in the middle of absurd situations."
The littlest "bonus Jonas," Frankie, will also appear along with their real-life head of security, Big Rob Feggans, who plays a similar role in the fictional universe of "JONAS." (Story continues below photo.)
Gary Marsh, entertainment president of Disney Channels Worldwide, described "JONAS" as a cross between "The Monkees" and "Flight of the Conchords" while producers compared it to The Beatles' "A Hard Day's Night." Once at the beach during rainy weather, the brothers watched episodes of "The Monkees" and "The Partridge Family," so they had some idea of what to expect from "JONAS."
"I think for us, we were excited to incorporate our music into this process," Kevin Jonas said. "It adds a whole other element for us. That's where our passion is in our hearts."
The show's original concept had the brothers playing spies.
"Their cover was blown by Dick Cheney," executive producer Curtis joked. "The spy concept was very big and very ambitious and it started to not feel quite right. As the band got bigger and bigger, doing a show that captured more of their real lives that informed more grounded, real versions of what they might be doing [seemed more appropriate]."
Among the brothers, Nick was the quickest to answer questions on behalf of them all. He also said he's had the most difficult time transitioning to acting.
"I'm kind of a perfectionist. I'm very hard on myself when it comes to the acting," Nick said, adding that it's been difficult to translate his own personality to the TV character that's loosely based on him. "In real life I have a very dry sense of humor and sometimes I can't master that on camera. I'm still learning."
As for how they keep grounded, the brothers said they could go wild and trash their guitars on stage but then "it would be on YouTube," Joe said.
The Internet is clearly on their minds when they were asked about rumors that surface, like the notion that one of the brothers might go solo.
"I don't think so," Joe said, looking at his brothers, "unless one of you guys wants to lay it out here."
"Rumors are always out there," Kevin said. "I just joined a wresting club in Asia is a new one."
"Are you serious?" Joe joked. "That's just awesome."
"You just roll with it," Kevin said. "You know who you are and what's true and you just laugh about it."
"Sometimes a comedian will make jokes about you at an awards show," Joe said, referring to Russell Brand at the MTV Video Music Awards, "and you have to laugh it off because that's their job. It's kind of flattering because they used me as their prop."
Posted
Jan 16 2009, 11:20 AM
by
Rob Owen