Nick Jonas signed up for Power Ballad because he of the similarities to his own life.
Nick Jonas’ Power Ballad comparisons
In John Carney’s new movie, Jonas plays Danny, “a former boy band member turned solo artist trying to find himself” and Nick, 33 – who first found fame in The Jonas Brothers before launching a successful solo career – admitted he related to the character.
Speaking at SXSW, he said: “Outside of the more obvious themes … one of the things that I was really drawn to is this idea of how many rooms I’ve been in as a songwriter where it could have gone one way or the other – success and failure and everything between – and moments where your character is called into question.”
Nick’s alter-ego ends up stealing a song from Rick Power (Paul Rudd), a wedding band singer, after a jam session, and Nick admitted he has seen others in the industry lose friends in order to maintain their success.
He said: “Having been in this business for 20-plus years, it’s wild to see how many people have gone down that path where they come out the other side with success and their friends still around them, and some that come with success and lose everybody in their life.”
Paul, 56, revealed he signed up for the film because he is a “huge music fan”.
He said: “This is a guy who has a real desire to do something and express himself and has a dream. He’s faced disappointment. These are things that are very relatable, so the character really meant something to me.”
Meanwhile, Once, Sing Street, and Begin Again director Carney previously admitted he struggled to get financing for the movie until Marvel star Rudd came on board.
He told Screendaily.com: “It’s increasingly hard for somebody like me to get movies made because they’re original stories. There’s no IP or remake or I’m not telling anybody else’s story. I couldn’t get the film made without a mighty star attached. Once Paul came on board, the whole domino thing happened. He was such a straight-up person. He was, ‘I’m in your movie. Go and get the money. I’ll see you on set.’ Which is what everybody needs and dreams of.”