Jake Owen Talks Acting: ‘It’s Been a Challenge’

Jake Owen isn't afraid to take on new challenges. The singer, whose newest record Greetings From ... Jake, dropped in late March, is expanding his career further with an appearance in an upcoming new movie. The film, titled The Friend, is based on a true story and produced by Gabriela Cowperthwaite (Blackfish).

Owen has never hesitated when it comes to doing things he may not know exactly how to do; in fact, he's been onscreen before, during his time judging the CMT singing competition show Real Country in late 2018. Some sage advice from his father helped him decide to tackle both opportunities.

"I like throwing myself into things that I’ve never done before and learning from it," Owen told The Boot in a recent interview. "My dad always said, 'If you wanna be good at something, surround yourself with people that are way better at it than you are.'"

While his on-camera roles certainly haven't been easy, Owen's up for the challenge. As a full-time singer and musician, he recognizes that he's not up to par with acting pros, but that hasn't scared him away. Owen also has learned as much as he can while on set.

"I don’t have the chops to be there up against guys and girls that are professionals. If you see these people in action, you realize how great they really are at what they do. I would assume it would be like taking any actress or actor and saying, 'Go play music for the next few weeks by yourself onstage,'" Owen says. "They’ve been so gracious to me as far as showing me the ropes and teaching me how I can be better at things, which I embrace."

Whether or not Owen has a robust acting career ahead, he's enjoying the challenge and the experience.

"It’s been a challenge for sure," he reflects. "I like those types of challenges."

The Friend has been adapted from an award-winning essay by Matthew Teague that originally appeared in Esquire in May of 2015. The original essay, titled "The Friend: Love is Not a Big Enough Word," tells the story of the narrator's relationship with his terminally ill wife, and with his best friend, who moves into the couple's home after the narrator's wife receives her diagnosis. Owen's castmates include Casey Affleck, Dakota Johnson, Jason Segel and more.

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