JACOB BLACK ON WILD RUMORS, HIS CRAZIEST FEAR, AND HIS OSCARS HOPES

Released 12/10/2021

Jacob Black, star of the Predator reboot, invites Vogue in and answers 73 questions. Jacob tells us about his 1968 Rabbit, his mysterious love life, and that time he cold read for Michael Bay.

Transcript ˅

[doorbell rings. Camera zooms in on Jacob as he opens the door, casually leaning against the door frame]

[Interviewer] Hey, Jacob.

[Jacob] Hi Vogue, welcome.

[Interviewer] Let's do this!

[Jacob] Sure, sure. Come on in.

[Interviewer] You know why I'm here.

[Jacob] I'm gonna be asked some questions today, I think.

[Interviewer] Seventy-three of them.

[Jacob] That's true.

[Interviewer] All right, let's get going. So, what's the first thing you thought of this morning?

[Jacob] What I was gonna eat for breakfast.

[Interviewer] What's the first thing on your to-do list?

[Jacob] Ordering what I was going to eat for breakfast.

[Interviewer] What's the fourth thing on your to-do list?

[Jacob] Texting my girl to make dinner plans.

[Interviewer] What's something that you feel like should be on your to-do list but it's not?

[Jacob] Getting my [BLEEP] together on Twitter.

...

[Interviewer] Jacob, I'm a huge fan of the Predator reboot.

[Jacob] Thank you.

[Interviewer] And I'm just putting it out there, did you have any idea when it started that you'd be here, three movies deep, Oscar-nominated, next to the likes of all these movies right now?

[Jacob] Absolutely not. The past four years have been an absolute dream come true.

[Interviewer] Congratulations.

[Jacob] Thank you.

[Interviewer] That's an impressive catalogue for a Hollywood newcomer to have under his belt. How are you still standing?

[Jacob] You might wanna ask my therapist. For real though, I think when you do something that you're passionate about, it comes easily.

[Interviewer] What will you miss the most about it?

[Jacob] The people.

[Interviewer] Now, let's talk about your creative process.

[Jacob] Oh, that sounds intellectual.

[Interviewer] It is. Time to get intellectual.

[Jacob] Alright. Shoot.

[Interviewer] Where do you get your inspiration?

[Jacob] From the important people in my life. They know who they are.

[Interviewer] And whose acting do you watch and feel utterly blown away by?

[Jacob] I would say Joaquin Phoenix, or nowadays, Leah Clearwater. She's criminally underrated.

[Interviewer] Leah Clearwater. A fellow Washingtonian.

[Jacob] She's incredible.

...

[Interviewer] Oh, we have some family photos over here. Let's take a look.

[Jacob] Oh.

[Interviewer] Is this a photo of you and your dad?

[Jacob] Yeah, there's a photo of my family, and a photo of me and my dad. My dad actually gave me this little framed photo when I moved to LA.

[Interviewer] What does it say on that?

[Jacob] It says, Jacob, it's an honour to call you my son. Dad. [pause] Vogue, what question are we up to?

[Interviewer] Fifty-one.

[camera abruptly cuts to a shot of Jacob outside, leaning against his Rabbit]

...

[Interviewer] What are you currently excited about?

[Jacob] I've been enjoying kicking back before I commit to my next project. It's refreshing. Helping me figure out what my next gig is going to be. Also, I have a little...I have some new personal stuff going on. Positive, for a change.

[Interviewer] Do you have any regrets, Jacob?

[Jacob] I feel like regrets are a waste of time.

[Interviewer] All right, that's our final question. Thanks so much, Jacob.

[Jacob] Thank you.

[Interviewer] This has been really, really cool.

[Jacob] Hey, you said it!

Vogue Magazine voguemagazine

realjacobblack takes us through the Oscars, his love life & his busy schedule while answering #73Questions. /SLF54b

↳ Leah Clearwater leahclearwater01

#mancrushmonday [eye emoji] [water drop emoji]

Molly mols90210

THIS IS NOT A DRILL I REPEAT THIS IS NOT A DRILL WE HAVE CONFIRMATION!

Rach #FreeBritney rachsthoughts

Public apology to my followers. Clearly, I don't know jack about shit.

She's midway through her afternoon croissant when the message arrives.

[TEXT] Jacob Black, 3.17 P.M.

Thank you.

She frowns at her phone before diving back into the flaky, buttery goodness. Jacob's alright, she supposes, albeit obstinate to the point of disaster. His company's become a daily fixture over the past month, whether it takes the form of obnoxious social media flirting (lame) or public dates that border on sheer ridiculousness (lamer).

When she'd agreed to allow GoldenEye to plan their outings, she hadn't intended to be roped into a series of tennis matches, complete with perfectly-pressed tennis whites and matching racquets. If she'd known, she'd have definitely blown it off, which was likely why Embry had become so secretive in recent weeks. Perhaps she'd warn Jacob next time, or maybe she'd just call for some ice-packs to be ready courtside.

The purplish bruise that had adorned Jacob's forehead for the better part of a week was truly unsightly.

Personal injury aside, Jacob had acted the part of a loyal companion faithfully, even going as far as commandeering one of the GoldenEye interns to deliver a trenta non-fat latte with caramel drizzle to her loft each morning, a preference which he'd presumably learned from devoted Instagram snooping.

That, or he'd asked Embry (unlikely).

[TEXT] Jacob Black, 3.19 P.M.

Come out with me tonight. Dinner at Gracias Madre. My treat.

[TEXT] Leah Clearwater, 3.20 P.M.

Don't stress, I'm sure you're back in Bella's good books. We don't need to be seen together for a few days.

[TEXT] Jacob Black, 3.20 P.M.

Not a stunt. Just a thank you. Seven?

She blinks at her phone, re-reading the text until it becomes an unintelligible blur. Since when did Jacob Black have a working knowledge of manners?

[TEXT] Leah Clearwater, 3.20 P.M.

Sure. I'll meet you there.

There's plenty of upsides to unscheduled appearances.

Dressing herself (and, more specifically, avoiding Alice and Rosalie's clutches).

Choosing places you'd actually like to patronise.

And, she'd begrudgingly admit, enjoying the company of someone who could really understand what her crazy life was like, sans the contractual obligation to fraternise.

Leah would never describe herself as a warm and fuzzy person, opting instead to let silence speak for itself, but that habit hasn't given her the most brag-worthy reputation. Despite Embry's pleading to just put on an act, social niceties aren't her forte.

Jacob understands that. Accepts it, even.

They sit across from each other in the booth, perusing their menus in comfortable silence. The raucous din of the restaurant and the hustle and bustle around them is pleasant; their corner, unnoticed in the back, feels like a cozy cocoon from the rest of the world.

Jacob lays his menu flat on the table, leaning forward to grin at her. "I bet I can guess your order."

She rolls her eyes. "Mmm, I already know what you're about to guess," she murmurs, smirking at his pout. "You're going to try and order me a glass of white with an arugula salad. Oh, and no dessert either. Have I got it right?"

He laughs loudly enough to attract a frown from a passing patron. "Fuck no. You're not the restrained, healthy-eating type. Don't give me that face," he says, waving his hand at her scowl. "We both know it's true."

"Fine," she admits, smiling a little. "What's your pick?"

He glances at the menu for a brief moment. "Well, you'll start off with something strong. My money's on a margarita, top-shelf mezcal, and I'd wager a bet on cayenne salt. Spicy booze for a spicy broad," he teases, winking at her.

She misses a beat, blinking dumbly at him. "Uh, yeah. Right so far."

Jake's grin broadens. "Of course I am. There are a few contenders for entrees, but I'm going to lock in a burrito with extra jalapenos. I originally thought the flautas, but then I remembered you said that cabbage is a blight on humanity that one time we went to Whole Foods, so it takes them off the table. Am I right?"

Leah swallows, acutely aware of the growing lump in her throat. "You are. Uncanny."

He whoops with delight, immediately waving over one of the nearby waiters to place their order. She's distantly aware of him speaking, charming the pants off the starstruck staff member, but her brain's a million miles away. She's got bigger things to worry about, namely:

Why does her stomach twist in knots when he remembers all these little things about her?

Why does her heart skip a beat when his name flashes on her phone?

And, even worse, how could she lose sight of the big picture - hello, a starring role - in favour of her faux dalliance with Jacob?

He doesn't press her for conversation, but she sees the appraising glint in his eyes, feels the calming warmth of his palm pressed over hers. He's intuitive enough to know she's unsettled and wise enough not to ask.

They eat in silence.

It's him, this time, that insists on capturing a photo for social media, clumsily arranging their matching galettes on the smooth maple top. It would be endearing, the way he's precisely rotating the dishes under the lens of his phone camera, if she wasn't so insanely conflicted by her traitorous thoughts and thumping heartbeat.

"Alright, Lee. Put your hand on the glass. Nothing too revealing - just a suggestion you were here," he directs, angling his phone low.

She wraps her fingers around the stem, laying her forearm against the cool surface of the table. There's no point playing coy - his revealing feature in Vogue's series is plenty damning - but she's in no real mood to play creative director.

Jake snaps the picture.

She throws back the last mouthful of her cocktail, wishing for an infinite supply of mezcal. Nothing too excessive, just enough to numb the warring voices in her mind.

It would make this whole mess burn just a little bit less.

Instagram | realjacobblack just posted a photo.

realjacobblack Thanks for never asking for a bite of my enchilada. #DateNight

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↳ leahclearwater01 it's so hot when you tip 20%.

A/N: Once again, I am bemoaning FFN's archaic formatting. Anyway, Jacob's 73Q is heavily inspired by Dan Levy's awesome episode. Check it out.