Jonathan Daviss is a 23-year-old American actor, singer and producer, perhaps best known for playing Pope Heyward in the Netflix drama series “Outer Banks” — “OB.”
Early life
Jonathan Pierce “JD” Daviss was born on 28 February 2000, in Nashville, Tennessee USA.
He grew up in Conroe, Texas, where he moved as a child. According to his Still Watching Netflix interview, he considers it his hometown, and one of his favorite places there is the La Palma Tacos restaurant. Jonathan revealed to A Book of Us magazine that he grew up surrounded by dirt trails and back roads. He also has a memorable childhood anecdote; after hearing that people spotted a massive alligator on a golf course, he and his friends began searching for it out of curiosity. They eventually saw it but decided not to approach it out of fear. Jonathan remembers local newspapers publishing the story with pictures of the alligator basking in the sun.
Jonathan has three sisters, Jaden, DJ, and Jillian. According to his Vulkan Magazine interview, at least one of his sisters is younger, likely Jillian. Based on his Flaunt Magazine interview, one of the two remaining sisters, likely DJ, is nine years his senior and taught him to be mature and plan his future from a young age. His parents, Jon P. Daviss, a talent manager at J. E. Entertainment, and Yulanda Creamer-Daviss, always encouraged him and his sisters to pursue their goals and prepare for the sacrifices. Jonathan has at least two aunts, Cheryl Jackson and Jewel.
Early education, source of career
Jonathan was drawn to movies as a kid, as he found escape in watching them, and frequently saw extra material such as behind-the-scenes features and director’s commentary.
Jonathan matriculated from Conroe High School, where he played football. He was a bookworm in school, but said that some could view him as a class clown, as he was effortlessly funny despite not talking much. Jonathan told EUPHORIA Magazine that while in high school, he aimed to be a straight-A student and attended Advanced Placement (AP) classes which were university-level courses. Jonathan went to the same school as Joseph Osai, the defensive end for the Cincinnati Bengals football club, and they were friends. His mom sold her family home when he was around 17, and the family moved to California, US.
Career
Jonathan debuted by playing a kid in an episode of the ABC television series “Revolution” in 2013. A year later, he played Samuel Washington in his first TV movie, “Deliverance Creek,” then returned three years later as Young Spike in the short film “All the Marbles.” According to Express UK, Jonathan worked as a sales associate at Saks OFF 5TH, a women’s designer clothing and handbags store, and charged Bird scooters at night to support himself financially. In 2018, he ramped up the number of auditions and starred in two movies, “Edge of the World” as Jay Tibbs and “Age of Summer” as Mathis, and one television movie, “Shattered Memories” as Teddy.
@VulkanMagazine Real life is getting crazy pic.twitter.com/P2CA8Jp7NF
— Jonathan Daviss (@JDaviss28) August 27, 2021
Starring in “OB”
In April 2020, Jonathan appeared in the action-adventure mystery series “OB” as one of the main characters, Pope. He played one of the Pogues, the series’ name for working-class residents living near The Cut, the bad side of the town. The Kooks, the wealthier citizens, were frequently compared and contrasted with the Pogues. Jonathan played the smartest of his friends, called “brains of the operation” by another main character, John B. Routledge. Played by Chase Stokes, John is the ringleader of the Pogues, and his father’s disappearance is central to the plot.
Portraying Pope
In his Still Watching Netflix interview, Jonathan stated that he fell in love with his character’s determination, as Pope would do anything to reach his goals and would excel. He assumed that his passion for battles in anime series contributed to that preference. Jonathan also revealed to Vulkan Magazine that Pope was similar to him in high school. Thus, getting the call back after the audition, for which he prepared with acting coach Kelly Hare, was one of the happiest days of his life.
Another favorite day was when his mother organized a surprise trip to Disneyland in 2019. He said that his family could never afford the visit, so he had goosebumps when his mother told him to pack his things during the break from filming the first season. Jonathan also said that his relationship with his parents inspired his portrayal of Pope. It taught him that young people frequently disagree with their parents, even when they love each other profoundly and communicate regularly.
Jonathan also revealed that his character was supposed to be stabbed at the end of the inaugural season, which would end on a cliffhanger. The writers altered the script before filming, perhaps because they recognized Jonathan’s acting chops. According to his Flaunt Magazine interview, Jonathan especially enjoyed driving the boat, as he was a beach fan.
Social media and modeling
Jonathan is primarily active on Instagram, the platform on which his account, jonathandavissofficial, has amassed over four million followers. Besides revealing his talents and posting images and pictures from his travels, he has appeared in many posts with his “OB” co-stars, Chase and Rudy Pankow, whom he befriended. Jonathan has also been modeling clothes, mainly denim jeans and jackets, coats and suits, and jewelry such as golden chains, earrings, and rings.
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Moreover, he has shared pictures from his photoshoots for Vulkan Magazine and Flaunt Magazine, and covers of A Book Of print magazine issued in July 2021, and the digital version of EUPHORIA Magazine, published in February 2023. Furthermore, Jonathan modeled for Hugo Boss and Russell Athletic brands at the Milan Show 2021 in Milan, Italy.
He told NumeroMag.nl that he loves fashion because ‘it is a visual expression that everyone can relate to, and allows people to show who they are, what their mood is, and what they care about.’ Jonathan admitted that starring in the Netflix drama inspired him to wear more beach-oriented clothing and footwear, particularly colorful unbuttoned shirts and Birkenstock sandals.
Jonathan is moderately active on his TikTok account, @jonathandaviss, on which he has amassed 2.3 million followers. His content is similar to his Instagram account’s, with the addition of comedy skits and challenges.
Plans
Netflix announced the fourth “OB” season in February 2023, shortly before the third premiere; hence, Jonathan should return in 2024. He told EUPHORIA magazine that he is excited to reprise his role but is also keen to star in indie projects that people would consider unsafe career choices and more movies. As a reminder, Jonathan played Elliott in the 2022 “Do Revenge” movie; he told Vulkan Magazine that he plans to have a lengthy career.
Moreover, he might develop his singing career. According to Jonathan’s IMDb profile, he performed “Paid in Full” in the ninth episode of the first season of “OB” and “Charlie, Last Name, Wilson” in a Teen Vogue video interview in which the journalist dared the “OB” cast to do various things. Extra evidence of his desire to pursue music projects came in December 2023; Jonathan shared a picture on Instagram in which he appeared to sing and play the guitar while a friend recorded the audio on a Mac laptop for production.
Jonathan has also shared dozens of his drawings via Instagram, primarily of superheroes, and mentioned that he considered becoming an animator. He started sketching in high school and drew in every notebook at home, but he never felt confident enough to color them until late 2023, when artist Paris Alleyne encouraged him.
Moreover, Jonathan produced the short film entitled “Toledo,” which was in post-production in December 2023, and in which he will likely appear. That’s not all; he admitted to Flaunt Magazine that he wants to become a director. Outside of stories that mean a lot to him, he would like to direct sci-fi projects with creative plots. Jonathan initially felt inspired when actor Michael B. Jordan transitioned from acting to directing. He wants to work with directors Jordan Peele, Ryan Coogler, and Taika Waititi.
Jonathan’s dream role is playing Miles Morales, the version of the Spider-Man superhero played by a black man. Another superhero he would like to play is Static Shock, and a person he would like to portray is André 3000, a rapper from the Outkast group.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=oh188S4A8Do
Dating
Jonathan hasn’t publicly dated anyone.
Interesting facts, favorite things
- Jonathan describes himself as an analyzer and observer.
- One of his favorite scents is magnolia trees beside his grandmother’s house.
- He uses a face cleanser and lotion and believes in aloe vera-based products. His mom is responsible; she has been adamant about skincare since he was a child.
- A product that he couldn’t live without is soap.
- Jonathan is an admitted homebody who enjoys playing video games such as “NBA 2K” and “Smash Bros.” and watching movies and series.
- He would go on a vacation instead of staying home, if he had the option.
- Jonathan doesn’t believe in the significance of zodiac signs and charts but has never researched them.
- His favorite anime series is “Cowboy Bebop,” but “Ninja Scroll” and “Naruto” are runners-up. He also enjoyed“Jujutsu Kaisen,” “Demon Slayer,” “Soul Eater,” and “Full Metal Alchemist.”
- Besides anime, Jonathan enjoys manga and comic books, particularly from Marvel Comics.
- He has never watched the “Pokémon” anime but has played several games in the franchise.
- Jonathan’s favorite music genre is rhythm and blues (R&B), although afro beats is a close second.
- He prefers Air Jordan shoes over Nike Dunk shoes.
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- Jonathan turns off subtitles on comedy shows and specials because they ruin the joke.
- His favorite animated movie is “Road to El Dorado.”
- Jonathan’s favorite football team is the Tennessee Titans.
- His favorite television seriesis “The Boondocks.”
- He has a German shepherd named Titan and is tempted to get another dog.
- Jonathan’s favorite rap songs are “No Bystanders” by Travis Scott and “712” by Future.
- His favorite song is “Cupid” by 112, the first song that he learned to play on his guitar.
- Jonathan eats a meat-based diet, which he attributes to growing up in Texas, a state known for steakhouses.
- The actors who inspire him are Chadwick Boseman, Samuel L. Jackson, Quinta Brunson, and Donal Glover.
- He called 2023 ‘his Jordan year,’ as he felt it was the year he became unstoppable. He referenced the basketball player Michael Jordan, who had his most successful year in 1989, according to many sports analysts.
- Jonathan’s go-to snack is Jalapeño chips by Miss Vickie, and his go-to drink is root beer from Bart’s.
- He describes “OB” to peopleas ‘a grown-up version of “The Goonies” movie mixed with “The O.C.” and “Ozark” television series.
- If Jonathan could recast the “OB” actors in another project, he would put them in an abusive action movie typical for the 1990s and the early 2000s. His second choice is the “Final Destination” horror movie with more comedy.
- Jonathan’s favorite “OB” season one episode is the sixth one.
- The hat Pope wore in the first season’s third episode is his favoritehead covering in the series.
- If he won $100 million, Jonathan would attempt to spend it wisely but would likely be reckless.
- Jonathan’s favorite quote is ‘discipline and consistency’ because he feels anything is possible with those traits.
Physical characteristics
Jonathan has black hair, usually styled as afro, and dark brown eyes. He is 6ft (1.83m) tall, weighs about 165lbs (75kgs), and has an athletic physique. Jonathan meditates daily, usually in the morning, and works out regularly with a personal trainer named Rhys, primarily doing CrossFit, basketball, and swimming. In July 2023, he tested the standard workout by his friend, Bijan Robinson, a National Football League (NFL) athlete. Afterwards, Jonathan began drinking smoothies and shakes to increase his protein intake.
Net worth
Jonathan’s net worth is about $500,000, according to The Tab, which estimated that the “OB” cast received up to $40,000 per episode.
On Instagram, Jonathan has promoted the American Eagle and Grace Court Co. clothing brands, a skincare brand, Bubble, and the Giorgio Armani line of perfumes. He had used Acqua Di Gio perfume since high school and had followed Armani Beauty for years before they reached out.
Jonathan drove an old dark blue Lexus SC in 2016 and bought a new light grey Lexus LC500 in 2022. Jonathan purchased his mother her first car two years earlier, which resembled a black Lexus GX 460 off-road SUV.
