My Casting Story: Dan Jablons on ‘The Out-Laws’

Have you ever had the producer and star of a Netflix movie — that debuted at the pinnacle of the streamer’s Top 10 list — call your audition for it “the greatest?” Dan Jablons has. The actor was previously known for his work in series ranging from Curb Your Enthusiasm to Pam & Tommy, and his various upcoming projects include a new star-studded comedy series on ABC. But when we virtually sat down with Jablons, it was the story behind his breakthrough booking of The Out-Laws that was on the table.

Editor’s Note: This interview was conducted prior to the SAG-AFTRA strike.

The Out-Laws follows a strait-laced bank manager named Owen Browning (Adam Devine) who’s about to marry the love of his life, Parker (Nina Dobrev), when his bank is held up during the week of their wedding. To make matters worse, Owen begins to suspect that his future in-laws (Pierce Brosnan and Ellen Barkin) are the ones behind the robbery.

Jablons plays Gary in the film, an employee of the bank Owen manages, and during our chat, the actor revealed the audition scene that led to Devine calling his self tape “the greatest.” Jablons also shared how his approach to auditioning has been affected by the breakthrough booking. “I now realize it has to be my spin on whatever the thing is,” he asserted. “Either they love that, or they don’t.” He expanded on the idea, adding how his niche as a character actor plays into his approach. “I’m never going to be Tom Cruise, but I would like to play his lawyer,” Jablons said with a laugh.

Dan Jablons with Adam Devine on set of ‘The Out-Laws’. Courtesy of Dan Jablons.

When asked how landing a memorable role in a star-studded feature has impacted him so far, the comedic actor’s response did not disappoint. “People that would’ve stepped over my burning body to get to their locker in high school are reaching out to me on social media like, ‘Hey!’” Jablons quipped. “Now I’m much more popular than I was when I was 17 years old.” On a more serious note, Jablons shared how being in a number-one Netflix film has affected his career so far — producers of his upcoming projects are now referencing the actor with “as seen in The Out-Laws” when promoting those titles.

Michael Rooker and Dan Jablons on set of ‘The Out-Laws.’ Courtesy of Dan Jablons.

Before the interview wrapped, Jablons expressed gratitude for the opportunity to be a part of a film like The Out-Laws. “I think this movie has some legs to it because it makes people laugh,” he noted. “And they really took some pretty brave choices with the movie.”

You can hear more about the film — as well as the booking that led up to this breakthrough role in the actor’s career — with Jablons’ on-camera installment of My Casting Story.

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This video interview has been edited and condensed.

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