J.R. Chandler
Encyclopedia
Adam "JR" Chandler, Jr. is a fictional character
from the daytime drama All My Children
. He was portrayed by actor Jacob Young
. Since his teenage years, the character has been commonly known by the nickname "JR", a variation of the suffix "Jr." The series has altered the character's birth date since his creation, and he is currently scripted as having been born on July 3, 1983. He is a member of the powerful and wealthy Chandler family
, son of Adam Chandler
and the great nephew of Palmer Cortlandt
.
The writers characterized JR as caring, but ruthless if betrayed, explaining the latter by way of his difficult upbringing. The character's softer personality has been attributed to his mother, Dixie Cooney
, as well as to his son, AJ, and true love Babe Carey
(who was killed off by the series in 2008). Credited as significantly complex, he has been cited as a television anti-hero
, and "bad boy", and his struggles with family, romantic partners, and alcohol addiction
have been documented in literature.
, who had been on The Bold and the Beautiful
(Rick Forrester
) and General Hospital
(Lucky Spencer
) prior to joining All My Children
, stated that he had good instincts, but that he "was young and kind of doe-eyed to the world" then. It was not until the actor stepped into the All My Children role of JR Chandler that his acting range became more focused. He started to use tools he learned in classes and felt that his acting became more refined because of it. With his portrayal of JR, he explained how this factored in: "They twisted JR in a completely different direction," he stated. "They started off with JR not respecting his father and having a lot of elements of his mother in him. He was much more soft. Then they started toying with it and couldn't believe what was coming out of me. I'd always been the nice, honorable guy; I'd never been the character who was stirring the pot."
JR's rich lifestyle was something that Young noted not being familiar with, stating that the JR persona did not come to him until he would put on the suit. "They put me in these nice designer suits, and I suddenly feel like a million bucks. Then I take that million-buck feeling and go a little sinister with it."
One aspect of JR's personality are "devious tones" sometimes present in his dialogue. "When the character is in a good mood and has the upper hand, he has all these one-liners," Young relayed. When working with former All My Children co-star Alexa Havins
(ex-Babe Carey
), Young would often shock Havins with the character's words. To make sure she was unaware of how he was going to deliver a crass line, he would keep it hidden [during rehearsal]. "You can break the wording down and make it a little more offensive," he cited. "And I try to nail that because that's what JR's supposed to do."
The writers were looking for an actor who could truly radiate the essence of Adam Chandler
's son, and felt that taking JR down the path of darkness would help with that. Young, the actor chosen as best suited for the part, detailed the transition: "They wanted it to be 'like father, like son,' so I watched David Canary
's (Adam) mannerisms and delivery. I tried to mold those into my own, enough to where I could be his son. They started writing my dialogue like his. He has some one-liners that are pretty funny. David is as big a goofball as I am onset. He's like, 'Here's my boy!' We have a great dynamic together."
Young's portrayal of JR propelled the character into one of the show's more popular and hated characters.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
from the daytime drama All My Children
All My Children
All My Children is an American television soap opera that aired on ABC from January 5, 1970 to September 23, 2011. Created by Agnes Nixon, All My Children is set in Pine Valley, Pennsylvania, a fictitious suburb of Philadelphia. The show features Susan Lucci as Erica Kane, one of daytime's most...
. He was portrayed by actor Jacob Young
Jacob Young
Jacob Wayne Young is an American actor and singer. He is perhaps best known for his role as JR Chandler on the ABC daytime soap opera All My Children...
. Since his teenage years, the character has been commonly known by the nickname "JR", a variation of the suffix "Jr." The series has altered the character's birth date since his creation, and he is currently scripted as having been born on July 3, 1983. He is a member of the powerful and wealthy Chandler family
Chandler family
The Chandler family is a fictional family from the ABC soap opera All My Children. The Chandler family is one of the most powerful and wealthiest families in daytime television history. Rising up from poverty in Pigeon Hollow, the Chandlers now stand as the prominent family in Pine Valley...
, son of Adam Chandler
Adam Chandler
Adam Chandler, Sr. is a fictional character from the daytime drama All My Children, portrayed by David Canary from December 1983 through his departure on April 23, 2010. Adam Chandler was one of the most devious and powerful individuals within the town of Pine Valley, Pennsylvania...
and the great nephew of Palmer Cortlandt
Palmer Cortlandt
Palmer Cortlandt is a fictional character on the long-running ABC soap opera All My Children, played by James Mitchell from 1979 to 2010. A major character until 1982, when health issues forced him to reduce his work load, Mitchell continued to appear regularly on the show until May 2007 when he...
.
The writers characterized JR as caring, but ruthless if betrayed, explaining the latter by way of his difficult upbringing. The character's softer personality has been attributed to his mother, Dixie Cooney
Dixie Cooney Martin
Dixie Cooney Martin is a fictional character from the American daytime drama All My Children. The character's run lasted from July 1988 to June 1996, again from July 3, 1998 to February 26, 2002, from December 23, 2005 to January 31, 2007 with appearances from May to June 2008 and April 2010 before...
, as well as to his son, AJ, and true love Babe Carey
Babe Carey
Arabella "Babe" Carey Chandler is a fictional character from the American daytime drama All My Children. She was originally portrayed by actress Alexa Havins, from October 13, 2003 to October 8, 2007, and then by actress Amanda Baker from October 8, 2007 to October 31, 2008...
(who was killed off by the series in 2008). Credited as significantly complex, he has been cited as a television anti-hero
Anti-hero
In fiction, an antihero is generally considered to be a protagonist whose character is at least in some regards conspicuously contrary to that of the archetypal hero, and is in some instances its antithesis in which the character is generally useless at being a hero or heroine when they're...
, and "bad boy", and his struggles with family, romantic partners, and alcohol addiction
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
have been documented in literature.
Character creation
Actor Jacob YoungJacob Young
Jacob Wayne Young is an American actor and singer. He is perhaps best known for his role as JR Chandler on the ABC daytime soap opera All My Children...
, who had been on The Bold and the Beautiful
The Bold and the Beautiful
The Bold and the Beautiful is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS Daytime. It premiered on March 23, 1987....
(Rick Forrester
Rick Forrester
Eric "Rick" Forrester Jr. is a fictional character from the daytime soap opera The Bold and The Beautiful. The role was originated by child actor Jeremy Snider from 1991–1995. Then the character was aged to a teen with Steve Hartman from 1995-1997 and Jacob Young from 1997-1999. Rick was recast by...
) and General Hospital
General Hospital
General Hospital is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running American soap opera currently in production and the third longest running drama in television in American history after Guiding Light and As the World Turns....
(Lucky Spencer
Lucky Spencer
Lucas Lorenzo "Lucky" Spencer, Jr. is a fictional character on the ABC soap opera, General Hospital. He is the son of legendary super couple Luke Spencer and Laura Webber.-Casting:...
) prior to joining All My Children
All My Children
All My Children is an American television soap opera that aired on ABC from January 5, 1970 to September 23, 2011. Created by Agnes Nixon, All My Children is set in Pine Valley, Pennsylvania, a fictitious suburb of Philadelphia. The show features Susan Lucci as Erica Kane, one of daytime's most...
, stated that he had good instincts, but that he "was young and kind of doe-eyed to the world" then. It was not until the actor stepped into the All My Children role of JR Chandler that his acting range became more focused. He started to use tools he learned in classes and felt that his acting became more refined because of it. With his portrayal of JR, he explained how this factored in: "They twisted JR in a completely different direction," he stated. "They started off with JR not respecting his father and having a lot of elements of his mother in him. He was much more soft. Then they started toying with it and couldn't believe what was coming out of me. I'd always been the nice, honorable guy; I'd never been the character who was stirring the pot."
JR's rich lifestyle was something that Young noted not being familiar with, stating that the JR persona did not come to him until he would put on the suit. "They put me in these nice designer suits, and I suddenly feel like a million bucks. Then I take that million-buck feeling and go a little sinister with it."
One aspect of JR's personality are "devious tones" sometimes present in his dialogue. "When the character is in a good mood and has the upper hand, he has all these one-liners," Young relayed. When working with former All My Children co-star Alexa Havins
Alexa Havins
Alexa Carole Havins is an American actress. She first came to prominence in 2003, when she became the originating actor in the role of Babe Carey Chandler on the daytime drama All My Children...
(ex-Babe Carey
Babe Carey
Arabella "Babe" Carey Chandler is a fictional character from the American daytime drama All My Children. She was originally portrayed by actress Alexa Havins, from October 13, 2003 to October 8, 2007, and then by actress Amanda Baker from October 8, 2007 to October 31, 2008...
), Young would often shock Havins with the character's words. To make sure she was unaware of how he was going to deliver a crass line, he would keep it hidden [during rehearsal]. "You can break the wording down and make it a little more offensive," he cited. "And I try to nail that because that's what JR's supposed to do."
The writers were looking for an actor who could truly radiate the essence of Adam Chandler
Adam Chandler
Adam Chandler, Sr. is a fictional character from the daytime drama All My Children, portrayed by David Canary from December 1983 through his departure on April 23, 2010. Adam Chandler was one of the most devious and powerful individuals within the town of Pine Valley, Pennsylvania...
's son, and felt that taking JR down the path of darkness would help with that. Young, the actor chosen as best suited for the part, detailed the transition: "They wanted it to be 'like father, like son,' so I watched David Canary
David Canary
David Hoyt Canary is an American actor, who starred in both soap operas and prime time television. He is best known for his roles as the ranch foreman, Candy Canaday on Bonanza and identical twins Adam Chandler from 1983 to 2010 and Stuart Chandler from 1984 to 2009 on the daytime serial, All My...
's (Adam) mannerisms and delivery. I tried to mold those into my own, enough to where I could be his son. They started writing my dialogue like his. He has some one-liners that are pretty funny. David is as big a goofball as I am onset. He's like, 'Here's my boy!' We have a great dynamic together."
Young's portrayal of JR propelled the character into one of the show's more popular and hated characters.