He brings the sexy to "Noah's Arc" – the Logo series and, opening next month, the feature film – but there's also a serious side to Jensen Atwood. In town to celebrate his birthday with a special party at Backstreet late last month, the actor sat down with Between The Lines to talk about his career and its trajectory.
"The route that my career has taken is not the route that I planned on it taking," Atwood mused. "But I'm on the right path and I'm thankful that it has taken the route that it has."
After studying acting at both California State University-Long Beach and Playhouse West in Los Angeles, Atwood's first break was a part in the television movie "Oprah Winfrey presents Their Eyes Were Watching God." But he became something of a phenomenon in gay circles after his debut in "Noah's Arc," the first black, gay television series and one of the first shows on the Logo network. As Wade, Noah's boyfriend, Atwood brought to life the struggle of a man, who thought he was straight, falling in love with another man for the first time. It's an understatement to say that he was an instant fan favorite.
"I never expected to have the fan base that I do," said Atwood. "'Noah's Arc' fans are so dedicated and I think the biggest reason is because 'Noah's Arc' has a bigger, deeper meaning than most television series. I get e-mails from fans talking about how 'Noah's Arc' has given them purpose, how it's given them positive images to look at and, hopefully, strive towards. The fan base is just phenomenal."
Arguably the highest rated show on the fledgling network, Atwood was as surprised as anyone when, after only two short seasons, Logo announced that it was canceling "Noah" and retooling the show as a feature film.
"I was just shocked, really," Atwood said. "I've heard a bunch of different reasons of why it got taken off the air. But, you know, I haven't got a real response from Logo. I would love for someone at Logo to be sat down in a nice interview and for some real questions to be asked, as far as why the show got canceled. Because I don't think anybody really has a real answer."
Despite the film announcement, many fans were afraid that they'd never see more of Noah and the gang. And even once production began, rumors ran rampant that Atwood was not going to be a part of the project.
"I think it started because it took Logo a while to actually get in touch with me," Atwood explained. "I was pretty much out of the loop as far as any type of information."
Much to the relief of Atwood fans everywhere, he is very much a part of the film, which will be out Oct. 24 in limited release (no Detroit date has been confirmed). In fact, "Noah's Arc – Jumping The Broom" sees the characters of Wade and Noah planning to get married.
"If you're a fan of the series, you're going to love the movie even more," said Atwood. "The fans can look forward to an exciting drama-filled romantic comedy."
With the filming of the "Noah" movie all wrapped up, Atwood has been able to focus on other projects, such as promoting his new calendar.
"It came about through myself and (photographer) Jerris Madison talking about branding the Jensen Atwood name," he said. "Talks about the calendar had been going on probably since 'Noah's Arc' started, just from the fans wanting more of Jensen Atwood or just wanting more of what they could get from 'Noah's Arc.'
"We shot it in the exotic location of Korea Town," Atwood continued with a laugh. "I've gotten e-mails with questions about where some of these photos were taken. There are a couple shots that looked like they could be anywhere, and it was on Jerris's roof in Korea Town."
Just as everyone who buys it has a favorite month, so, too, does Atwood.
"I really, really like November," he said. "There's something about that picture. As much as people like to tag me with different titles, that picture says Jensen to me."
Atwood has been busy traveling to promote the calendar, such as to the aforementioned birthday party at Backstreet.
"It's awesome to be next to the fans and see the real reactions that they have because of 'Noah's Arc,'" he said. "I'm thankful that the demand is there, you know, that the fans want to see me and see the calendar. It feels good to have support."
When not playing pin-up boy, Atwood is busy auditioning and working on other projects. Having joined the cast of "Dante's Cove" last season, he's hoping to return for season four. He's also attached to a new film that's in pre-production, "IE," that's set to star rapper Snoop Dogg. Atwood is also working on developing his own series.
"'Marco' is a labor of love," he said. "It's a series about father-son relationships that I play the lead in. I am also producing it and trying to get off the ground. Fingers crossed, and if things continue to go well, you will see it on the air."
So with roles in two series and a feature film coming up, has Atwood's career lived up to his Hollywood dream?
"In some ways it has lived up to my dream, and in other ways it continues to be a complete shock to me," he said. "That's one thing that I love about the entertainment business. There's always something new. Even when you think you know what's going on, there's always a curveball thrown at you."
But no matter what pitches come his way, Atwood is firmly planted and ready to tackle them. Unlike other poster boys, he keeps his ego firmly in check and humility front and center. With such attributes, it's a foregone conclusion that Atwood will go far.
"Whether I'm auditioning and someone's giving me the part or if I've got to create it myself, you will see more of Jensen Atwood," he said earnestly. "Without the fans I'm nothing, and with their support I can do anything."
Wanna check out Jensen Atwood's hot calendar? Visit http://www.menoferos.com. For more information on Atwood's upcoming appearances, visit http://www.myspace.com/jensenatwoodfanpage.
