Jansen Andre, a young actor known for his work on the popular Australian sitcom “Summer Heights High,” has shared insights into the emotional challenges he faced while playing his character.
The mockumentary series, produced by Chris Lilley, centered around the daily happenings at a fictional high school as its main subject matter.
On the “Mind Your Head” podcast, Jansen shared that his role in the well-known series actually worsened the bullying he was subjected to during his high school years.
In the show, Jansen portrayed Sebastian, an eighth-grader who initiates a romance with senior student Ja’mie King, a character brought to life by the series creator Lilley.
Growing up, I was a kid model because my mom managed a talent agency. This put me under the spotlight frequently, and I often faced teasing from other children.
‘The biggest one for me, I was in a show called Summer Heights High when I was 11 years old.
That originated during my seventh year, which marks the start of high school. In this production, I portrayed the character named Sebastian. At that time, I was involved with Ja’mie, a character played by Chris Lilley in real life. Interestingly, although Ja’mie is a female character, Chris Lilley is a man off-screen.
As I attended a single-gender, private institution for young men, you might visualize the experiences I underwent. Needless to say, I faced various terminologies specific to that environment.
Jansen added that it wasn’t just taunts and jibes he was subjected to, but also physical violence.
He surprisingly confessed that, given the challenges school poses for most people, they might criticize me harshly if I offered them something to hold onto.
‘I would do anything to push those comments away so I could feel like I was part of the group.’
Even though he was in just two episodes of Summer Heights High, Jansen confessed that the character continued to bother him even after it had been broadcasted.
‘I was always the one that was bullied,’ he said.
When I was around 13 or 14 years old, I was forced to give away my money. During that period, I encountered some harmful groups, which eventually led to physical altercations between us. We had our fair share of disagreements and conflicts.
Despite his ordeal, Jansen said that he did not resent being cast in the series.
He remarked, “I’m not sure if I felt resentment or not, but it seemed to only add kindling to the already growing reasons why I was being bullied even further.
‘I never look back and wish it never happened.
From the timid, often bullied boy yearning for approval, I’ve blossomed into the man I am now, and I wouldn’t trade that journey for anything.
Following Chris Lilley’s announcement about the return of cherished Summer Heights High character, Mr. G, Jansen has now admitted something.
In April, the comedian posted on Instagram a video snippet featuring him in character as the famous teacher from his TV show.
In the video, Chris was noticeably tapping his foot, adjusting his tie, crossing his arms, and yes, bouncing in an embarrassed manner on his bright pink exercise ball.
Stepping right into the spotlight once more, I found myself against a cool gray backdrop – and lo and behold, the words “Mr. G is Back” gleamed boldly in vibrant red letters, lending credence to the buzz that our beloved Aussie comedian was dusting off his side-splitting persona for another screen appearance.
In July 2021, four of his TV series were taken off Netflix because of worries about racially insensitive “blackface” representations.
It’s been revealed that shows like “Jonah from Tonga,” “Angry Boys,” “Summer Heights High,” and “We Can Be Heroes” will no longer be available on Netflix in both Australia and New Zealand.
As a die-hard fan, I can’t help but notice the troubling depiction of racial insensitivity in these shows, where certain characters donned blackface and brownface, stirring up uncomfortable questions about racial prejudice.
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2025-05-13 05:34