La Brea Star Jack Martin Talks Leaping From Social Media to Television

The 21st century has been home to multiple paradigm shifts in the hierarchy of media. The rise of social platforms like Twitter and Instagram have dwindled the power of cable, while the convenience of on-demand short-form video services like YouTube and TikTok have further drawn eyes away from television, with TikTok especially taking center stage these days. Not only has TikTok gained the preference of consumers, but the platforms have become a breeding ground for the next generation of creators. Aspiring artists like Nicky Youre, comedians like Sam Morrill, and actors like Jack Martin all have skyrocketed their careers thanks to the app.

Martin's starring filmography credits begin with NBC's La Brea, a sci-fi drama that chronicles the disastrous consequences of a sinkhole opening itself in Los Angeles, but the 24-year-old actor's career truly began to take form on TikTok. Speaking with ComicBook.com's Liam Crowley, Martin revealed that those unconventional beginnings almost never happened.

"I was an elitist about TikTok. I was like, 'I'm never downloading that app.' It's for 16 year olds to dance with their shirts off," Martin said. "Then I went on there and I realized you can just make anything. You can make any video, as long as it's a minute."

That realization sparked Martin's decision to start posting on the app, and the rest quickly became history.

"I saw some guy doing a sketch that was rich guys or something, and it was terrible. I was like, 'Oh, I could totally do that.' I started doing the skits. Started doing that more," Martin continued. "I actually got signed by a manager and an agent from that, which was the whole point of everything I was doing the whole time. Then I got this audition, which was my first pilot season audition ever. I booked it and here we are."

Martin plays Josh Harris, the son of Natalie Zea's Eve, who is one of the hundreds of people that plummets into the sinkhole in Season 1. There, he forms a bond with Veronica St. Clair's Riley Velez en route to navigating the uncharted territory that he and many others are now calling a temporary home.

While specifics regarding the sophomore installment remain close to the vest, Martin and St. Clair both teased that fans are in store for something special come Episode 6.

La Brea Season 2 premieres on September 27th at 9 PM ET on NBC.