Jordan Firstman brings a softer side to screen in directorial debut 'Club Kid'

Actor and filmmaker Jordan Firstman wanted his ​directorial debut, "Club Kid", to reveal a side ​of himself audiences had not seen ‌before.

"In ​my real life, I'm very sensitive. I'm very emotional," he told Reuters. "I wanted to wear my heart on my sleeve and make a movie ‌that reflected that." In "Club Kid", Firstman stars as Peter, an underground club promoter whose life is transformed by the discovery he has a 10-year-old son, Arlo, who needs to be looked after.

The film, which also stars supermodel-turned-actor ‌Cara Delevingne and Mexican actor Diego Calva, follows Peter, a character kind but flawed and burdened by ‌low self-esteem, as he learns to care for others. Firstman rose to prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic with a series of satirical impression videos. He later played a brash social media influencer in "Rotting in the Sun", and an irritable celebrity stylist in "I Love LA".

Peter ⁠offered ​a contrast to some ⁠of those previous roles. "I had played sometimes just harder characters with more of a shell up," Firstman said, adding that he ⁠considered himself "a pretty caring person" in real life.

"Yeah, sometimes," said Reggie Absolom, who plays Arlo in the movie. "Club Kid" emerged ​as one of the unexpected breakout titles at this year’s Cannes Film Festival and earned ⁠a seven-minute standing ovation.

"Nothing could have prepared me for that week," Firstman said of the film's reception. "When the screening happened, I just remember ⁠every ​joke was hitting. You were hearing sniffles in the audience, and I was like, 'Okay, something's happening.'" After Cannes, the film screened at festivals including Toronto and New York. Firstman said that he and Absolom ⁠bonded quickly during production and grew even closer while travelling together to promote the film.

For 14-year-old Absolom, making ⁠his feature-film debut, the on-set ⁠experience was formative. "I think he taught me everything that needed to be taught to me," Absolom said. "I feel like I was a better actor by ‌the end."

"Club Kid" opens ‌in US cinemas on Friday.