Jacob Artist Explains Why 'The Get Together' Is a Great Escape (Exclusive)

Jacob Artist says his new film, "The Get Together," is a great escape from the "insanity" of the past year.

"The Get Together" follows four twenty-somethings whose lives intertwine during a Friday night house party in Austin. Artist stars as Damien, who plans to propose to his girlfriend Betsy (Johanna Braddy) while the two are in town visiting. However, Damien's secret proposal plans are thrown out the window after he and Betsy run into Betsy's old friend, who invites them to the party.

TooFab caught up with Artist to chat about the coming-of-age comedy. The 28-year-old actor explained why the film can be a form of escapism for viewers right now, opened up about reuniting with his "Quantico" co-star, Johanna Braddy, and shared hilarious details about filming scenes in a pool.

Check out the full Q&A, below!

What drew you to "The Get Together?"

"I just loved the script. I thought what each of these four people were going through was super relatable at that time in your life in your twenties and you're figuring out what's next. Johanna, who plays Betsy, we had worked together before in the past [on 'Quantico.'] I have been friends with her for a while so we had a history to bring to the relationship of these characters, which was really exciting for the both of us."

How was it reuniting with her?

"It was great. The roles that we play, we're in a relationship, and obviously, [my character is] trying to propose to her. So it's like a big deal for him. And I think with any relationship in TV or film, when you know the person beforehand, it just helps make everything more three-dimensional. It just brings more of a chemistry and you feel like they really are dating as opposed to it just being like on the surface."

What, if anything, do you have in common with your character, Damien?

"I think that I relate to him kind of just wanting to have everything go according to plan. [It's a] big moment in his life and he wants it to go well and he wants the parents to be happy and he wants Betsy to be happy. I think that's super relatable for a lot of people -- when something's really important to you, you just want it to go well. I think he could relax a little bit. I think that that's definitely something that resonated [with] me. Ultimately, he ends up at this party and its sort of throwing him for a loop and I think he probably learned a valuable lesson in that moment about just kind of going with the flow and not being so neurotic about it."

Your character is put through the wringer in this film -- no pun intended -- as he faces some obstacles before asking his girlfriend to marry him, including possibly losing the engagement ring in a pool. What was it like filming in the pool? How many takes did you have to shoot to get it right?

"It was pretty much like a whole day where I was in the pool because there were a couple of times that I fall in and then I'm sort of like fighting somebody in there. And so it was like a full day [with] drenched clothes, pruney hands, like swimming around in this pool. You read it in the script and it's like, 'Oh yeah, he's in a pool. Cool.' And then you realize the logistics of it and you're like, 'Oh my God. Okay. I'm going to be drenched in clothes for 24 hours. This is going to be amazing.'"

"It wasn't too bad. It was Austin in the summer. So it was really warm outside and the pool wasn't freezing or anything. It honestly wasn't that bad. I think on the day I was dreading it and then after like take four, I was like, 'Okay, so he's in a pool. This is normal.'"

This film is so much fun. Did you and your fellow cast members bond off set as well? Any fun memories you can share?

"Right when we got there our director Will [Bakke] had everybody over in the cast. I had never been to Austin before. I had shot in the South, but never Austin and I heard such great things. And I think that first night just meeting everybody and drinking and having a good time and just kind of building the chemistry with everybody ... it was really, really fun."

During the past year, many people have said it's a little bizarre to watch movie scenes in which people gather in large groups. Is it weird for you to watch this film now amid the pandemic?

"Yeah. I mean it is. We shot it right before the pandemic and to see a movie with people socially interacting after the last year is quite f------ surreal. I miss that. I miss that energy and that vibe of going to a house or meeting people or hanging out with people. So I think it'll be refreshing to kind of see that happening again and also simultaneously a bit weird."

Do you think this film is a good escape for people right now? Why or why not?

"I do. I think so. I mean, it's these four people who are in their twenties kind of at that moment where they're figuring out what's next, which is super relatable in and of itself. But also [after] the past year, I think seeing something that's just kind of feel good and it's funny and there's a lot of heart, I think that that escape into this world and this story, I think people will really like it. I think that it'll be good coming off of this insanity that we've all been experiencing."

Anything else you'd like to add?

"I think just that I am super excited for people to see this. Courtney Parchman, who on social media is @averagefashionblogger, she's so funny on her social media and in this movie, she has so much charisma and so much heart. I just think everything came together with these four people really well. I just love the story and I hope that people enjoy it as much as we enjoyed making it."

"The Get Together" is available on demand on May 14.