By ALEXANDREA BAILEY
editor@portisabelsouthpadre.com
“The day one of my films debut is the same kind of thrill I get on an audition day.” ~ Morris Jude.
Morris Jude, a Port Isabel native and Point Isabel ISD Class of 2015 graduate turned actor, has been following his dreams, appearing on screens across America, since his television debut in 2022. Jude’s latest
Lifetime movie, Be Careful What You Say, premiered Thursday, Dec. 12.
After graduating from Port Isabel Highschool, Jude pursued higher education at the University of Austin, where he received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in acting. He graduated university in 2019 and then immediately
moved to Los Angeles, motivated by big city desire.
“I think I always knew that I wanted to be in the big city, particularly Los Angeles because the film and television industry always interested me,” said Jude. “The route that made sense to me was to jump right into
it as soon as I could.”
Growing up as a theatre kid in the Rio Grande Valley, LA was a “new world” for Jude. However, so driven by his special love for T.V. and film, being there felt right, according to Jude. He describes the transition to
the big city as “scary in a good way.”
“I think I am a person who enjoys challenges, and the everyday life of an actor is something that is a constant challenge,” said Jude. “But it’s something that’s very rewarding in the long run.”
Jude quickly signed with a manager and an agency after his big move, and jumped right into auditioning. His agency secured him many in-person auditions for films, T.V. shows, commercials and live theatre
performances. This continued steadily for a period of time according to Jude. And then, the pandemic hit.
“That definitely derailed everyone’s sort of trajectory out here,” said Jude.
He says that things “picked up” for him again early 2021, when he booked his first film, Swim Instructor Nightmare. This film was Jude’s introduction to professional filmmaking. It was the first time he ever
stepped foot onto a professional film set, and according to him, he had so much fun jumping right into it.
“It was amazing. That was such a great experience,” said Jude.
Swim Instructor Nightmare was also Jude’s introduction to film director Doug Cambell, who also directed Be Careful What You Say. He’s known for his work in thrillers and dramas. According to IMDB, Cambell,
who also moonlights as a screenwriter, has directed over 50 feature films, mostly for television, and written 35 scripts produced for screen. Popular titles directed by Cambell include My Daughter’s Ransom, The
Surrogate, The Tomorrow Man and Stalked by My Doctor.
“He’s fantastic. He’s been in the game for a long time. He’s a very actor-friendly director so he knows how to talk to the crew members and to the actors in such a harmonious way. He also invites creativity and
bringing yourself to the table, so it’s a really collaborative effort when you’re working with him, which is why I enjoy it.” said Jude.
In his latest film, Be Careful What You Say, Jude plays Zack, the cohost of a podcast called Dear Iris, a collaborative effort between Zack and his best friend Iris, played by Skye Coyne, where the two give life
advice.
“We give advice to this one woman who’s having difficulties with her son and unfortunately, she does not like the advice because things go a little awry, and she takes revenge on us,” explained Jude.
Jude says he instantly related to Zack, so it was easy to find pieces of himself in the character’s writing. In fact, the writers rewrote Zack a bit, to match Jude’s persona. According to Jude, he related to Zack’s
bubbly, out-going and outspoken personality, as well as his confidant take on friendship.
“Stories that feel very visceral and exciting are always the ones that entice me. When I see a script, there’s always potential there, and with this one, I saw it right away,” said Jude. “I saw something that spoke to me
about how I can tell this story.”
A highlight of the filming process for Jude was the “fantastic” cast he worked alongside, some of whom he had known personally. According to Jude, he also forged new friendships on set and looks forward to
working with these peers in the future.
According to Jude, prior to filming, to garner a more authentic screen friendship with podcast cohost Iris, he and Coyne got together to discuss their roles and their character’s relationship dynamic.
“It was funny because it took us five seconds to become friends,” said Jude.
Be Careful What You Say was filmed completely in Los Angeles over a three-to-four-week period, says Jude. Now that production has wrapped up, he is looking towards the future, stacking a multitude of projects to
tackle in 2025.
“The sky is the limit,” said Jude. “It’s going to be a great year and I am really looking forward to continuing the momentum.”
Jude fondly looks back on his Port Isabel days as a “humbling experience,” due to the tight-knit community that raised him. He says his friends and family have always supported him since day one.
“Thank you so much for always believing in me and supporting my dreams as an actor,” said Jude. “To anyone else who wants to do it, go for it. Do not second guess. Just dive right in.”
More information on Jude is available at morrisjude.com. Be Careful What You Say will show again Sunday, Dec. 22, on Lifetime Movie Network, at 7 p.m. central time.
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