Imagine strolling into a screening and spotting someone who seems utterly ordinary someone you might sit next to on a plane and yet within minutes that person reveals a dark, intense life you did not see coming. That’s what watching Jesse Plemons at this moment in his career feels like. His name has been quietly building for years, and in 2025 he is stepping into new territories that signal he’s ready for something more. In this article we’ll cover his latest roles in 2025, his trademark character-actor style, a curated list of his lesser-known films, how he transforms for roles, a recent 2025-era interview, his upcoming projects and early career facts. You’ll come away seeing how this actor works, where he’s headed and why he matters.
New Roles in 2025: What’s on His Plate
In 2025, Jesse Plemons is not resting on past laurels. He is attached to two major projects that signal a shift.
Bugonia (2025)
Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos and co-starring Emma Stone, this dark comedy-thriller casts Plemons as Teddy Gatz, a conspiracy-obsessed beekeeper who kidnaps a CEO he suspects is an alien. The film premiered at Venice and lands in U.S. theatres October 24, 2025. His comments at Telluride called it “the hardest thing I’ve ever done.”
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping (2026)
It’s slightly future-looking, but the casting matters now: Plemons is set to play a younger version of Plutarch Heavensbee in the next installment of the The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping prequel. The film is scheduled for November 20, 2026, but being attached to this kind of multi-tentpole franchise signals a new chapter.
These projects mark two shifts: one toward auteur-driven, smaller scale (Bugonia) and one toward franchise visibility (Hunger Games). They show his range and positioning in 2025.
The Character-Actor Style of Jesse Plemons
Plemons occupies a rare place: he is a “star” in the sense of name recognition but retains the hallmarks of a character actor: unusual details, surprising turns, emotional reserve. Critics have described him as an “oxymoronic star-character actor.”
- Understated menace
- His famous role as Todd Alquist on Breaking Bad turned polite Midwestern charm into chilling violence.
- Stillness as power
- In The Power of the Dog he conveys layers of emotion through silence. His nomination for Academy Award Best Supporting Actor testified to that.
- Versatility within restraint
- From comedic oddball (Game Night) to existential lead (I’m Thinking of Ending Things), his core technique remains: presence, attention, slight disquiet.
In an interview, Plemons said: “You make the connection and get the release and whoosh, it’s gone On good days it’s not a problem.” That reveals his self-awareness, something rare for actors operating at this level without becoming “brands.”
Lesser-Known Movies Worth Watching
While many know his major roles, here are some less-publicised films that reveal his range. These films often fly under the radar but reward close viewing.
- Other People (2016) He plays David, a young man dealing with family and mortality. Subtle and heartfelt.
- Jungle Cruise (2021) A more conventional Hollywood outing (Disney adventure) in which Plemons plays a villain with energetic flair.
- The Discovery (2017) A sci-fi dramatic piece where he plays Toby, dealing with the consequences of discovering the afterlife.
- Hostiles (2017) In this western-themed drama, Plemons appears as a supporting actor with compelling quiet intensity.
- Windfall (2022) A psychological thriller in which Plemons plays a tech billion-aire in crisis. Netflix’s own career-overview of his trajectories highlights that role as a turning-point.
These picks showcase how he often chooses smaller or mid-budget films and is willing to experiment. For the cine-curious, they allow you to trace how his craft evolved before major awards recognition.
Transformation for Roles: Commitment & Evolution
One thing you’ll note: Plemons isn’t flashy about transformations, but the work is there.
- Weight gain in Black Mass (2015)
- He admitted that his decision to gain weight for the role “did mess me up a bit.”
- Weight loss for Civil War (2024)
- He attributed his loss of weight to lifestyle change and said it “opened another door” to potential parts.
These changes were not just physical but strategic. Our hands-on observation of his career arc shows that the weight-loss period coincided with more leading or semi-leading roles, more varied genres, and a shift in the kinds of characters he is offered. A common challenge we see for character actors is being cast in type; Plemons appears to be intentionally expanding his palette while retaining the signature intensity.
Interview Insights 2025
In a recent interview at the Telluride Film Festival for Bugonia, Plemons reflected: “It’s a funny experience all of that.” He described the film’s director-led approach and his own mental preparation for playing a man consumed by belief and guilt.
Key take-aways:
- He values process and play: he described rehearsal work that required embracing absurdity (in his collaboration with Lanthimos) as a way to unlock authenticity.
- He remains grounded: despite accolades, he speaks about acting as “make believe,” similar to how he began as a kid.
- He is selective: In the same interview he acknowledged his earlier body-transformation decision impacted his options and his self-view; that suggests maturity and self-knowledge.
Upcoming Projects Beyond 2025
We’ve already noted the Hunger Games prequel. In addition:
- Zero Day A limited series for Netflix, starring Plemons alongside Robert De Niro and Lizzy Caplan. It extends his television presence in high-visibility streaming format.
- Talks about being “on the list” for a major antagonist role in a future Star Wars film surfaced in 2025, though not officially cast yet.
Our prediction: Plemons will continue bridging auteur-driven work and franchise cinema. That duality gives him both longevity and versatility.
Early Career Facts: From Texas Town to Screen
Here’s a compact spotlight on his formative years and how they shaped his craft:
- Born April 2, 1988, in Dallas, Texas, raised in Mart (population ~2,000) near Waco.
- First acting credit: a Coca-Cola commercial at age three.
- Worked as an extra in local westerns and film shoots during childhood his father rode horses and his family had that rural connection.
- Breakthrough TV role: Landry Clarke on NBC’s Friday Night Lights (2006-2011). He was 18 when cast.
- Took on guest roles and small film parts before his breakthrough in major film work, steadily building what many call a “long game.”
These roots small-town, riding horses, acting as a child appear beneath his screen personae: there’s often the quiet exterior and the simmering internal life. It’s what gives him credibility as a character actor rather than a conventional star.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes Jesse Plemons a “character actor” rather than a traditional leading man?
He often plays secondary, supporting or unusual characters, uses stillness and nuance rather than bombast, and is less about star-glory and more about role-depth. His versatility allows him to anchor big films without dominating them.
Which role was his breakout?
He began earning attention on Friday Night Lights (2006-11) as Landry Clarke. From there his appearance in Breaking Bad (2012-13) as Todd Alquist cemented his distinctiveness.
What are his major upcoming films in 2025/26?
In 2025 he stars in Bugonia; in 2026 he is cast as a key figure in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping.
How did he prepare for his intense role in Bugonia?
He collaborated closely with director Yorgos Lanthimos, embraced absurdist rehearsal techniques (such as Monty Python-style scenes) to loosen his instinct and channel the film’s tone.
Has he undergone physical transformations for roles?
Yes. For example, he gained weight for the 2015 film Black Mass and later lost significant weight for Civil War; he has spoken frankly about the impact of these changes.
Why do people compare him to Matt Damon?
Observers noted a resemblance when he appeared in All the Pretty Horses (his scene was cut) and Damon himself said Plemons looked more like he did in his youth.
Where did he grow up and how did that shape his acting?
Plemons grew up in Mart, Texas; his early immersion in Western extras, football-playing high school years, and a small-town mindset inform his grounded, natural screen presence.
Conclusion
Jesse Plemons stands at an inflection point. From his early days in Mart, Texas, through supporting turns and breakthrough TV roles, to major film recognition and now big-budget attachment, he has steadily built a craft rooted in subtlety, depth and risk. In 2025 his choice of projects Bugonia’s auteur-edge and The Hunger Games prequel’s franchise weight signal he’s ready to expand both the scale and the substance of his work. As audiences change and streaming and theatrical models shift, understanding how an actor like Plemons navigates this landscape offers insight into cinema’s character-actor frontier. For fans, industry watchers, and film-lovers alike, tracking his next move will be rewarding. And one thing seems clear: keeping an eye on Jesse Plemons is a smart bet.
