Jarret LeMaster Takes on Iconic Role of Bumblebee
Jarret LeMaster has portrayed some rather dark characters, including Satan, Adolf Hitler, and Judas Iscariot. However, he is now stepping into a role within one of pop culture’s cherished franchises as Bumblebee.
The actor, known for his work in Christian media and as a former worship leader, lends his voice to the Autobots in “Optimus Prime: Awakening,” an animated short that accompanies the 40th-anniversary theatrical rerelease of “The Transformers: The Movie.”
Despite this, LeMaster expressed one aversion when it comes to his on-screen performances: kissing a woman. He said, “I don’t wanna kiss anybody, and, so, playing bad guys makes a lot of sense for me. They never kiss anybody, you know. They just murder them.”
“When you’re murdering somebody, you’re always pretending,” he elaborated. “When you’re kissing someone, you are actually kissing them. And that’s my line. I don’t wanna cross that line.”
In jest, he noted, “Playing bad guys really works for my family. And then my kids can look up to me as a great villain.”
LeMaster’s unique background includes years in church ministry. He still volunteers and leads worship at his local church but tends to keep certain aspects of his acting career private.
He mentioned that some fans are upset by his roles as characters like ‘Woke Jesus’ or even the devil and Hitler, while the reaction to Bumblebee has been overwhelmingly positive. “For some reason, people are very excited about that,” he said.
His foray into acting began unexpectedly when he was asked to portray a Russian murderer for a sketch at The Babylon Bee, a Christian satire outlet. “We need a Russian murderer. You kind of look like that,” he recalled being told. Initially, he thought the organization was based in a whimsical location like Narnia before realizing it was based in California.
LeMaster humorously remarked, “I don’t know why I always get cast as bad characters. I think it’s probably just because I’m bald. … I blame the media. I blame [actor] Jason Statham.”
Now, in “Optimus Prime: Awakening,” he takes on the role of Bumblebee alongside notable voice actors like Frank Welker and the late Peter Cullen as Optimus Prime. This short film was so well received that it exceeded initial box-office expectations, leading to additional theatrical dates through October 7.
At first, LeMaster underestimated the significance of the project because it was helmed by a friend. But as he learned more about the involvement of Cullen, he reflected on the qualities of Optimus Prime, such as “strength, gentleness, and kindness,” and how he symbolizes protection for the weak.
“Who am I? Why do I get to play Bumblebee?” he pondered.
For him, the role also connects to his faith: “It’s an opportunity to sort of spread good news in the kingdom through robots,” he explained.
Even though he’s now an Autobot, LeMaster still finds portraying Satan enjoyable. He noted, “I love playing the devil because he is so much like me,” and humorously wondered, “What if the devil was an HR director?” in one of his sketches.
Yet, beneath the humor lies a thoughtful approach to villainy. He looks for a glimmer of goodness in each character’s motivation, pondering how it might become distorted. “There’s nothing that the devil can create in and of himself,” he stated. “He can only take what’s good, and he can twist it.” Ultimately, he believes, “You always start with a good guy, and then you can twist it to something evil.” This thoughtful examination is what he feels makes compelling villains.
