Jasper Keen: From the high desert to the Big Island to a BFA, with some gay and guy-hugging roles and a hung bro

 

I was watching the first episode of Duster on MAX (I guess back to HBO now), a sort of homage to 1970s blacksploitation movies, with Josh Holloway of Lost bicker-flirting with the Get Christie Love-type Nina (who is not credited in the cast list).  While the Crime Boss is congratulating his staff on their latest caper, the long-haired, limp-wristed, femme-ringed Sean criticizes his coworker: "You're telling me you've never had fondue?  That sh*t is clutch!"

An obviously gay guy employed by a crime family in the 1970s?  He only appears in that one scene in an episode cluttered with Duster grinning as he is drooled over by endless scantily-clad women, all of whom have either had the most incredible experience of their life with him or are looking forward to one tonight, if he can squeeze them into his schedule. 

But one scene is enough.  I had to research the actor, to see if he is gay in real life.

His name is Jasper Keen.  When he's fully clothed, he's not much to look at - those long, gaunt "rodent boy" faces are a major turn-off -- but check out those biceps and washboard abs.  

Jasper spent his early childhood Cuyamungua, New Mexico, about 15 miles north of Santa Fe,  helping his parents "fix up properties in the high desert."

In fourth grade he moved with his parents to the Big Island of Hawaii, to live off the grid on a coffee farm, "working the fully off-grid eleven acres of jungle."  (he was home schooled).

He returned for high school enrolled at the  New Mexico School of the Arts.  Before graduating, he was in about 20 plays, from Into the Woods to Little Shop of Horrors.  He received the National Young Arts Award for theater in 2015.

Next Jasper enrolled at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, where he appeared in the gay-themed Spring Awakening and Cascarones.  He graduated with a BFA in Acting in 2020. 

He also took an Introduction to Shakespeare class in the Orkney Islands, which resulted in roles of Oberon in A Midsummer Night's Dream and Iago in Othello.

His on-screen acting begins in North Carolina, with the shorts Child's Play, Loser, Interstate 80, and Running, which has a gay theme: a man (Jim Boemio) goes for a run and ruminates on lost relationships, including one with Jasper.

Guest spots on tv followed, including episodes of Walker (2021) and Big Sky (2022).

A minor role in How to Blow Up a Pipeline (2022): Some environmental activists, including Lukas Gage, Marcus Scribner, and gay actor Forrest Goodluck, plan to blow up a pipeline. 

More after the break

A starring role in Escape from Long Island (2022): "Among the ruins of a doomed Long Island, three old friends must work out their complicated history in order to escape."  The friends are Jasper, left, and  Astro Rys and David Lawrence, the couple.  The leftover guy is Randy Spence.

And more guest roles: FBI, Outer Ranger, Platonic...

According to his IMDB entry, Jasper is known for:

Americana (2023): a wannabe country-western singer,a single mom, and some Lakotas fight over a rare Lakota Ghost Shirt.   That must be a very valuable shirt.  Some recognizable stars appear, including Simon Rex, Eric Dane, and Toby Huss.  Jasper doesn't appear in the trailer, but he notes in a red-carpet interview that he plays a villain named Reggie Dale.

The horror musical Opus (2025): Some journalists are invited to the compound of a pop icon (John Malkovich) and his cult, only to discover "his twisted plans for the evening." I imagine he's going to hunt them.  Jasper's character doesn't appear in the trailer or plot synopsis.

Looks like a lot of gay and queer-coded work.  Nothing of interest in Jasper's social media except this photo.  He's holding hands with another guy as they walk toward the Taquero Mucho restaurant in Austin. 

He comments "Te quiero mucho," either repeating the pun in the title or actually professing his love.  

But the guy is much shorter, like Jim Boemio, so maybe it's a scene from the Running short.  (Impossible to research online, as Jasper Keen is a shoe brand, so "Jasper Keen" and "Running" yields a lot of shoe discussions.)

Maybe I should research Jim Boemio instead: He graduated from the University of North Carolina the same yar as Jasper, with a BFA in Directing.  Ten freelance directing projects, plus a lot of work as a production assistant.

Not much of a physique, but short, artistic, into cats, and hung.

Darn, he's straight.  Back to Jasper Keen.

See also: Josh Fadem: From Tulsa to "Twin Peaks," with Groundlings, coffee, a glory hole, and some d*cks.

Victor Rivera: Summa cum laude theater arts grad, LARP-er, D&D player, stunt c*ck

Rescue Hi-Surf: Lifeguards rescue surfers, have soap opera problems, and one of them is hung