Jonathan Rosenthal Faces an Unexpected Reality in The Abandon

Jonathan Rosenthal has long embraced challenging roles, but his latest project,  The Abandon, pushed him to new heights. This sci-fi thriller follows Rosenthal’s character, Miles Willis, an injured U.S. soldier who awakens in a mysterious cube after witnessing a blinding light on the battlefield in Iraq. Armed only with his combat gear.

This high-stakes film–which bridges the science-fiction and thriller genres–follows Rosenthal’s character as he works to unravel the mystery of why he is in this strange reality, and how he hopes to survive it.

A rollercoaster filming process

The Abandon was not an easy film to make. With Rosenthal on screen for 95% of the film, he had to carry the movie almost entirely on his own. Filming on a tight budget over 15 days added to the pressure. Rosenthal spent three months preparing for the role, immersing himself in both the character and the physical demands of the part. “The physical task was equally daunting,” Rosenthal notes. “I knew from day one I’d have no stunt double and no room for injury.”

Rosenthal goes on to add that the isolation his character experiences drove him to dive into that aspect of the role. He says that he shared his love, said his “goodbye for nows” to family and friends, and lived in that character for almost three months with next to no contact from the world beyond production.

A challenge taken head-on

Rosenthal has always loved a challenge, and loves nothing more than being told he “can’t” do something, or even “shouldn’t” or “won’t.”

“My drive in acting is strictly for me,” the actor says. “The only thing success or accolades do is make it a little easier to keep pushing the rock up that hill.”

Rosenthal states that his love for challenging storytelling is what compels him as an actor. Embodying what you’re not, or exposing what you are, is ultimately part of the process, which he describes as “bringing the imagined to life.”

“It’s a lifelong love affair that fortunately or unfortunately can’t be derailed by anything,” he says.

Already highly-rated

Though the film hit select theaters on July 19, and digital on July 30, the Lionsgate distributed production has already received high praise, currently sitting at 91% on Rotten Tomatoes and was an award winner for the Montreal Independent Film Festival and others.

What’s next for Jonathan Rosenthal

Jonathan Rosenthal is ready to take on his next challenging role. In the next few years, Rosenthal states that he wants to keep making the movies that he would like to see–and hopes in the end that “enough people share his taste.”

Rosenthal’s role in The Abandon as a wounded soldier in a mysterious circumstance is not one you want to miss. You can find out more about the film now by here.

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