History Rarely Belongs to One Person
When audiences remember an icon, the spotlight naturally settles on a single name.
But history is never made alone.
Behind every celebrated figure are the friends, colleagues, commanders and fellow service members who shared the uncertainty, responsibility and sacrifice of the moment.
In the forthcoming film JIMMY, Julian Works portrays Second Lieutenant Martinez, part of the military world surrounding James Stewart during one of the most transformative periods of his life. Julian appears in the film alongside KJ Apa as Stewart and an ensemble that includes Rob Riggle, Jason Alexander, Max Casella, Sarah Drew and Jen Lilley.
Julian joins On Air with Johnny B for a thoughtful conversation about building his character, stepping into a story grounded in military history and giving depth to someone positioned beyond the center of the spotlight.
A Conversation with Julian Works
Julian Works is widely recognized for portraying firefighter Mateo Chavez on 9-1-1: Lone Star and Joe Treviño in The Long Game. In JIMMY, he enters another story shaped by teamwork, responsibility and the experiences of people navigating institutions larger than themselves.
During this conversation, Julian and Johnny B explores the preparation behind Second Lieutenant Martinez, the relationships within the film’s military story and the responsibility an actor carries when helping recreate a real period in history.
We examine the value of ensemble storytelling—the idea that understanding a celebrated figure often requires looking more closely at the people who worked, served and stood beside them.
Featured Topics
Building Second Lieutenant Martinez
What Julian received on the page, how he developed Martinez’s identity and what he wanted audiences to understand about the character.
Entering the World of JIMMY
Julian’s first impressions of the screenplay, the scale of the story and what attracted him to the film.
Creating Military Camaraderie
How the actors approached rank, teamwork, shared responsibility and the relationships formed among service members.
Finding the Person Beyond the Uniform
How Julian worked to ensure Martinez felt like a complete human being rather than simply a uniform, title or piece of historical scenery.
The People Beside the Legend
Why the individuals surrounding recognizable historical figures remain essential to understanding the larger story.
Working with KJ Apa and the Ensemble
Julian’s experience helping create the military world surrounding KJ Apa’s portrayal of James Stewart.
From Mateo Chavez to Martinez
The differences between portraying a modern firefighter and a World War II officer—and what both roles reveal about teamwork, service and responsibility.
Carrying History Forward
What Julian hopes younger audiences will learn from JIMMY and from the people whose contributions may not appear prominently in history books.
Entering James Stewart’s Military Story
James Stewart’s military service was not a brief footnote in an otherwise celebrated Hollywood career.
It was a defining period that placed him within a world of training, leadership, danger and responsibility. JIMMY focuses on the formative years connecting Stewart’s rise in Hollywood, his wartime service and the personal experiences that helped shape the man audiences would later recognize on screen. The film is scheduled to arrive in theaters nationwide on November 6, 2026.
That makes the people surrounding Stewart within the military portion of the film especially important.
Through Second Lieutenant Martinez, Julian Works contributes to the wider human landscape of the story—the officers, airmen and colleagues whose presence reminds us that military service is always collective.
No mission belongs entirely to one individual.
No legacy exists without the people who helped carry it.
Why Julian’s Story Matters
Julian Works has built a body of work that frequently places him inside stories about responsibility, belonging and the strength found within a team.
As Mateo Chavez on 9-1-1: Lone Star, he portrayed a firefighter learning, growing and serving alongside the members of the 126.
In The Long Game, Julian played Joe Treviño in the story of Mexican American students who challenged exclusion within the world of 1950s Texas golf. That performance required him to enter a real historical period while helping introduce audiences to people whose accomplishments had not always received broad recognition.
JIMMY creates a compelling continuation of those themes.
This interview gives Julian the space to discuss his own work, preparation and perspective—not simply his proximity to the film’s title character.
Second Lieutenant Martinez may stand beside the legend, but his story deserves to be heard on its own terms.
About Julian Works
Julian Works is an American actor known for his performances as Mateo Chavez on 9-1-1: Lone Star and Joe Treviño in The Long Game.
His credits also include appearances in Beautiful Boy, Mending the Line, American Crime, The Affair, Titans and the original 9-1-1.
In JIMMY, Julian portrays Second Lieutenant Martinez, joining the film’s exploration of the defining years that connected James Stewart’s Hollywood career, military service and enduring legacy.
Across his work, Julian has repeatedly brought warmth, vulnerability and humanity to characters navigating teamwork, pressure and complicated questions of identity and belonging.
About JIMMY
Directed by Aaron Burns and written by Justin Strawhand, JIMMY tells the story of the defining years that helped transform James Stewart from a rising Hollywood actor into a World War II veteran and one of America’s most enduring screen icons.
KJ Apa stars as Stewart, with a supporting cast that includes Julian Works, Rob Riggle, Jason Alexander, Max Casella, Sarah Drew, Jen Lilley and others.
Fathom Entertainment is scheduled to bring JIMMY to theaters nationwide on November 6, 2026.
A Film with a Mission Beyond the Screen
JIMMY is not only revisiting the life of a beloved actor.
It is also helping new audiences understand the importance of service, sacrifice and the experiences that shaped Stewart away from the movie screen.
Through its work with Vet Tix, the film is helping make that story accessible to members of the military and veteran communities, first responders and Gold Star families.
For Johnny B, that mission is personal.
As a U.S. Army veteran, he understands that military stories should not focus exclusively on famous names, decorations or dramatic missions. They should also acknowledge the people standing nearby—the friendships, responsibilities and moments of trust that rarely appear in historical summaries.
That perspective will help ground the conversation with Julian in respect for both the craft of acting and the military culture the film seeks to portray.
More Than a Promotional Interview
This conversation will go beyond the familiar questions surrounding costumes, sets and celebrity costars.
We explore:
The work required to create a character from another era.
The responsibility of contributing to a story involving real history.
The emotional dynamics of portraying military service.
The importance of ensemble performers within a biographical film.
The people whose contributions exist beyond the spotlight.
And the meaning Julian discovered while helping bring JIMMY to the screen.
The goal is not simply to promote a new film.
It is to understand the people, choices and experiences that give the film its humanity.
About On Air with Johnny B
On Air with Johnny B is an interview series devoted to thoughtful conversations with actors, filmmakers, musicians, creators and advocates.
Hosted by U.S. Army veteran John “Johnny B” Bowman, the program moves beyond standard promotional talking points to explore the experiences behind the work—the responsibilities people carry, the challenges that shaped them and the meaning they hope their stories leave behind.
Each featured conversation is supported through a combination of video, audio, editorial coverage and social promotion, creating a lasting home for the guest and the story rather than a single moment within a release cycle.
About Johnny B
John “Johnny B” Bowman is a U.S. Army veteran, journalist, author, voice actor, mental-health advocate and host of On Air with Johnny B.
As the founder of Mil-Spec Digital, he creates long-form interviews and editorial features centered on entertainment, service, resilience and the human experiences behind creative work.
His approach favors preparation over publicity talking points and conversation over interrogation. Whether speaking with an actor, filmmaker, musician or advocate, Johnny looks for the story beneath the résumé—the responsibilities people carry, the experiences that changed them and the meaning they hope their work leaves behind.
Johnny’s ongoing coverage of JIMMY has highlighted the film’s partnership with Vet Tix and its effort to bring the story to service members, veterans, first responders and Gold Star families.
Continue Exploring the Story
More Than a Movie
Discover how JIMMY and Vet Tix are working together to bring James Stewart’s story to those who served.
Read: How JIMMY and Vet Tix Are Bringing Jimmy Stewart’s Legacy to Those Who Served
Every Legacy Has a Wider Story
James Stewart may be the name audiences immediately recognize.
But the world surrounding him—the people who trained, worked, flew and served beside him—is part of that legacy too.
Julian Works joins On Air with Johnny B to help illuminate that wider story while sharing the preparation, purpose and humanity behind Second Lieutenant Martinez.
Interview coming soon to On Air with Johnny B.