# Austin Abrams' Whalefall Breakthrough > Austin Abrams stars in Whalefall and Resident Evil, becoming a breakout star with minimal screen time. - Title: Austin Abrams' Whalefall Breakthrough · Rolling Stone - Summary: Austin Abrams stars in Whalefall and Resident Evil, becoming a breakout star with minimal screen time. Austin Abrams gained fame as Jay Gardiner in Whalefall… - Keywords: austin abrams, whalefall, resident evil, josh brolin, brian duffield, sperm whale, scuba diving, film debut, Austin, Abrams', Breakthrough, Rolling Stone - Source: Rolling Stone — https://rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-features/austin-abrams-whalefall-resident-evil-interview-1235644295 - Author: Brenna Ehrlich - Published: 2026-10-18T13:00:00+00:00 - Read time: 1 min - Topics: austin abrams, whalefall, resident evil, josh brolin, brian duffield, sperm whale, scuba diving, film debut ## Austin Abrams' Whalefall Role Austin Abrams plays Jay Gardiner, a scuba diver swallowed by a sperm whale in Whalefall. > This probably sounds silly, but making a whole movie about these kinds of whales, it felt just strange not to have an interaction with one ## Resident Evil Breakthrough Abrams starred as Bryan Hodukavich in Resident Evil, a medical courier fighting zombies. > It’s great to be in the theater and hear someone in the audience say something that my character says one second later ## Whalefall's Unique Challenge Filming inside a whale required 40 days of practical sets and minimal dialogue to convey terror. > You talk about those things, and, then, ultimately, it’s so much less interesting ## Jay Gardiner's Emotional Journey Jay struggles with his father's death and seeks closure through scuba diving and whale encounters. > Jay so badly wants his father’s approval, but also it’s almost as if he seems incapable of doing what he needs to do to achieve that ## Director's Praise Director Brian Duffield called Abrams 'extraordinary out of the gate' with 'heartbreaking and emotional' performances. > Austin came in and auditioned and was just extraordinary out of the gate, really heartbreaking and emotional ## Abrams' Acting Philosophy Abrams prefers minimal dialogue and uses his face to convey character emotions during intense scenes. > When you’re spending so much time alone, there is so much comfort in just finding a friend ## Whalefall's Production Details The film used practical sets inside a whale for 40 days, including fights with giant squids. > He has an amazing ability to make everything feel specifically and uniquely tailored to him ## Abrams' Background Abrams started acting in community theater and has been acting since childhood. > Movies were always something I was really fascinated with from a super young age ## Whalefall's Impact Whalefall has earned Abrams a major role in Resident Evil and a growing fanbase. > It’s great to be in the theater and hear someone in the audience say something that my character says one second later ## Key takeaway Austin Abrams gained fame as Jay Gardiner in Whalefall and Bryan Hodukavich in Resident Evil after minimal acting experience.