Jake Johnson Calls HBO’s ‘Minx’ Cancellation “F*cking Gross” & Recalls Turning Down Blockbusters In Favor Of Indies

We are just a few days away from Season 2 of “Minx” arriving on Starz. Yes, Starz. Not Max. Even though the first season of the acclaimed period comedy about the creation of an erotic magazine debuted on HBO Max and Season 2 was produced under the Warner Bros. Discovery umbrella, the new episodes were snatched up by Starz when the series was unceremoniously canceled by WBD and taken off the then-HBO Max streaming service, with the unfinished but filmed Season 2 put on the shelf. And apparently, according to one of the stars of the show, Jake Johnson, the people involved found out when the general public found out.

READ MORE: ‘Minx’ NSFW Season 2 Trailer: The Comedy Series Starring Jake Johnson & Ophelia Lovibond Moves From Max To Starz For New Episodes

Speaking to THR, Jake Johnson talked about the announcement that shocked everyone when it was revealed that “Minx” was canceled and the already-filmed Season 2 was shelved. The actor said that the news was a complete shock, and the situation really left a bad taste in his mouth.

“I found out with everybody else when the news broke,” said Johnson. “It was more of an existential hit for me. It wasn’t creative or personal. It was just a huge corporation doing a snaky numbers move. The more these people keep pushing, the less it’s about art and creativity and the more it’s about data. Fucking gross.”

But as mentioned, “Starz” came in and saved the day for “Minx.” Now, Season 2 is about to hit the cable network and nothing is going to change. Yes, that means there is plenty of male nudity, a staple of the fairly new comedy.

READ MORE: ‘Self Reliance’ Review: Jake Johnson’s Directorial Debut Is A Suitable Vehicle For His Shaggy Comic Energy [SXSW]

“Yeah. And Starz wants dicks!” joked the actor. “I heard about the other places, and I thought, ‘I don’t think they want dicks.’ (Laughs.) I think they wanted it just to see if it hit. So, I was told from the beginning that I could reassure cast members. I just couldn’t be the goof that goes on social media and says, ‘Don’t worry, we’re good!’ But, like, did anybody sign up for ‘Minx’ to be on HBO Max?”

In the discussion, Johnson also talked about a significant moment in his career when he decided that he was on the wrong trajectory as an actor. You see, he didn’t want to do the big blockbuster films, even though his success in “The New Girl” and the film “Let’s Be Cops” opened him up to bigger and bigger roles.

“I had a lot of meetings with studios and saw slates, and they were asking what I wanted and what my path was,” he recalled. “So, I had a big sit-down with my agents because my wife was pregnant. The kids were coming. I hadn’t stopped working in three years. It didn’t feel right. I wasn’t into it.”

He added, “So, I asked for a breakdown of the model and the goal of this path I was on. Basically, it was this: You do TV in order to get movies. If the movies make money, you get bigger parts. Then, the movies get bigger with your parts. And you do press in order to get the next movie. I told them I didn’t want that. That was the moment everything got pulled back, and I haven’t said yes to a studio lead.”

Apparently, Johnson realized his career path was going to be more focused on smaller roles when he worked with Tom Cruise on “The Mummy.” When he saw how regimented Cruise’s world is, and how even going to a restaurant was a huge production, Johnson realized he didn’t want that life.

“That was it for me. I don’t want that,” said Johnson. “I love being a highly respected second-tier player. I love being next to Michael Jordan, but I don’t want his shots.”

“Minx” debuts on Starz on July 21.