Jarret LeMaster, a Christian actor, writer and former worship‑leader, has built a niche playing some of pop culture’s most infamous villains – Satan, Adolf Hitler and Judas Iscariot. His latest role places him on the friendly side of the classic rivalry, voicing Bumblebee in the animated short Optimus Prime: Awakening, which accompanies the 40th‑anniversary theatrical re‑release of The Transformers: The Movie.
Why he avoids on‑screen kisses
LeMaster told Fox News Digital that he draws a firm line at romantic scenes. “I don’t want to kiss anybody,” he said. “Playing bad guys makes a lot of sense for me – they never kiss anybody, you know. They just murder them.” He added that the distinction helps keep his family life separate from his on‑screen work, noting that his children can look up to him as a “great villain.”
A faith‑centered career path
Although his résumé now reads like a list of cinematic antagonists, LeMaster still volunteers and leads worship at his local church, keeping his acting projects “on the DL” to avoid unnecessary distraction. He acknowledges that some Christians have pushed back against his portrayals, especially when he played a satirical “Woke Jesus” or the devil. “People get upset that I play the devil,” he said, “but the one that isn’t offensive is Bumblebee.”
From church ministry to the Babylon Bee
LeMaster’s first foray into villainy came when a Christian satire outlet, The Babylon Bee, asked him to play a Russian murderer in a sketch. “We need a Russian murderer. You kind of look like that,” he recalled. The gig sparked a chain reaction of bad‑guy roles, which he attributes partly to his bald look and a tongue‑in‑cheek blame on the media and actor Jason Statham.
Transformers project exceeds expectations
Optimus Prime: Awakening features LeMaster as Bumblebee alongside veteran voice talent Frank Welker (Megatron), Soundwave and the late Peter Cullen as Optimus Prime. The short has helped the re‑release surpass its initial box‑office projections, prompting additional theatrical dates through October 7.
Faith meets robots
LeMaster sees the Transformers story as an extension of his ministry. “It’s an opportunity to spread good news in the kingdom through, you know, robots,” he explained. He praised Peter Cullen for embodying “strength, gentleness and kindness” and for “protecting the weak.”
Why the devil remains a favorite
Even while voicing Bumblebee, LeMaster admits that playing Satan is still “particularly fun.” He describes his version of the devil as less fire‑and‑brimstone and more like a frustrated corporate middle manager. “What if the devil was an HR director? ‘Guys, it’s been a rough quarter – make sure you put cover letters on all the things you turn in, please,’” he joked.
Finding good in evil
LeMaster approaches each villain by first locating a kernel of good in the character’s motivation, then showing how that goodness can be twisted. “There’s nothing that the devil can create in and of himself. He can only take what’s good and twist it,” he said. “You always start with a good guy, and then you can twist it to something evil.”
LeMaster’s story illustrates how a committed Christian can navigate a career in entertainment without compromising his values, using his platform to bring a positive message—even when he’s playing the bad guy.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
