Jeffrey Dean Morgan Says Son Is ‘Ready’ to Drop Out of School to Pursue Acting — Here’s Why He’s ‘Holding’ Him Back (Exclusive)

Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Hilarie Burton‘s 15-year-old son Augustus is able to observe in his well-known folks’ footsteps.

“He’s ready to drop out of school and be an actor,” Morgan, 59, completely tells PEOPLE. “I feel that he is recognized that since we took him to Hamilton when he was once 3 years previous.”

“We went backstage after the show, and he went out on stage dressed up like Hamilton,” the Walking Dead megastar recollects of taking his son to the Broadway hit. “I just remember watching him and going, ‘He knows exactly what he’s going to do right now.’ He’s really good.”

Gus put his abilities to the check in 2021 when he joined his father within the ultimate season of the apocalyptic drama to make his performing debut. He seems in brief within the 5th episode of The Walking Dead‘s ultimate season as a tender walker.

At the time, Morgan confirmed off some behind-the-scenes pictures on Instagram of his son in complete zombie make-up, writing he was once “super proud.”

Recently, it is been slightly harder for the 2 to be in combination on a collection. Morgan’s paintings has taken him from the circle of relatives’s 100-acre farm in Rhinebeck, New York, to Europe to host NBC’s fact sequence, Destination X.

Based on a Belgian festival sequence, the contest follows 10 avid gamers touring throughout Europe on a windowless bus as they are trying to resolve their location every week thru a sequence of demanding situations.

“I find a way to get home every weekend if I can,” Morgan mentioned of constructing time for Burton, 42, and their youngsters Gus and George, 7. “With this show, it was a bit harder when you’re across the world, and they didn’t come out.”

Still, Morgan controlled to spherical up the circle of relatives to deliver them to Canneseries in April. Not best did they sign up for him for the season 2 international premiere of The Walking Dead: Dead City, but in addition to look his palms memorialized at the Cannes Walk of Fame.

“It was awesome,” Morgan mentioned of getting the entire circle of relatives tag alongside. “It was George’s first red carpet. They stole the show. I thought Gus was going to walk away with a three-picture deal. It was cool.”

But do not be expecting to look Gus land any tasks simply but.

“We’re holding him back just because I want him to have an education; his mom wants him to have an education,” Morgan says of Burton, whom he quietly married in 2019 after a decade in combination.

Their warning additionally stems from broader considerations inside the Hollywood business.

“We want him to be real sure about this choice because it’s not the easiest path, even if there’s nepotism involved, and the business is changing so much,” Morgan says of performing in Hollywood.

“Years ago, when I came up, there were a lot more low-budget films to do. In the last 20 years, there have been so many TV jobs available, and now it’s a ghost town,” Morgan says. “L.A.’s a ghost the town. Numerous the states are a ghost the town. Even Georgia was once so busy after we had been doing The Walking Dead there. I have no idea if the entire price lists are going to occur, however it isn’t going to paintings neatly for our trade. So I’m looking to prep Gus for this the most efficient I will be able to.”

That preparation comprises Burton taking Gus to musicals and performs. Morgan stocks that he may see his son on Broadway. “He’s that kind of talent. Stuff I could never do, he already shines at.”

It additionally comprises Gus attending a brand new faculty that makes a speciality of the humanities.

“This year, we’re changing schools so he can have the opportunity to really focus in on what he wants to do,” Morgan says. “He can take classes from the other side of the camera — writing, directing, set builds, film acting and theater acting.”

Recently, Burton shared on Instagram that Gus, a freshman, was once inducted into his present faculty’s theater society.

“Watch out world. Gus Morgan (who still has ZERO social media, ya weirdos) is gonna dazzle you. #proudmama 🎭🎉💖.”

Of surroundings their son up for good fortune, Morgan provides, “He’s going to have a really cool opportunity that I never got [and] Hillary never got.”

Destination X airs Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET/PT on NBC. Episodes circulate day after today on Peacock. TWD: Dead City airs Sunday nights at 9 p.m. ET/PT.