Going on-camera runs in the family for 2014 Upper St. Clair High School grad Jared Scott. His mom is Lori Houy, a longtime on-air reporter for WPXI-TV.

“I know she’s particular about her hair, so I adopted that from her,” Scott said in a recent phone interview. He currently stars in Amazon Prime Video’s winning half-hour comedy “The Lake,” now streaming. It’s Scott’s most high-profile series to date.

The show marks Amazon’s first original, scripted Canadian series. “The Lake” centers on gay man-child Justin (Jordan Gavaris, “Black Orphan”), who returns from Australia to reconnect with Billie (Madison Shamoun), the biological daughter he gave up for adoption who is now a teenager. Justin plans to spend the summer with Billie on a lake where his family used to have a home. Then, he discovers his stepsister (Julia Stiles) is living in the house with her family, including son Killian, played by Scott, whose abs-forward entrance gets the attention of Billie.

A cross between “Schitt’s Creek” (Justin brings to mind David Rose) and “Gilmore Girls” (there are some Lorelai-Rory genes in the Justin-Billie relationship), “The Lake” is an easy, breezy, entertaining summer watch.

Other characters crack jokes at Killian’s expense — Justin calls him an “Aberzombie” — but he’s the most grounded among the series regulars.

“He’s just a simple, kind, good-hearted guy who really enjoys hanging out in nature,” Scott said. “I think he was just looking for love that summer.”

Scott said he landed the role in July 2021 after the rise of a new method of auditioning in a covid world: the self-tape. Actors tape themselves at home with a friend reading dialogue for other characters.

“I think it might have been a week or two where I didn’t hear anything, and then I heard that I got a chemistry read,” Scott said, explaining a chemistry read is when one actor is normally in a room with another actor so producers can get a sense of what kind of chemistry the two have. “But since it was covid, we had to do the chemistry read over Zoom.”

Two hours later Scott heard he booked the role, and three days after that Scott was flying to the set in North Bay, Ontario, a four-hour drive north of Toronto.

Scott, who was known as Jared Houy growing up, wasn’t involved in the USC theater program but got interested in acting after a role as a featured extra in the locally filmed 2015 Will Smith movie “Concussion.”

While studying animation and visual effects at Point Park University, Scott started modeling, entered a “Price is Right” male model contest and made it into the top five. That led to a move to L.A. and enrolling in acting classes and roles in the 2017 Ion Christmas movie “A Christmas Cruise,” 2018 Lifetime movie “The Wrong Friend” and 2018 Facebook Watch series “Turnt.”

Next up is “Monsters of California,” directed by Blink-182 co-founder Tom DeLonge. Scott plays a skater who investigates paranormal events. The film does not yet have distribution.

“I was playing a skater punk with a very ratty look with my hair all grown out,” Scott said. “That was one thing Tom DeLonge told me to do as soon as I booked that: ‘Just don’t cut your hair.’ ”

Scott, whose brother Gabe Houy is an offensive lineman for the University of Pittsburgh football team, has tried to land acting jobs on projects filming in Pittsburgh. He was a finalist for a role in “American Rust,” but he didn’t land it.

“My mom told me Christian Bale was in town shooting something (‘The Pale Blue Eye’) so I really did badger my manager about that one,” he said, “so I’m still keeping my eye out for different things.”

In the meantime, Scott awaits word of a season two pickup for “The Lake,” which seems like it will have to come soon if producers plan to film another summer season.

“That’s what I would assume,” Scott said, “because those North Bay leaves, they change quickly.”

‘Deliverance’ needs extras

Lee Daniels’ Netflix horror thriller that’s filming in Pittsburgh has a new title — “The Deliverance” in place of “Demon House” — and some additional cast members: Omar Epps, Miss Lawrence, Demi Singleton and Anthony B. Jenkins.

The production also seeks paid extras for classroom scenes filming in Wilkinsburg, kids ages 8-11 (Aug. 8) and 16-25 (Aug. 8 and 9). It pays $175 for 12 hours. For more information or to apply, visit airtable.com/shrpvjMkd0NeZuqZH.

‘Shark Week’ is back

As rival “Sharkfest” on National Geographic Chanel, Nat Geo Wild and Disney XD continues into August, Discovery Channel’s “Shark Week” returns at 7 p.m. Sunday for its 34th season and its first with a master of ceremonies, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.

Highlights/lowlights of the 25 hours of new programming include “Jackass Shark Week 2.0” (9 p.m. Sunday), featuring Johnny Knoxville and his “Jackass” co-stars; “Impractical Jokers Shark Week Spectacular” (8 p.m. July 26) and “Tracy Morgan Presents: Sharks! With Tracy Morgan” (8 p.m. July 28).

Kept/canceled/revived

FX renewed “The Bear” for a second season and “Breeders” for a fourth go-around.

Peacock renewed anthology series “Dr. Death” for a second season to feature a new story and new cast.

Showtime’s “Desus Mero” is done after the comedy partners broke up to pursue “separate creative endeavors,” per the network.

HBO Max canceled the animated comedy “Close Enough” after three seasons.

Paramount+ ordered a 10-episode “Criminal Minds” revival with cast members Adam Rodriguez, A.J. Cook, Aisha Tyler, Paget Brewster and Kirsten Vangsness returning. (Matthew Gray Gubler and Daniel Henney will not be back.)

Channel surfing

Charleroi native Craig McCracken is developing reboots of his animated series “The Powerpuff Girls” and “Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends” with Cartoon Network. … When “Dancing with the Stars” moves from ABC to Disney+ this fall, Tyra Banks will return as host joined by new co-host Alfonso Ribeiro (“America’s Funniest Home Videos”). … The horribly named GAC Family, a Hallmark Channel rival upstart, will be renamed the more palatable Great American Family next month. … Netflix lost 970,000 subscribers in the second quarter of 2022, beating its own estimates, and the service plans to roll out a lower-cost, ad-supported tier in early 2023.

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