What was a moment at the beginning of filming “A Week Away” that set the tone for the rest of the production? Why was it so special?
In my opinion, it was the rehearsal process that really set the tone. Usually, actors are thrown onto set and expected to know their character’s backstory or lines, and the opportunity to rehearse with a director before shooting is rare. Most productions simply don’t have the time to rehearse, as shooting is a quick and efficient process. With ‘A Week Away,’ we had an entire 3 weeks before shooting to delve into things such as our characters, their backstories, and their relationships with other characters – you know, script analysis in general. That rehearsal time was imperative to the success of our film, and it helped us as a cast to become closer. In retrospect, that was probably the most memorable and special part for me.
Where were you when you first got the call that you booked the role? What was your reaction? What did you do?
I was living in Marina del Rey at the time, so I was at home reading other scripts and preparing for other auditions. It takes countless auditions to book one role, because more often than not, you won’t be right for that particular character. So just like every other working actor, my downtime is spent preparing for not only the next audition but the next one after that. That said, because of how many auditions actors go on before getting a role, I definitely wasn’t expecting that call when it came…but when I got it, my first question was for my manager, asking if he could get a hold of the script for me to read. Most people don’t know this, but I was originally offered the part of ‘Sean’ in that production, as I had auditioned for that role first. My decision to read the script before committing to that role ended up being invaluable because that first read was when I realized I was more in the vein of ‘Will’ than ‘Sean.’ So to my fellow actors, read your scripts!
Growing up, did you ever see yourself becoming an actor? Share with us your different dreams and what led you to pursuing this career.
It’s funny, I remember when I was 8 years old and in the third grade, I would tell my classmates that I wanted to be an actor when I grew up. I was strangely into classic cinema at a young age, and I even remember discussing film with a close friend at the time who was also interested in the art form. The thing is, we weren’t talking about children’s movies or amateur kids’ productions of which we necessarily fit the demo, we would talk shop about directors like Peter Jackson after seeing King Kong, or strong lead performances like Jodie Foster in Brian Grazer’s Flightplan. My point is, for an 8 year-old kid, I had an interest in some really heavy-hitting, artsy films that any other kid probably wouldn’t care for. I look back on that time as indicative of what the future would hold. I guess I always knew that performing was what I was meant to do. I even have a picture from when I wrote “movie star” as my dream job in a class time capsule that I buried back in 2005.
Tell us about an embarrassing/funny moment on set of “A Week Away.”
Oh boy, where do I even begin…there’s a lot of them. I’ll start by saying this, I am a naturally energetic person, so I get super hyped when I am filming a project – it’s my sort of creative “zone,” and I just get overly excited. So part of the fun for me on set is getting to mess around with other actors, but that usually only happens if they’re similar in age…so ‘A Week Away’ was perfect for jokes and pranks. I remember stealing a golf cart from the transport department one day on set and picking up my fellow cast members for a joyride. Production was kind enough to let me off the hook with a warning, but let’s just say those kinds of days were pretty frequent during filming…the whole experience was a lot of fun.
Do you remember the first singing performance you have ever given? Describe.
The first singing performance I ever gave was in a community theatre production when I was 13. It was daunting being the first time, but that part is overshadowed in my memory by the amount of fun I had when I first did it. It was a huge rush for me, and I guess I’ve always felt pretty comfortable in front of an audience. The next time after that was in my freshman chorus class, and the next time after that was American Idol when I was a sophomore in high school. Here today, the last time I sang live was on a 42 city national arena tour, so going from a 99 seat community theatre to 21,000 at the State Farm Arena sort of forced me to take a step back and soak it all in…it’s been a fun ride.
Who or what pushed you to also become a singer?
In all honesty, I always felt that I was a singer before I was an actor. I’ve been singing around the house since what feels like forever, so in that way, it felt natural to me – even part of my identity growing up, because I was good at it! Acting was a learned thing for me, and I didn’t really figure it out until I was a bit older. Ironically though, after American Idol, my singing career took a backseat to acting, because I started to get better at it and book more professional gigs. Nothing’s changed in terms of my singing ability, but the acting just sort of picked up speed faster. But now it’s great, because I’m finally revisiting the music I’ve always wanted to do, and I’m just as strong of an actor as I am a singer. So really it has always been me pushing myself to do both, but why not? Justin Timberlake has done alright…
As a kid, what was your family dynamic like? What was your favorite moment spent with them.
I have always been very close to my family. My parents have been married for over 28 years, and they even relocated to Los Angeles to be with me when my career took off. For them to uproot themselves and move halfway across the country meant a lot, and my sister is now in LA too. There have been a lot of laughs, fun times, and memories, but I think the best part about growing up in my parents’ household was that they never discouraged chasing our dreams, and even held us to it. They fostered a creative environment for my sister and I to explore our interests, and performing was definitely one of mine. My sister Courtney even entered the industry after falling in love with it, and she now works film marketing. Overall, I think my parents’ support has been crucial to my success.
Where do you hope to go next with your career?
On the film side, my hope is to continue taking bigger and heavier roles. I look up to a lot of leading men in Hollywood, and I dream of leading large, big-budget productions one day. I guess time will tell, right? As for the music, once my new stuff is released, I would love to finally do my own tour. I got a chance to experience that for the first time in early 2020, and I fell in love with it. Waking up on a bus in a new city every day may not sound fun for some people, but for me it was unforgettable, and I can’t wait to do it again.
If you could pick a song to describe how you are feeling about 2021 what would it be and why?
Hm, that’s a tough one. There’s just so many! If I had to choose, I would pick Come Together by The Beatles, or Where Is The Love by the Black Eyed Peas. I’ve always been a huge fan of both those groups, and I think their songs are the definition of timeless. Furthermore, with all that’s happened due to the pandemic, as well as the racial and social injustices that are currently happening in America, I’ve taken those songs to have new meaning. If anything, I hope 2021 is a year of coming together and spreading more love. Aren’t we all yearning for that right now?
Any projects on the horizon?
I’m always looking for new film projects…but right now, I’m very focused on my music career. ‘A Week Away’ served as the perfect catalyst for me to be reintroduced to that side of things, and I’m eager to finally release my own music – separate from the film. I also now have a record deal with Capitol, and they have been so involved and invested, which is all I could have asked for in a label partner. Under their guidance, I can confidently say that the music that’s on the way is among the best I’ve done yet. My wish is that fans are able to relate, and even fall in love with my music.
@BELLOmag
Talent KEVIN QUINN @kevingquinn
Photography DYLAN PERLOT @dylanperlot
Creative Direction ALEKSANDAR TOMOVIC @alekandsteph
Styling TOYE ADEDIPE @toyeadedipe
Grooming JOANNA FORD @joannapford
Interview ALEXANDRA BONNET @alexbonnetwrites
Production @BELLOmediagroup x @maisonpriveepr_la x @alexbonnetwrites