At this point in time, it’s hard to come by someone who hasn’t watched This is Us. The hit show took the world by storm, showing us all that even the toughest ones can shed a tear or two. A big part of why the show is such an emotional punch, is the fact that we get to see how things came to be, following, as an example, Kevin’s teenage years, beautifully portrayed by our It Guy Logan Shroyer. Even though the young actor is a busy bee these days, we got to chat a little with him after his Bello photoshoot.
Q: What is special about being part of the This is Us cast?
LS: There’s lots of great things about being on this cast. One thing that comes to mind is the amazing opportunity I have to learn from my older cast mates. This cast is so talented and I’m blessed to not only act with some of them, but learn from all of them by watching on set or however. I wish I could be in a scene with everyone, but we’d need some serious timetravel for that.
Q: What parts of your character resemble you the most?
LS: I think Kevin at heart cares for other people and loves his family, and I relate to that of course but also how he struggles to show them that he loves them. I think I can always work on that, sometimes it’s hard to show those who love you the most how much you care. Kevin in the teen years sometimes takes his family for granted, which I know we’re all guilty of at some point.
Q: What have you learned from playing Kevin?
LS: That’s a big question! I’ve learned a lot, and spent a lot of time playing Kevin Pearson so I’ve developed even as a person over time. I’ve learned to let go of controlling where I feel this guy should be in the scene, or how I want Kevin to appear even, and follow the truth of Kevin Pearson in me. Which that sounds very philosophical, but sometimes acting is like that haha. I’ve learned it’s more about the life than really anything else. Let the director direct you, just live and do your thing. I strive to do that more and more every time I go on set.
Q: Do you do anything specific when preparing for scenes?
LS: I think about the circumstances and just sort of simmer on this guy, whoever it is could be Kevin or anyone, and what’s going on at this moment in his world. We call it spinning our imagination work in my acting class, shouts out to Stuart Rogers Studios, and he explains it much better, but it’s about taking a breath and letting yourself believe all sorts of notions about this character and this life as your own.
Q: Who inspires you? Why?
LS: Jesus Christ inspires me. People who deny themselves to serve others first and are unapologetic in their beliefs and actions inspire me. I get inspired by people who are fearless in their artistic choices and willing to see what happens. I think of people like Jean Luc Goddard and Leonardo DiCaprio and Shia Lebouf. There’s a longer list, but those people come to mind.
Q: How was the photoshoot with Bello? How would you describe your personal style?
LS: I like to wear things that aren’t so clean cut, I’m a more leather jacket than blazer kind of a guy, but I’m also into trying new things in fashion. I like the idea of fashion being more about art and self expression than just what is popular at the moment. For most of my life it’s just been about fitting in and now I see myself branching off and finding a classic style that fits me.
Q: What is your favorite thing to do when you aren’t working?
LS: I’m a filmmaker as well as an actor, so I’m often shooting or developing another project to keep myself busy. Aside from that I love getting together with my group of friends for a night whether that’s going to see a movie or bowling or whatever it is. I’ve got a great group of friends that keep me sane. Very thankful for them.
Photographer: Arthur Galvao @artGphoto
Creative Direction Aleksandar Tomovic @alekandsteph
Styling: DaMarko GianCarlo and Pierre Giovanni @fairfaxcopenhagen
Art Director: Aleksandar Tomovic @alekandsteph
Groomer: KC Fee @KCfee