They were so cute on screen and off . . .
Yet another little demonstration that generic labels fuck things up. We're all unique individuals, we respond to different people in different ways, and as long as you aren't hurting anyone, it's good.
Showing posts with label Tyler Young. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tyler Young. Show all posts
Thursday, April 26, 2018
Friday, December 30, 2016
Looking Back Part 1 -- Celebs
You know I'm a sucker for a select bunch of characters and celeb boys. Here are a few of the BILF . . .
Tuesday, December 20, 2016
It's over and we (the fanbase) are coming back to everyday reality.
Nice interview to phase out . . .
Pop-Culturalist Chats with Tyler Young
Eyewitness Questions
P-C: What attracted you to the
project?
Tyler: I read the character breakdown my manager sent to me for Philip Shea (at the time it was Philip O’Brien) and there was something in the way it was worded that sparked my imagination about who this character was and could become. It was descriptive, yet open-ended enough for me to implement my own mark on it with plenty of space for discovery and interpretation. I then read the script and was instantly hooked to the story and wanted to know more about the characters and how their relationships would further develop. I only got to read the first episode before auditioning (and before shooting for that matter) but I instantly wanted to know more, which was a good indication that there was a compelling story being told. I had to be a part of it.
Tyler: I read the character breakdown my manager sent to me for Philip Shea (at the time it was Philip O’Brien) and there was something in the way it was worded that sparked my imagination about who this character was and could become. It was descriptive, yet open-ended enough for me to implement my own mark on it with plenty of space for discovery and interpretation. I then read the script and was instantly hooked to the story and wanted to know more about the characters and how their relationships would further develop. I only got to read the first episode before auditioning (and before shooting for that matter) but I instantly wanted to know more, which was a good indication that there was a compelling story being told. I had to be a part of it.
P-C: Your character has many layers. He’s
a foster child, who’s adjusting to life in a small town with a new family. He’s
also coming to terms with his sexuality. How did you prepare for the
role?
Tyler: Yes, Philip was an exciting challenge to play because I see him first and foremost as a kid who doesn’t know much about himself yet but is starting to become more introspective and question the world around him. To play someone experiencing their most formative years requires looking at what his life has been like prior to his move to Tivoli and before all this murder business has taken over. Many of these backstory elements were left up to me to decide so I read real-life accounts of people who’ve been through the foster care system and those of the LGBTQ youth to shape Philip’s perspective and give him as much authenticity as possible and so those who have lived those experiences could hopefully be able to relate, if even just a tiny bit. Even though all these elements weren’t necessarily directly addressed in the show, they helped inform all my choices and analysis of the script from episode to episode. All these complicated elements eventually fused together and then for good measure I added a sprinkling of my own personality to really make Philip come alive.
Tyler: Yes, Philip was an exciting challenge to play because I see him first and foremost as a kid who doesn’t know much about himself yet but is starting to become more introspective and question the world around him. To play someone experiencing their most formative years requires looking at what his life has been like prior to his move to Tivoli and before all this murder business has taken over. Many of these backstory elements were left up to me to decide so I read real-life accounts of people who’ve been through the foster care system and those of the LGBTQ youth to shape Philip’s perspective and give him as much authenticity as possible and so those who have lived those experiences could hopefully be able to relate, if even just a tiny bit. Even though all these elements weren’t necessarily directly addressed in the show, they helped inform all my choices and analysis of the script from episode to episode. All these complicated elements eventually fused together and then for good measure I added a sprinkling of my own personality to really make Philip come alive.
P-C: Eyewitness is the first crime thriller on national
television to center around two gay characters. It’s a groundbreaking moment for
the LGBTQ community. Did you feel any added pressure while filming or
afterwards?
Tyler: Well, I actually wasn’t aware while shooting that we were the first crime thriller with an LGBTQ storyline but that’s pretty incredible to know. Honestly, we never sat around and discussed how we were going to be the first to do this, and instead we simply approached it like we were just going to make the best damn crime thriller/character study/love story we could and that two of the leads just happened to be gay and dealing with these issues that intertwined with the chaos of the thriller elements seamlessly. I’m so honored to know that I have been a part of a groundbreaking moment for the LGBTQ community in media and hope that this will be a major catalyst for other series to start incorporating dynamic LGBTQ narratives into the forefront of their mainstream storytelling.
Tyler: Well, I actually wasn’t aware while shooting that we were the first crime thriller with an LGBTQ storyline but that’s pretty incredible to know. Honestly, we never sat around and discussed how we were going to be the first to do this, and instead we simply approached it like we were just going to make the best damn crime thriller/character study/love story we could and that two of the leads just happened to be gay and dealing with these issues that intertwined with the chaos of the thriller elements seamlessly. I’m so honored to know that I have been a part of a groundbreaking moment for the LGBTQ community in media and hope that this will be a major catalyst for other series to start incorporating dynamic LGBTQ narratives into the forefront of their mainstream storytelling.
P-C: Eyewitness tells two very different coming out stories,
what’s the response been like?
Tyler: There have been many people able to relate more with Lukas’ story and many who have able to relate more to Philip’s and I’ve received thousands of messages from fans who deeply identified with both of their struggles (minus the whole murder aspect…). I think it’s incredible to see two very different coming out experiences juxtaposed on the same show because the reality is that everyone has their own journey with coming out and it’s not cookie-cutter or one size fits all. There is no right way and no wrong way but as exemplified on our show there can be serious consequences to not being honest with oneself and those around them.
Tyler: There have been many people able to relate more with Lukas’ story and many who have able to relate more to Philip’s and I’ve received thousands of messages from fans who deeply identified with both of their struggles (minus the whole murder aspect…). I think it’s incredible to see two very different coming out experiences juxtaposed on the same show because the reality is that everyone has their own journey with coming out and it’s not cookie-cutter or one size fits all. There is no right way and no wrong way but as exemplified on our show there can be serious consequences to not being honest with oneself and those around them.
P-C: How did you and James build
your chemistry/friendship? And, what was your first impression of him?
Tyler: It started at Catherine Hardwicke’s house in Venice Beach when we did our first chemistry read together. Catherine doesn’t mess around and forced us to get comfortable with each other very, very quickly… as in, she wanted James on top of me and picking me up in less than five minutes after meeting him. I think when you break down those walls from the very beginning and you have people sticking you with someone else that you know you might have to work with for a long time after, you want to get a real feel for the type of person they are and the type of actor they are. I learned that barriers are broken fast when physical contact is required. After we both had the roles, James and I established our relationship in L.A. in advance of getting to set so that we could bring that familiarity and trust to the characters. We hung out a few times and spent almost every waking moment together on and off set while shooting. In fact, we still see each other weekly and are neighbors in L.A. We just can’t quit each other.
Tyler: It started at Catherine Hardwicke’s house in Venice Beach when we did our first chemistry read together. Catherine doesn’t mess around and forced us to get comfortable with each other very, very quickly… as in, she wanted James on top of me and picking me up in less than five minutes after meeting him. I think when you break down those walls from the very beginning and you have people sticking you with someone else that you know you might have to work with for a long time after, you want to get a real feel for the type of person they are and the type of actor they are. I learned that barriers are broken fast when physical contact is required. After we both had the roles, James and I established our relationship in L.A. in advance of getting to set so that we could bring that familiarity and trust to the characters. We hung out a few times and spent almost every waking moment together on and off set while shooting. In fact, we still see each other weekly and are neighbors in L.A. We just can’t quit each other.
My first
impression of James was that he was nothing like I had pictured Lukas to be.
Yet, he brought a true vulnerability to the character that felt effortless. He
walked in dressed all indie boy with this long yellow and black dyed hair and a
rock ‘n’ roll persona after I had read with many giant guys with shaved heads
and Hulk-like muscles. James left the chemistry read and Catherine and I were
both just like, “Wow, that was something different than we’ve seen, but did he
really have yellow and black skunk hair?” Needless to say, his hair was dyed
blonde before he came back to do a final screen test and I looked at him with
blonde hair and it finally made sense both physically and
internally.
P-C: What was your favorite off-set
moment?Tyler: We spent the
summer at a Canadian golf resort on a gorgeous secluded lake so there was plenty
of time for peaceful reflection and general shenanigans on our days off. It felt
a lot like a really luxurious summer camp. I mean, there was a water trampoline
and a blob so… hard to beat that. Also, one of my fondest off-set memories was
when Julianne, Gil, James, and I took a weekend road trip to Toronto and the
four of us dined at some of city’s finest establishments. It was a much-needed
break from the very rural Canadian wilderness we were shooting in and the four
of us bonded that weekend in a way that I’ll never forget. They’re like a second
family to me now. I love them all deeply and uniquely.
Career Questions
P-C: Where can fans see you
next?
Tyler: Guest starring on the first episode of ABC’s When We Rise and guest starring on episode 13 of CBS’s Code Black.
Tyler: Guest starring on the first episode of ABC’s When We Rise and guest starring on episode 13 of CBS’s Code Black.
P-C: What’s your dream
role?
Tyler: Incredible new roles are always being written so I’ll leave this one open-ended for now.
Tyler: Incredible new roles are always being written so I’ll leave this one open-ended for now.
P-C: Who would you love to work with in
the future?
Tyler: Actors, directors, and producers who are passionate about the work and the storytelling—first and foremost.
Tyler: Actors, directors, and producers who are passionate about the work and the storytelling—first and foremost.
Pop-Culturalist Speed Round
P-C: Guilty pleasure TV
show?
Tyler: The first round of any reality singing competition.
Tyler: The first round of any reality singing competition.
P-C: Guilty pleasure
movie?
Tyler: The Parent Trap
Tyler: The Parent Trap
P-C: Favorite play or
musical?
Tyler: Spring Awakening
Tyler: Spring Awakening
P-C: Favorite book?
Tyler: A Little Life
Tyler: A Little Life
P-C: Favorite social media
platform?
Tyler: Twitter
Tyler: Twitter
P-C: Hidden talent?
Tyler: I can do a realistic dog bark.
Tyler: I can do a realistic dog bark.
The
season finale of Eyewitness airs on December 18. And, if you’re a fan of
binge-watching, you can watch the series on Amazon, iTunes, or USA
Network.
Photo Credit:
Paul Smith Photography
Sunday, November 13, 2016
Eyewitness Tonight
EYEWITNESS
Sunday, November 13, 2016
10:00 p.m. EST
http://www.usanetwork.com/eyewitness
Eyewitness Star Explains the Real-Life Inspiration Behind That Coming Out Scene (Plus His Love of #Philkas)
http://www.usanetwork.com/eyewitness/blog/eyewitness-star-explains-the-real-life-inspiration-behind-that-coming-out-scene-plus
By Benjamin Lindsay | posted on 11/6/16
Though it’s set to the backdrop of a backwoods murder and a pedophilic killer on the loose, Eyewitness has rooted one of its most compelling storylines in actor Tyler Young’s character Philip Shea, the Queens native and gay teen who witnesses a triple homicide while hooking up with his secret boyfriend, Lukas Waldenbeck (James Paxton). Watching him navigate his relationship with the closeted Lukas in their tiny upstate town has been as emotionally gratifying as watching his foster mother, Sheriff Helen Torrance (Julianne Nicholson), lose herself to the murder mystery.
This week was one of Philip’s most poignant arcs yet. With his lies piling up as quickly as the bodies (he and Lukas have refused to tell anyone they witnessed the murders in the cabin), Philip opens up to Helen and his foster dad, Gabe, when he tells them he’s gay. USA spoke with Young about bringing this character to life, the preparation that went into getting the nuance of his identity right, and how he found inspiration from his real-life gay brother.
Below, Young reveals seven behind-the-scenes secrets from Eyewitness 104, “Crème Brulée.”
1. Philip came out to show Lukas that it gets better.
“This is also Philip’s coming to terms with his sexuality. A lot of people have interpreted that Philip is already out of the closet, he’s waving the Pride flag around and this and that; but really, I think Philip’s backstory is that, being from New York City in Queens, he’s sort of dabbled in the gay scene and the gay community of the city as much as a 17-year-old kid can.
“But I think he never really had that moment where he felt the need to officially come out. I think he kind of knew who he was at a certain point and knew what he was interested in, and it just was. It wasn’t a whole big deal for him because for a lot of kids in progressive cities, it’s not an issue, and it hasn’t been an issue in his life. But going to this small town and seeing Lukas, for example, who’s just in entire denial of who he is, it makes him think, ‘Wait, I guess this isn’t OK necessarily to just be who you are. It affects how people think of you.‘
“Lukas can’t tell his dad because he’s afraid he’ll stop caring about him or if he tells these Motocross sponsors, they’ll stop supporting him and that’s an awakening moment for Philip to realize that there’s a lot of places in the country and this world – and for that matter, even in the state of New York -- where being LGBTQ is not necessarily just an accepted thing.
“So I think he sort of reevaluates his own identity and how he wants to be perceived by others and that’s the moment when he realizes, partly, that he has to come out to Helen and Gabe because he’s the one telling Lukas to come out and that it’s not a big deal. It’s not going to get better if you just let this simmer; it’s only going to get worse. So, to lead by example, he says, ‘You know what? I’m going to come out to my mom, and I’m going to come out to Helen and Gabe because that’s one secret that I don’t need to keep anymore, and if I get that off my chest, then maybe everything else will get better, too.’ It was a necessary step to show Lukas that things can be okay.”
2. It’s important to showcase different LGBTQ experiences.
“I think it’s important because it’s a reality. I think many kids might relate to parts of Philip’s story, or you might relate to parts of Lukas’s story. Not only kids, but a lot of older LGBT people have been writing in and saying, ‘I was a Philip,’ or, ‘I was a Lukas.’ I think that’s so interesting because we’re showing such different ends of the spectrum. On the same show and in the same place, you can see how different things can go for people and how people can actually make their own coming out experiences more difficult for themselves or easier for themselves just based on how they handle it.”
3. Issues facing the LGBTQ community have been on Young’s radar long before Eyewitness.
“I have so many friends who are part of the LGBTQ community who have been through the coming out process and I’ve just gotten to witness firsthand people’s experiences with it and I’ve heard so many of my friends’ stories. And I’m always shocked at how different everyone’s story is. Not only that, but my brother is gay, and he had his own coming out experience that I got to witness very closely. So all the research that I did, I had organically acquired it through having friends within the community and just talking to them as friends about their processes. There’s a little bit of a lot of people I know in Philip, which I think makes him feel real.”
4. There’s also parts of himself in Philip.
“Philip has had to deal with so much and he’s taken on so many people’s problems as his own. He carries the weight of the world on his shoulders -- having to deal with his mom and having to deal with Lukas. I tend to be the kind of person who empathizes with people and their situations. Their stories really affect me deeply and I like to get involved. I feel a sense of responsibility to help people, and sometimes, that over-involvement can be a problem because you take on too much and then things kind of get out of control because it starts affecting your life. I think a lot of people have felt that before, where you are spreading yourself thin by taking on other people’s issues and you stop really focusing on your own issues or your own self-development.”
5. But it’s really his differences with Philip that attracted Young to the role.
“That’s what acting is -- you get to put yourself in someone else’s shoes and explore what that’s like. It was a really incredible experience to take on something that was so different from my own life experiences. A lot of it was backstory because you don’t necessarily get to see in the show all the things Philip has been through, but I wanted it to feel for an audience like this kid’s been through a lot. This kid hasn’t had it easy. So I had to figure out what that all meant and how I could play those things even though they’re not necessarily there in the script.”
6. Young loves interacting with fans -- and he ’ships for #Philkas.
“One my most memorable experiences with fans was trying to figure out what the official ’ship name for Philip and Lukas was gonna be. There was a lot of back and forth about, like, if it was going to be Philus, or Lukip, and then it hit me: Philkas. It kind of marries the two names perfectly. Everyone has such a strong opinion about this ’ship name. I think that’s a testament to how much of a connection people feel to these characters and their relationship. So I’m happy. I’m ecstatic that the fans are interacting and they’re really taking on this show and they’re embracing these two boys and what they’re going through with each other.
“Every encounter I get is memorable for me. People are so creative on the Internet. I’m shocked at some of the things people have made. Somebody made a Photoshopped image of this jar of Shea butter and they put Philip’s face on it because his last name is Shea. “Philip Shea Butter.” They were like, ‘USA marketing team, get on this!’ It’s hysterical.”
7. Don’t’ miss Young in his next LGBTQ project, ABC’s When We Rise miniseries.
“There’s a new miniseries coming out about the LGBTQ movement in the 1970s in San Francisco called When We Rise, and I got to be a part of an episode of that. I think that is really a history lesson for a lot of people, and I think when that comes out it’s going to be incredible for people to see the history of that movement in San Francisco and how, really, that’s so responsible for the Philips of the world. He gets to live in this world where it doesn’t really make a difference if you’re LGBTQIA+, A-B-C-D-E-F-G -- it’s just a bunch of people existing in this city and everyone is embraced.”
Binge-watch every episode of Eyewitness on USANetwork.com or the USA Now app and be sure to follow Tyler
By Benjamin Lindsay | posted on 11/6/16
Though it’s set to the backdrop of a backwoods murder and a pedophilic killer on the loose, Eyewitness has rooted one of its most compelling storylines in actor Tyler Young’s character Philip Shea, the Queens native and gay teen who witnesses a triple homicide while hooking up with his secret boyfriend, Lukas Waldenbeck (James Paxton). Watching him navigate his relationship with the closeted Lukas in their tiny upstate town has been as emotionally gratifying as watching his foster mother, Sheriff Helen Torrance (Julianne Nicholson), lose herself to the murder mystery.
This week was one of Philip’s most poignant arcs yet. With his lies piling up as quickly as the bodies (he and Lukas have refused to tell anyone they witnessed the murders in the cabin), Philip opens up to Helen and his foster dad, Gabe, when he tells them he’s gay. USA spoke with Young about bringing this character to life, the preparation that went into getting the nuance of his identity right, and how he found inspiration from his real-life gay brother.
Below, Young reveals seven behind-the-scenes secrets from Eyewitness 104, “Crème Brulée.”
1. Philip came out to show Lukas that it gets better.
“This is also Philip’s coming to terms with his sexuality. A lot of people have interpreted that Philip is already out of the closet, he’s waving the Pride flag around and this and that; but really, I think Philip’s backstory is that, being from New York City in Queens, he’s sort of dabbled in the gay scene and the gay community of the city as much as a 17-year-old kid can.
“But I think he never really had that moment where he felt the need to officially come out. I think he kind of knew who he was at a certain point and knew what he was interested in, and it just was. It wasn’t a whole big deal for him because for a lot of kids in progressive cities, it’s not an issue, and it hasn’t been an issue in his life. But going to this small town and seeing Lukas, for example, who’s just in entire denial of who he is, it makes him think, ‘Wait, I guess this isn’t OK necessarily to just be who you are. It affects how people think of you.‘
“Lukas can’t tell his dad because he’s afraid he’ll stop caring about him or if he tells these Motocross sponsors, they’ll stop supporting him and that’s an awakening moment for Philip to realize that there’s a lot of places in the country and this world – and for that matter, even in the state of New York -- where being LGBTQ is not necessarily just an accepted thing.
“So I think he sort of reevaluates his own identity and how he wants to be perceived by others and that’s the moment when he realizes, partly, that he has to come out to Helen and Gabe because he’s the one telling Lukas to come out and that it’s not a big deal. It’s not going to get better if you just let this simmer; it’s only going to get worse. So, to lead by example, he says, ‘You know what? I’m going to come out to my mom, and I’m going to come out to Helen and Gabe because that’s one secret that I don’t need to keep anymore, and if I get that off my chest, then maybe everything else will get better, too.’ It was a necessary step to show Lukas that things can be okay.”
2. It’s important to showcase different LGBTQ experiences.
“I think it’s important because it’s a reality. I think many kids might relate to parts of Philip’s story, or you might relate to parts of Lukas’s story. Not only kids, but a lot of older LGBT people have been writing in and saying, ‘I was a Philip,’ or, ‘I was a Lukas.’ I think that’s so interesting because we’re showing such different ends of the spectrum. On the same show and in the same place, you can see how different things can go for people and how people can actually make their own coming out experiences more difficult for themselves or easier for themselves just based on how they handle it.”
3. Issues facing the LGBTQ community have been on Young’s radar long before Eyewitness.
“I have so many friends who are part of the LGBTQ community who have been through the coming out process and I’ve just gotten to witness firsthand people’s experiences with it and I’ve heard so many of my friends’ stories. And I’m always shocked at how different everyone’s story is. Not only that, but my brother is gay, and he had his own coming out experience that I got to witness very closely. So all the research that I did, I had organically acquired it through having friends within the community and just talking to them as friends about their processes. There’s a little bit of a lot of people I know in Philip, which I think makes him feel real.”
4. There’s also parts of himself in Philip.
“Philip has had to deal with so much and he’s taken on so many people’s problems as his own. He carries the weight of the world on his shoulders -- having to deal with his mom and having to deal with Lukas. I tend to be the kind of person who empathizes with people and their situations. Their stories really affect me deeply and I like to get involved. I feel a sense of responsibility to help people, and sometimes, that over-involvement can be a problem because you take on too much and then things kind of get out of control because it starts affecting your life. I think a lot of people have felt that before, where you are spreading yourself thin by taking on other people’s issues and you stop really focusing on your own issues or your own self-development.”
5. But it’s really his differences with Philip that attracted Young to the role.
“That’s what acting is -- you get to put yourself in someone else’s shoes and explore what that’s like. It was a really incredible experience to take on something that was so different from my own life experiences. A lot of it was backstory because you don’t necessarily get to see in the show all the things Philip has been through, but I wanted it to feel for an audience like this kid’s been through a lot. This kid hasn’t had it easy. So I had to figure out what that all meant and how I could play those things even though they’re not necessarily there in the script.”
6. Young loves interacting with fans -- and he ’ships for #Philkas.
“One my most memorable experiences with fans was trying to figure out what the official ’ship name for Philip and Lukas was gonna be. There was a lot of back and forth about, like, if it was going to be Philus, or Lukip, and then it hit me: Philkas. It kind of marries the two names perfectly. Everyone has such a strong opinion about this ’ship name. I think that’s a testament to how much of a connection people feel to these characters and their relationship. So I’m happy. I’m ecstatic that the fans are interacting and they’re really taking on this show and they’re embracing these two boys and what they’re going through with each other.
“Every encounter I get is memorable for me. People are so creative on the Internet. I’m shocked at some of the things people have made. Somebody made a Photoshopped image of this jar of Shea butter and they put Philip’s face on it because his last name is Shea. “Philip Shea Butter.” They were like, ‘USA marketing team, get on this!’ It’s hysterical.”
7. Don’t’ miss Young in his next LGBTQ project, ABC’s When We Rise miniseries.
“There’s a new miniseries coming out about the LGBTQ movement in the 1970s in San Francisco called When We Rise, and I got to be a part of an episode of that. I think that is really a history lesson for a lot of people, and I think when that comes out it’s going to be incredible for people to see the history of that movement in San Francisco and how, really, that’s so responsible for the Philips of the world. He gets to live in this world where it doesn’t really make a difference if you’re LGBTQIA+, A-B-C-D-E-F-G -- it’s just a bunch of people existing in this city and everyone is embraced.”
Binge-watch every episode of Eyewitness on USANetwork.com or the USA Now app and be sure to follow Tyler
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