Star Power Vol.23

[NYOTA Magazine ]

star power

starring

Dylan Playfair Volume 23

from the editor

HELLO THERE, READER! In this Star Power issue, we have actor Dylan Playfair on the cover. Playfair can currently be seen in the film Odd Man Rush as well as the popular show Letterkenny.

I also was lucky enough to have a quick chat with up and coming actress Carina Battrick who can be seen

in

Viggo

Mortensen's

directorial

debut

Falling. As always I hope you enjoy reading the issue and are inspired to go after your dreams!

YOURS TRULY, Carol Wright EDITOR IN CHIEF, NYOTA MAGAZINE @_CAROL_WRIGHT

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contents 1. Editor's Letter 3. Get to Know Dylan

4. Dylan's Playlist

5. Star Power: Dylan Playfair

10. Dylan's Top Picks

11. Quick Chat: Carina Battrick

Follow us @nyotamagazine

#StarPower

GET TO KNOW DYLAN Fostered dogs with my roommates in college (now we have our very own rescue).

Certified advanced open water scuba diver.

Is learning the guitar to round out the trio.

Plays the harmonica and dulcimer... but not the guitar.

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Is an avid outdoorsman who loves to fish and go camping.

#NyotaMusic

Dylan's Playlist Tyler Rich // The Difference The Eagles // Peaceful Easy Feeling Journey // Don't Stop Believin' Dirty Heads // Vacation Macklemore // Glorious (feat. Skylar Grey) People Under The Stairs // San Francisco Knights Alan Jackson // Chatahoochee Curtis Waters // Stunnin' (feat. Harm Franklin) Looking Glass // Brandy (You're A Fine Girl)

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#StarPower

Dylan Playfair Interview by Carol Wright | Photographer: Karolina Turek

#StarPower

Did a certain television show or movie get you interested in acting?

When I was young my family spent the summers in Northern BC Canada at our cottage on the lake. We had no Wi-Fi but we did have a TV set with a VHS machine. My brothers and I would go into town and rent a summer’s worth of movies and TV shows. A lot of comedies were in the mix, Austin Powers, Scary Movie 1-2-3, every Chris Farley and Adam Sandler film ever made as well as all the Simpsons specials we could find.

That certainly planted the seed. As I grew up I started to notice the way the films Tom Hanks acted in could affect the way I interacted with the world around me.

My dad’s favorite film growing up was Apollo 13. The absolute commitment from the characters in that film to succeed was incredible, I can still see the passion in my dad’s eyes explaining the importance of that famous line "failure is not an option.” It was those early interactions with story that sparked my interest in film and TV. When it came to the decision to fully delve into the pursuit, that came after watching Friday Night Lights and realizing Taylor Kitsch (Tim Riggins) had played in the same hockey league as me. That's when I knew it was time to pursue the dream.

You have a background in Hockey. Did your experience with the sport draw you to Odd Man Rush?

The sports element was certainly a factor in drawing me into the script. Having played hockey was a key part of my name being brought up in the casting process however, I think it was my ability to bring an authentic feel to the hockey dressing room scenes, the downtime between the games, and the elements of life on the road that I was able to draw on. Those were the elements of hockey I wanted to bring into the film.

Tell us about your character Dean Hunter.

As you started filming did you find similarities between you and Dean?

Obviously coming from a hockey background was helpful in building the authenticity of the character.

For me, however, the theme of the film was a stronger pull towards the role than the ice hockey element.

Transition, and how one deals with change was deeply personal to me. I had gone through such a similar experience moving from hockey to film. Dean must decide if he's going to pursue a dream that's all but over or get on with the next phase of his life, that was for me so personal and relevant to what I went through, that I felt I could tell his story honestly.

Did you have to dig deep and do a lot of research when it came to understanding the experience of an American playing on a Swedish hockey team? Are there major differences?

I think the fact that we (the cast and crew) were holed up in a hotel in upstate New York with nothing much to do other than skate and hang out gave a very realistic glimpse into what it's like for these guys who play overseas. It was the coldest winter in 100 years and Colgate in February has a very Nordic feel and the fact the set was dressed to look like Sweden gave the illusion of being in another country. I'm not going to say it was the same as being overseas playing hockey, however, I believe the essence of the experience was legitimate. There's a different style of hockey in Europe, there are bigger ice surfaces and more room to skate and pass but as far as this film was concerned the team element was more important than the game itself and you can feel that throughout the film.

You often mix the sport you love with your profession. What was it like working on a project that is 100% focused on Hockey and the relationships built through the sport?

It's a lot of fun getting to play hockey and act, truth be told I'm a much better player when the director's helping me score goals! That said, it's a real challenge to make sure every character has unique defining traits and characteristics that are not cliches of 'hockey players'. It's important to make your characters well rounded and human rather than carbon copies of a stereotypical 'hockey players'.

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You can also be seen in the film Summerland. What was it about this project that interested you?

Summerland was an opportunity to work with some of my close friends; Chris Ball, Kurtis David Harder, and Maddie Phillips. I was working on a film in Vegas at the time and it worked out that I was able to drive out and meet the crew in Northern California to film the scenes I was needed for. The story itself was a ton of fun and it was not hard to convince me to come out to a music festival and film some guerilla scenes. It's a version of film making not for the faint of heart and that was something that excited me. The fact the story is charming as anything I have ever read was a real cherry on top.

In the film, you play Shawn who finds himself in the middle of a catfish scheme.

What did you do to step into Shawn’s shoes?

To be honest with you, Chris had told me the role was written with me in mind so it was really a matter of acting naturally and authentically while responding to the circumstances of the story. Of course, you must prepare for every role to bring the best version of yourself to the character but this role, in particular, was about being honest in the moment.

Letterkenny is going into its ninth season.

What have you learned about yourself as an actor after being apart of the beloved show?

I've learned to trust myself, to trust the process, and to trust my instincts. I think a lot of actors strive to be the version of the character they think the director wants to see rather than the best possible representation of themselves under the circumstances of the story. In order to do that well, I think you've got to go back in the character’s history and ask yourself who you would be if your life story was swapped out with the person you're playing on-screen. Once that's done there’s a sense of freedom in the character. You stop trying to get it right and start playing with how you would react in the shoes of the character. Reilly is a version of Dylan had he stayed in that small town he was born in, if he was a goal scorer in Juniors and if his entire identity was based on being a hockey player.

That has been such a huge lesson as an actor. The fact we make Letterkenny with some of the greatest humans I know is really a bonus.

We’re living in strange times where filming has been halted around the world.

Have you found yourself delving into other creative outlets like music or writing during quarantine?

I've been able to stay relatively busy in Vancouver BC. My fiancé and I own a production company up here called Media Button that specializes in TV commercials and documentaries. During COVID we have begun to incorporate a lot more narrative-based development into our slate which is really exciting. That has allowed me to collaborate with some very gifted writers and producers. I love all aspects of film and TV so directing and producing are elements of my 'big picture.’ That said, we have vowed to take things one day at a time as COVID really put into perspective the important things in life such as family and health.

What advice do you have for aspiring actors?

Work hard, work smart, and enjoy the process. At the end of the day, the most rewarding moments should take place between "action" and "cut" that’s where the magic lives, everything else is just leg work to get back to those moments in my opinion and if you fall in love with that leg work, with the pursuit as well as the act of performing you will never be disappointed. Also, memorize your lines and don't beat yourself up if they don't pick you for a role. You never know who’s watching and sometimes the roles you don't book lead directly to the ones you do book.

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#StarPower

"Work hard, work smart, and enjoy the process.

At the end of the day, the most rewarding moments should take place between 'action' and 'cut' that’s where the magic lives."

#StarPower

Dylan's Top Picks

Book: The Alchemist

TV Show: Homeland (Drama) The Office (Comedy)

Movie: Step Brothers 10

#QuickChat

Carina Battrick

#QuickChat

Interview by Carol Wright | Photographer: Anita Surma

When did you become passionate about acting?

What did you learn from working with Viggo Mortenson?

I started acting in community theatre and my mother signed me up for an acting class. I had so much fun and my teacher said I was good which I think made me like it so much. As a middle child, I would always need to work extra hard to get attention. My favorite thing about performing is the ability to be someone else. I love to play pretend and acting is just that. You get to be the characters you are portraying and tell a story. I love the entire process from costumes to sets. When I first started I was so fascinated with all the details and finally seeing the final product on TV is just incredible.

I also enjoy meeting new people, which you get to do a lot since every show you are on has new people.

Working with Viggo was almost surreal. He is very patient and extremely hard working. He did not treat me like a child but like a professional actor. He made me feel proud to do my job. He is also very attention oriented and I learned that the smallest details can really change a story. For example, even the placement of objects on a table needed special attention.

Tell us about your role as “Little Sarah” in the film Falling. Can you relate to your character?

I get to portray Sarah who is Viggo’s younger sister in flashbacks. Her character helps show us that we never really know people’s stories and how we should not judge one another's choices.

The film is about family and how influential family relationships can be and this is portrayed often through the flashbacks “Little Sarah” is in. Did you draw on your own life experiences to bring Little Sarah’s scenes to life?

Sarah’s relationship with her dad is not an easy one so I had to imagine what that would feel like to have a dad like that in real life, as he is very different from my own father. I tried to imagine how I would feel if my mom and dad would behave like my on-screen parents, which helped me get in the emotional state of the character.

You also can be seen in Netflix’s Feel The Beat. That movie is centered around dance and performing. What was it like working on it?

Being cast as Michelle has been an amazing experience because Feel the Beat is a dance movie and I am not just an actor but I also dance competitively.

All the dances have been choreographed by the famous Mia Michaels, which is the best when it comes to creating amazing dance routines. I actually did not know that Sofia Carson was in the movie until I actually got cast, went to the first dance practice, and that was the first time I got to meet her. The other amazing part was that all of the main cast were kids so we got to play on set all the time. All other movies that I have been in never had so many amazing kids, so it was really special, and we all became great friends.

What advice do you have for aspiring young actors?

If you can’t handle rejection and lots of hard work don’t start. You really need to be passionate about acting and work hard at every audition. You might audition 50 times before you actually book a job. Also when you do actually book the job it is not playtime.

You have to be ready to perform on a cue and deliver what the director is expecting. You might have to do the same take 10 times. A lot of people think set life is fun and games but it is actually the opposite. Every minute is money so the expectations are very high. It doesn’t matter if you are eight or 18 you have to really become your character.

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NYOTA Magazine has partnered with House of Flair to launch a brunch series that bridges the gap between generations with topics such as business, mental health, networking and so much more. Follow @nyotamagazine to stay up to date and to find out when our next virtual brunch will be.

NYOTA Magazine STAR POWER TEAM EDITOR IN CHIEF

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

CAROL WRIGHT CAROL WRIGHT

COVER ACTOR

Dylan Playfair

CONTRIBUTORS PHOTOGRAPHER

Karolina Turek

PHOTOGRAPHER

Anita Surma

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