Max Adler – Switched at Birth

Q) You have been off the map for a while. What are the recent projects you’ve been working on?

A) “Glee” hit very hard and very fast. It was one of the biggest shows around and the role that I got to play I had no idea the impact it could potentially have. When I started get response and feedback from people, I just realized how powerful media can be and how responsible we are as artists and creators to make a difference. It doesn’t have be frivolous or forgettable. You are actually changing people’s lives and starting a national dialogue, changing perspective. It all happened by osmosis because of “Glee.” I think that after my time on “Glee” was over, I was selective about not wanting to be involved with certain roles or projects. I was very careful on how to follow up that role on that show. While looking for that, I went away and wrote a pilot and film with different friends of mine. The film may actually be going when the “Switched At Birth” hiatus happens. Then, a couple of great movies came around that happened in Austin and Michigan. The Austin one was called Believe Me and The Michigan is called Saugatuck Cures. Both of them I thought were phenomenal scripts and characters that said something and meant something. And the directors were amazing and I would get to travel. It was all too good to pass up. Same with “Switched At Birth.” I had obviously known about the show because it was a great success for ABC Family. I had watched a bunch of episodes and they were kind of doing the same thing that I experienced on “Glee,” where they were giving out messages of positivity, tolerance and sharing different disabilities on a national level and how people were just people. To get to be a part of a show that also meant something to a lot of people and the role was a complete departure from Karofsky was very exciting. It kind of turned into more than I had even hoped for and I’m having a blast and a great experience on the show.

Q) How was the role of Tank originally described to you and how have you made it your own?

A) I always like to think that I’m adding something that is perhaps not in the script. That’s why actors get into this trade. We think we can offer our own interpretation and our own spin on it to make it ours and own it while still doing service to the characters that the writers and producers create. They definitely have given me a strong foundation and given me scenes to work with a great range of emotion. I always like to do the whole backstory thing like finding out what makes Tank tick, what he is really going after and what his objectives are. For the role, I didn’t know how long I’d be on. I think, originally, I was written to be in just a few episodes and kind of be this guy in art class with Bay, but I know that after the first couple episodes the creators (Paul Stupin and Lizzy Weiss) had come up to Vanessa [Marano] and I and said they were enjoying our on screen chemistry and really enjoyed watching us together. Then, I’ve been around every episode ever since and our relationship has developed some nice complex levels and layers, which is very exciting. Lizzy and Paul are great because they are very open to ideas and receptive and responsive to the cast and supportive. They are always on set encouraging and supporting. It’s an awesome atmosphere there.

Q) You mentioned getting to share a more vulnerable and expressive side to Tank. How has that been compared to your other roles? Especially with Karofsky where you had to be more stoic and being so torn.

A) I think there are completely different layers and levels of vulnerability. I think human beings in general, for the most part, act one way and show one side of themselves. They present one side of themselves to their friends and to the public eye. There is always something else going on underneath that people usually have, an inner dialogue or thoughts that are only there – secrets within themselves. Growing up, watching that on screen was always what interested me the most. You see what they are saying, but what everyone is responding to is what they are really saying when they read between the lines and the subtext. Now with my position being in front of the lens, I try to bring that to my roles. And so with Karofsky, he was guarded in the fact he was tortured and tormented and there is a dark and angry side to him. He was masking his homosexual tendencies and anything that would reveal he wasn’t 100% a hetero guy. To me, I think that is the complete opposite of Tank where he is totally fine showing this kind of light, playful, fun, romantic, vulnerable side. He’s a lot more confident with himself and his humor. He’s more outgoing and jovial. He’s a standup guy and if anything I think that the name Tank almost masks Miles Conroy in that. He’s more comfortable with the vulnerable, sweet, romantic stuff he gets to do with Bay and more out of place in frat, football life and with his buddies. Growing up and being a young guy, he’s not quite ready to admit that. It’s a safer bet to be around the guys and do what you know. It’s not kind of cool at that age to give up on your guy friends to go hang out with a girl. I think that is what Tank likes the most.

Q) Many “Switched At Birth” fans had wanted to see Bay with Emmett. How do you think the fans reacting to you before seeing you on the show has changed now that episodes are airing?

A) It’s been an overwhelming thing. You already have support for Bay and Tank. There has been a great support and obviously people are outspoken about Bay and Emmett as well. The way I kind of associate it with is with “Glee” and Finn and Rachel and with “Switched At Birth” it’s Bay and Emmett. There is just a couple that is meant to be and you always kind of know in your gut that they should be together, but whether or not it happens because of the drama along the way is what makes things interesting. All I can say is I understand why people would want Bay and Emmett, just because that is kind of been explored already and that’s what the audience knows and is comfortable with, but people have supported Tank and Bay and I think so far Tank is batting 1000. He’s incredibly sweet to her. He is not cheating. There is no drama. He has just been a good guy and has been there for her. He is willing to do things that she wants. I think that’s a guy Bay hasn’t been around before and she is intrigued. Tank is obviously smitten with her and through the course of the season we’ll see what develops to see if they get closer or she pushes them away.

Q) What has been your favorite aspect to playing Tank?

A) I just have so much fun with him. I think he’s just a fun character. He’s really like not afraid to be goofy or silly. I think he’s a charming guy who is fairly confident and it is just nice to play that and play a good guy. In the past, as you know, I’ve definitely been cast as a few bad guys and villains. To play the sweet guy has been a lot of fun.

Q) What episodes should fans of Bay and Tank look out for?

A) In episodes five and six, a lot of Tank and Bay stuff will happen. Their relationship will be explored and unpeeled in those episodes. The whole script is a great little gift to get though!

Q) What have been your most memorable moments from filming “Switched At Birth?”

A) Everyone on the show is so cool and everyone likes each other. We all hang out at lunch and in between takes and scenes. We have career conversations, heartfelt conversations and talk movies we’ve seen. Everything under the sun we talk about and I feel like we’ve known each other forever even though it’s only been a couple months for me. I learn something every time I go to that set. There is always some interesting and fascinating conversation happening. I learn something new every day!

Q) You have gotten a lot of love from fans from your portrayal of Karofsky on “Glee.” Are you shocked by fan interest to get closure for the character?

A) I’m torn because I always felt like it was left incredibly open. I always thought there was so much more to tell and to discover. Me, personally, I really wanted to know what happened with Karofsky and if he and Kurt remained friends. Why did no one else mention it when everyone was so heartbroken about what happened? How did his parents take it? Did he go to college? It wasn’t just for me, but for fans of Karofsky to see how he would react and how he would handle life. People strongly identified with the character and I think it was kind of left open ended with no resolution and closure. Honestly, I was disappointed. “Glee” came around a few months ago and they were going to put together a scene with me, Darren Criss and Grant Gustin. I can’t say where or what was happening, but it was just a scene with the three of us that would show you where Karofsky ended up and what he was doing now. It was very quickly resolved in two minutes. It didn’t work out because of Grant doing his show and me doing mine. The schedules just never clicked. I think that it is almost more powerful now to not have such closure just handed to you. I think it is more powerful to have left it open ended with the way it was and fill in your own blank and story. Everyone can see Karofsky where they want to see Karofsky. And I think that’s kind of the best way to leave him and leave him on the note where we last saw him and just have hope. I think to just solve that and show the answer would actually weaken the perspective of Dave Karofsky. As an audience member, sometimes the stuff I remember the most and the stuff I think about at night while falling asleep or think about years later is the stuff that wasn’t so handed down to you or so obvious. It was kind of left open and choose your own ending. I think that kind of hits home and resonates more. I think looking back at it now, at this point in my life and my career, I am happy with the way it wrapped up and the work on that show. Having the support of the fans for the role on the show meant the world to me and still does.

Q) Do you still see yourself as a role model?

A) That’s very sweet of you to say, but I can’t look at myself like that. I’m just a guy trying to do good in the world and do my part to help others while I can. I use the little bit of the success that I have gotten to give back to things and people that matter. Obviously, with the work I do for It Gets Better, GLAAD and the Trevor Project means so much because I’ve been so enthralled into that world largely because of “Glee.” But all the things I am doing with the Muscular Dystrophy Association and FSH Society, which is where all the fans gave money for my birthday is heartwarming stuff because it is a full circle thing to honor my mom and my grandma. To get to make this disease more aware around the world and have people donate checks, funds and walks that are done in New York and LA to support a cause that is near and dear to my heart is pretty mind blowing. I’m just very thankful! If I can be a role model in any way, I think it is that life is short and you have to live each day to the fullest. Tomorrow is promised to nobody. I came out to Los Angeles after high school and went for it. It was hard and I was broke, miserable and depressed. I ended up okay though. Dreams can come true through hard work and I recommend everyone going for what they want to do in life because I think life is too short to not do it.

Q) What would you like to be sure to share with your fans and supporters?

A) Definitely keep watching because every episode that comes out the rest of the season comes gets juicer and more and more intense. There is a lot of good Tank and Bay stuff. I am proud of that show and proud of what we’ve done. To the fans, I would be no where without your support and it does genuinely mean the world to me both for me and my career, but also for charity endeavors.