Michael Evans Behling – All American

By starrymag | October 21, 2019

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

 

Q) What are the recent projects that you are working on?

A) Over last season’s hiatus I did get to work on “Grey’s Anatomy” for an episode, which was amazing. Other than that, I’ve been focusing on “All American.”

Q) What can you tease is new this season on “All American” and with your character Jordan Baker?

A) You’re going to see Jordan playing the bad boy role, as you saw in the first episode. He’s going to continue on this bad boy path for quite some time until he’s hit with a pretty serious situation where he has to man up and take ownership of. I think that’s going to be the biggest thing you’ll see. There will be this shift of, “I don’t really care about anything,” to “Oh crap! I have to get my stuff together! Otherwise, more bad things are going to happen.”

Q) What keeps challenging you about portraying Jordan?

A) The fact that he is such a guy who is a hot head and I, myself, don’t like to get mad. I don’t get mad at really anything. I kind of like to keep myself poised and level. Granted, he’s a seventeen-year-old kid, but if something happens, he’s immature in that sense. So, when ever he gets mad that is probably the hardest thing for me to portray. Raising his voice, getting elevated and almost getting in peoples’ faces. We’ll see him kind of disrespect people, which I (again) don’t like to do. So, the challenging part of Jordan this season so far has been kind of stepping into this role of “I don’t respect you and I’m going to show you how I don’t respect.”

Q) Has much of Michael been incorporated into the character or even have you had a say in how the character Jordan has developed in Season 2?

A) I would say the fact that Jordan and I are both athletes definitely plays a role in the way that I kind of have created this character. Also, the fact that we’re both mixed kids living in a world where we don’t really know where we belong. Jordan has a black father and a white mother and my situation is the same. So, he’s kind of lost in this space of not belonging either black or white. He’s challenged to find where he fits and where he plays a role in this crazy world we live in. And I relate to Jordan in that sense.

Q) Was there anything you did different, training wise, going into this season of “All American?”

A) It’s been basically the same as we did for last season. We workout every day with our trainer and then I guess we have been doing more work outside on the weekends, maybe before work or after work, where we’re just going on the field and tossing the ball around and kind of getting that connection that a quarterback and wide receiver would have in real life. Trying to make it as legit as possible.

Q) Going into this season was there someone(s) you were hoping to share more scenes with?

A) I was hoping to get more scenes with my mom, Monet [Mazur]. And we will get to see that more this season because we see Billy has moved out. So, Monet is the sole parent in our household. Again, with Jordan acting out Monet has to step up and be more of an involved parent than she was in the first season. So, Jordan and Monet get to have more scenes together, which I enjoy.

Q) Talk about working with onscreen parents Monet Mazur and Taye Diggs.

A) It’s awesome! It’s really awesome. Taye and Monet are both brilliant actors. We’re a family. The great thing about it is even when we’re not working, they call us their children and I call her “mom” and Taye is “dad.” We all work together to create something amazing and also they give us life advice because we are kids. At the end of the day, we are kids. At least I am a kid. So, they give us advice on not only acting, but also life and life experience.

Q) Does the younger cast hang out together much off screen?

A) Yes. So, Daniel [Ezra] and I probably spend the amount most time together of anybody in of the cast. Daniel and I live in the same apartment complex. So, we see each other basically every day even if we’re not working. Our trainer, Scott [Benzig] (who also plays a role sometimes on the football field as one of the players) – we spend a lot of time with him on the weekends as well outside of the football field.

Q) What are some memorable moments or upcoming episodes fans you’re excited for fans to see this season?

A) Episode 2 was a good one, especially for Jordan. We got to see him playing up his bad boy image and the lack of respect he shows for people. Also, episodes 7 will be one of the heaviest episodes I think we shot so far this season. I know Episode 9 last season was kind of a big one – the big tear jerker. I think Episode 7 this season will take its place.

Q) What does it mean to you to be a part of a series with so many people of colors in lead roles?

A) I think it’s amazing! I think it allows people who aren’t normally portrayed on screen to be able to be on screen. I think it’s cool for African American kids to be able to look up on the screen and say, “That guy looks like me!” And I think it’s just the relatability of things. To be able to relate to someone you see on screen I think is one of the greatest things that we’re doing.

Q) What do you think it is about “All American” that has made it such a fast fan favorite show?

A) I think it’s the fact that we portray Crenshaw in such a real light. Not that we’re just portraying Crenshaw as the maybe the bad stereotypes that it has, but also for the good stereotypes that it has. I think Layla (Greta Onieogou) had a line last season that said, “You can be from anywhere and have that exact story.” It also shows the other side of things like maybe in Beverly Hills everything isn’t as glamorous as you think and people are people at the end of the day. It doesn’t matter where you come from. I think that people forget that. If you’re from a specific city or a specific region you are automatically labeled as something. The nice thing about our show is that it shows you can be from anywhere and have anything or have nothing. It’s all about perspective and it’s all about being open to understanding peoples’ situations before judging them.

Q) You are a part of social media. Do you enjoy that instant feedback you receive to episodes?

A) I think that I enjoy connecting with fans so much because I want them to be able to stay in touch with me. I know three years ago, when I was just a lifeguard and I would watch TV shows and fall in love with characters or even YouTubers, I’d reach out to them on social media. If they reached out back or even if they didn’t, when they did, I felt that connection as if I was playing along with them. Even whenever I go Live or just respond to comments, I think it makes people feel like they are a part of me and I want them to feel that way. I don’t want them to feel like, “Oh, he’s an actor on TV and I can’t ever talk to him.” I don’t want them to feel that. I want them to feel I’m relatable and I’m just like you at the end of the day. Yeah, my job requires me to go on screen, act and play somebody else. But at the end of the day, I’m a person that wakes up and does the exact same thing that you do. I think that’s why I enjoy connecting with people on social media in the way that I do.

Q) You mentioned you were just a lifeguard a few years ago. What would you say to others looking to be an actor?

A) My situation was lucky. My situation was being in the right place at the right time, for sure. I would say if you have a passion for something and you know you have a passion for something then take a chance. Take a chance, go outside of your comfort zone and just be confident enough to know that you are enough. To think that “I can get this role” and “I can do this.” But also, be realistic. If you’ve never done anything in your life acting wise, don’t just pack up your car and move to Los Angeles. Have a plan. Have an idea of what you want to do and where you see yourself going. Also, don’t give up and just believe in yourself.

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and the work you do?

A) I appreciate and love the support. It’s tremendous and I can’t wait for you to see Season 2 because it’s going to be absolutely amazing.