Miles Heizer – Parenthood

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

A) I just finished working on a movie called The Stanford Prison Experiment. I’ve also been doing some music stuff, trying to get it online.

Q) What kind of journey will we see with Drew this season?

A) I think that part of this season deals with where we left off last season with Natalie. I also think that this year Drew kind of takes on more responsibilities with the family. He’s getting older and his dad is not really around. So, I think that he feels a lot of responsibility towards Amber and his mom, Sarah. I think they kind of go into that a lot this year.

Q) What has your personal journey been like playing Drew throughout the years?

A) I think in a lot of ways they have been so open to us kind of putting parts of ourselves into our characters. In a way, I think I’ve gone through a really similar thing and I think that translates to the show because we put so much of ourselves into it. I am basically the same age as Drew so I went through a lot of the same things as he did. I moved out around the same time as he went to college. As far as claiming more responsibilities, I think that I also did that in real life. Especially for me, I think a lot of Drew’s traits mirror my own in a way. Hopefully, that translates in some way on the show. I definitely really relate in real life to that transition.

Q) How will the family react to Zeek’s new heart issues?

A) As you know the Bravermans have a lot of big personalities and opinions. That is kind of an interesting thing because it does bring everybody together and levels people in the way that it does in real life. That is something that they haven’t gotten into yet and it definitely brings everyone together, as it would in real. I think the best part of “Parenthood” is that they take a lot of situations that are very relatable that people go through. I think it brings everyone together.

Q) With Amber’s pregnancy, how will it effect her relationship with Drew?

A) I think that as I probably would in real life with my sister (because I also have an older sister), Drew also feels a lot of wanting to take care of her because they have such a good relationship and they are so close. I think it goes a lot into him wanting to be there and trying to positively influence her and help her. I think he just wants to help and be there for her because they have such a good relationship. They go into some tough love and differing opinions, which is different in a lot of ways because they grew up differently. He was younger and she was more of a teen/young adult. Recently, they get along very well. I think this is kind of interesting because it shows them going through something really serious. Drew is very protective of her and there are some differing opinions. I think they go into that when something really serious happens he is trying to help and she is trying to do what she needs to do. Ultimately, at the end of the day, they have a really good thing and I know that they definitely go into that. Also, they will go into having differing opinions on a serious matter, which can cause a lot of tension, but also growth.

Q) Talk about your relationship with your costar Mae Whitman. You have developed quite a bond throughout the years.

A) Mae is definitely one of my best, best friends. I actually live at her house in her guest house. She is very much like a sister to me. Since the very beginning, we always got along. I remember when I was fourteen years old and we were shooting the pilot and I had on this Tegan and Sara shirt. She said, “Nice shirt.” And I thought she was so cool because she liked Tegan and Sara. I think I can relate to her because I have an older sister. It translates because she is definitely like my sister in real life. We like the same things and we think the same things are funny. We just have a lot of fun together and I think we’ve been lucky enough that they have written that into the show and allowed us to foster that. I have a really great relationship with my sister so it has been fun to get to translate that on TV. We got really lucky. They’ll let us sing a song together this past year and they let us live together for a bit last season. I think they just know how good of friends we are in real life and hopefully you can tell on the show.

Q) What is your ideal happy ending for Drew and if there is a chance he will get close to that?

A) I would, honestly, just desperately hope that he is happy and doing what he wants. I know he takes on a lot of responsibility for the family, especially with him not having his dad around. He feels this thing where he wants to take care of his mom and his sister. I would say, ultimately, for him to end up doing what he wants to do and not influenced by anyone else or situation. I want him to be happy, which is also talking about what I want in real life. It’s what you want for yourself and anyone that you care about. That would definitely be my hope. And, in all honesty, I don’t know how the show ends yet. I haven’t gotten all of the scripts, but I really hope that that is where it is. He is changing so much and becoming an adult. So, I know that it is a crazy, weird transitional period where you have to make all these choices about how you are going to lead the rest of your life. But I think he has a really good head on his shoulders by taking on some things that he doesn’t necessarily need to. I really hope that he’ll come out on the other side good and happy.

Q) What do you take away from your years of working on the show?

A) I think about this all the time. I can’t even imagine not having it or not being on it. I’ve literally made so many incredible friendships and I met Mae and Lauren [Graham] and everyone because of it. I have an actual other weird family that isn’t like my actual family, but they definitely are. I love working on it so much. Initially, I’m going to take away that it is so sad because it’s over. Ultimately, I’m just so lucky to have been on this show. We have it so easy and it’s so much fun. It’s probably the easiest and most fun I’ll have. I’ll probably be bitter and miserable with the next thing I do because it’s not “Parenthood” and it won’t be the same. I just love it so much and have taken away so many great relationships. I’ve learned so much and there are so many great actors on the show and I’ve learned so much getting to work with them and watch them. It’s the best!

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who has been a fan and supporter of the show and feels like they are kind of an honorary Braverman?

A) The best part about it is that everyone is in some regard. I think that one of the cool things about being a part of the show is that it is really relatable to a lot of people and that they use situations that we have all been through, even small ones that are unique that aren’t really addressed on other shows. It’s so cool for me even because they have done some stories that are really similar to what I have been going through. Honestly, I think that I would just thank them so much. Literally, we have this group of people that watch the show, but over the past six years they have really consistently watched it. I think that the people who have watched it really like it a lot. Without those people, it wouldn’t be on the air. I think that it is literally because of them. I’d say thank you so much and hope that we can have a good final season and make everybody happy. I hope to God that they have gotten something really nice out of the show because I’ve watched some of my favorite shows and gotten a lot out of them. I’ve been able to see myself with in it and had realizations about myself from it. I want that for other people as it has with me from this show. It’s so cool and thank you so much because we wouldn’t have been here without people watching it.