Reed Horstmann – The Villains of Valley View

By starrymag | July 21, 2023

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

Q) We’re back for Season Two of “The Villains of Valley View.” Where do we pick up with the series and Jake/Chaos?

 

A) We pick up Season Two immediately after the events of our Season One finale. The Maddens have to come face to face with the aftermath of defeating the leader of all villains, and who will replace him. While Amy (Isabella Pappas) sees this as an opportunity to return to her old life, the rest of the Maddens have found comfort in their new lives in Valley View and opt to stay. Jake is probably the most relieved to stay in Valley View because all the pressure on his back from the events of Season One has subsided and now he can return to figuring out who he is beyond just his super-strength. As many things go, though, this is not to last. Jake will face tests that cause him to rethink this journey of self-improvement.

 

Q) What continues to challenge you about playing this role?

 

A) I think the thing that is the most challenging (as well as the most valuable) about Jake is how often he stands apart from the rest of his family. He’s really trying to carve out his own path because he knows it’s the right thing to do, especially when his family is discouraging him from doing so. There are quite a few scenes in Season Two where we see Jake get a bit of teasing and grief from his family. With that, I had to find a way to present Jake with the power and confidence of a former villain that is proud of the work he’s doing. He doesn’t need the super strength to be strong, he’s able to be resilient to let all the doubt bounce right off him.

 

Q) In this new season were you hoping to share more scenes with someone(s) in particular? 

 

A) One of the best things to see in Season One was how the writers would pair different characters together every week to test how they would react in different dynamics. By doing this, the audience is able to get a well-rounded view of the characters depending on the situation. So, I can’t really pick favorites because each dynamic was fun for me in completely different ways. Any scene with Vic (James Patrick Stewart), Eva (Lucy Davis) or Celia (Patricia Belcher) was full of very quick-witted, sarcastic humor that was always fun to improve on, whereas any scene with Amy or Hartley (Kayden Muller-Janssen) was an opportunity for Jake to be more vulnerable and grounded.

 

Q) Each episode is filled with lots of heart and humor. Who has the most difficulty keeping it together when filming silly scenes?

 

A) It definitely varies from episode to episode, but Malachi [Barton] and are always breaking, especially when the rest of us are improvising and pitching new jokes in-between takes to surprise them.

 

Q) What are some episodes that you think will really stand out for fans – ones you think they should keep an eye out for?

 

A) The biggest one for me would be our two-part midseason finale. I can’t say what happens in it because of spoilers, but it was completely paradigm shifting for the story and the Maddens’ dynamic as a family. It really does change everything from that point on.

 

Q) With such great bonds we see on screen, does the cast spend much time together off screen?

 

A) Totally! We’re always out getting food, going go-karting, going to Disneyland, and more! It’s nice to be so connected to a cast both on and off screen; it makes our job so much easier. To be able to know the other actors so well makes it exponentially easier in our scenes because we know each other’s little intricacies and quirks and how to act off of them.

 

Q) What do you think it is about “The Villains of Valley View” that continues to make it such a fan favorite series?

 

A) The cast always talks about this, and we think it comes down to how human and flawed this family is while still being loving and caring as families should. They make mistakes together, they learn together and they will always fight for each other. Plus, each character is completely unlike another; they each have their unique traits that make them relatable to any audience member. That quality is super special, and it is never lost on us.

 

Q) We know you’ve also been busy playing music recently. Who are some of your musical influences?

 

A) I could honestly go on about this for hours, but our band all grew up listening to rock in some form or another. For me, I come from a serious blues and garage rock background; anything from ZZ Top, The White Stripes, Queens of the Stone Age or Rival Sons tends to be the kinds of music I play and write.

 

Q) Who would you most love to collaborate with on a song in the future?

 

A) We talk about this a lot in rehearsal, but we’ve always liked the idea of writing a song for Rival Sons’ Jay Buchanon. He’s an absolutely mind-blowing vocalist and it would be awesome to share a stage with him. Beyond that, and I’m sure this is every rocker’s dream, is to have Dave Grohl do drums on a track. Nobody plays like him and all the bands I know that have interacted with him say that he has this sage-like wisdom that guides the band for the rest of their careers.

 

Q) What are the other on-camera projects that you have been busy working on?

 

A) Well, we really just finished Season Two of “The Villains of Valley View” over a month ago, so much of my time has gone into promoting the season. There hasn’t been a lot of time to do any more on-camera work, but I’m always auditioning and hopefully, it won’t be long before the next opportunity.

 

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who are fans and supporters of you and the work you do?

 

A) Well, first and foremost, I’d like to profess my profound gratitude to everyone who has supported me and followed me throughout my career thus far. Being able to see the direct feedback from fans about the work I’m doing is really so encouraging. I started performing both in acting and music because they are my passions; I continue to work in the hopes that somewhere my work is able to inspire other kids to pursue their passions as well just like my inspirations did for me. My only advice would be to listen to that inner voice, regardless of what you want to do. Your authenticity is what makes your art unique, never change who you are because society or a trend told you to; embrace what makes you stand out. I’ll leave you with a quote from one of my inspirations Greta Van Fleet; this has become a guiding light for me as I hope it is for you, “Where there is love, we must live on. And where there is not love, we must provide it.”

 

 

 This interview was done before the SAG strike