Juliet & Romeo is coming to a screen near you, and Toronto actor Max Parker is ready to make his feature film debut in the new movie-musical.
The film, directed by Timothy Scott Bogart, adds a pop musical twist to the classic Shakespeare tragedy, Romeo and Juliet, where two young people from rival families fall in love. The film is set to release in Canada later this month.
Parker takes on the role of Benvolio, Romeo’s “first-hand man,” who he also describes as having an internal battle throughout the film.
“He holds a lot of inner turmoil, believes that everything that’s kind of unfolding has to do with him, and it’s his fault. He holds the weight of the world on his shoulders,” Parker said in an interview with Now Toronto.
Parker will act alongside veteran actors like Rebel Wilson and Jason Isaacs, an opportunity that he did not expect to happen so soon when he first signed to his agent in 2022 before auditioning immediately after.
“I found out within a month that I was cast. I remember just freaking out, realizing that I’m going to be in a film with Rebel Wilson and Jason Isaacs, I was like, ‘what is going on?’”
Parker spent months filming in Italy, where he says he was captivated by the real castles that were used as sets. It was there where the real work began, that included stunt training, sword fighting, and recording the pop songs that are featured in the movie.
“They’re all contagious… I think this whole soundtrack is like pop hits and I just hope the world agrees with that,” he said.
BACKGROUND IN MUSIC HELPED LAND ROLE
Lending his voice to the film came naturally for Parker who’s been a musician for most of his life and released his debut album 17 in 2021. He says his background in music is what helped him land the role.
“The vocal part of my audition was my strong suit, and I think that’s honestly what got me cast, is that I had such great vocal talent, and that was something to offer,” he said.
Parker wasn’t always singing or filming while in Rome, he was also able to make memories with his castmates offset, that includes getting “smoked” by Isaacs in a one-on-one tennis match, despite Parker hyping himself up as a competitive tennis player prior to the meetup.
“I [was] so so rusty, I had not played tennis for two or three years, and I’m regretting this in the moment,” Parker jokingly said.
While Parker’s success may seem instant, his training stretches back to his ninth grade of high school when he joined Father John Redmond Catholic Secondary School for the art’s theatre program, and it’s there Parker started acting.
When he was cast in the film, he couldn’t help but share the moment with one of his first acting mentors.
“I remember emailing my dramatic arts teacher in high school… I thanked him for everything, because he was like my first champion who made me realize that I could act on stage and I wasn’t just a musician,” he said.
Now that the film is set to be released, Parker is looking forward to continuing work on his sophomore album, which he describes as a ‘concept’ album representing his journey from being a boy to a man. He says the wait for this album won’t be long.
“I have a couple singles ready to go, and I’m hoping I can release something like in the summer or in the fall,” he said.
Aside from being an up and coming actor, Parker is a Torontonian who enjoys longboarding on the streets of Toronto, eating Pizza at Pizzariza Defina, and cheering for the Maple Leafs… before their disappointing season.
Parker says he’s excited for audiences to watch and enjoy his film debut.
“Just prepare to go watch and just have fun, and I’m just so grateful and excited to be a part of it,” he said.
