Interview by Carol Wright | Photographer: David Higgs @Higgsy_Photography | Groomer: Josefine Wissenberg @josefinewissenberg |Stylist: Enrique Melendez @MrEnriqueMelendez
We got to chat with up-and-coming actor Aditya Geddada about working on Encounter, stepping into the shoes of his character Bobby, and what he learned from Riz Ahmed. Watch Encounter in theatres today and on Prime Video December 10th.
Was there a particular television show or movie that inspired you to start acting?
I really like the Avengers films, and I loved Avengers: Endgame. I wanted to be like Robert Downey Jr. I liked his humor, his bravery and I thought if I started acting then I could meet him – that’s always been my dream.
Tell our readers about Encounter. What made you want to be involved in the film?
This was my first audition, and I was shocked when I found out that I got cast! I really liked the script when I first read it. I thought it was a great combination of family, sci-fi, action, and thriller. I really love action movies. Also, I really liked Michael, the director, when I met him on Zoom calls, and I thought it would be super fun to work with him!
Did you do anything, in particular, to step into your character Bobby’s shoes?
Bobby is a lot like me. He loves sugar, he loves toys, he’s funny, and he fights with his brother (I have an older sister), so that’s basically my life too! So it was easy for me to play the part!
What did you learn from working closely with Riz Ahmed?
Riz is an amazing actor and a top-notch professional! He is funny, fun and always full of energy, that’s what I love about him. We became like a real family on our road trip. I also learned a lot from Riz – when we had a scene when we had to be sad, Riz would say picture a memory when you had to be sad and bring that emotion to the scene.
Encounter got rave reviews at TIFF. How did it feel to receive so much love after the hard work you and your castmates put in?
I really felt so proud of my co-stars, myself, my director Michael, and the amazing crew. It was difficult during COVID-19. We had to get tested every day and had to wear masks and shields. Also, we had to shoot in freezing temperatures, shoot where there were snakes, there was so much wind one day that a crew tent flew off, but still it was a fantastic experience! I am so happy that people loved the movie and appreciated all our hard work.
What advice do you have for aspiring, young actors?
Be yourself! Try to think about what is similar between the character you are playing and yourself. Most importantly, relax, have fun and enjoy the experience!