Interview by Carol Wright | Photographer: Antonius Sidharta
We got to chat with actor Slade Monroe who can be seen in 12 Mighty Orphans, about playing Wheatie in the film and his advice for aspiring actors.
Was there a movie or television show that initially inspired you to act?
The first time that I had ever realized that acting was an obtainable idea came from my first experience in a theater. In Dallas, Texas, at the Bass Hall, the musical version of Young Frankenstein was showing. Before going to watch it, my family rented the Gene Wilder movie from 1974 so that we could compare the two different forms of media. I was about 6 or 7 when we saw both. During the performance, it clicked in my brain that the characters on screen, and on stage, were real people filling a role. I remember laughing hysterically at the jokes and a piece of me knew that it was something that piqued my interest. I had no concept at the time of what I wanted to be later in life. But, at my current age, I look back at that moment knowing that’s where the seed was planted. I was 18 when I decided to pursue it as a career choice, and not just a hobby.
What drew you to the film 12 Mighty Orphans?
12 Mighty Orphans is basically a hometown story for me. Although I wasn’t all too familiar with it, I had heard bits and pieces of Rusty Russell throughout my life. I grew up in a small town just north of Fort Worth where the movie is based. After reading the summary of the story when I originally received the audition, I knew that this was something that would be important to many people. I grew up surrounded in the small town, Texas mentality. If there is one thing that I can say about it, Texans love their football, they love their family, and they are proud of being Texan. I was drawn in by the wholesomeness, the heart, the passion, and the knowledge that this would possibly be someone’s favorite football movie. I needed to be a part of this project because, from where I grew up, this would truly matter to someone.
Had you heard about the story of the “Mighty Mites” Texas football team prior to working on the project?
I knew very little about the Masonic Home. The names Hardy Brown and Rusty Russell were familiar to me, but I did not realize they were interconnected. I did know about Rusty Russell’s spread offense, but that is about it. When I was younger, 7 or so, I recall my parents watching a documentary about Hardy Brown and how he was, at one point, accused of wearing steel plates under his shoulder pads. After inspection, the announcer stated, “there was no steel under his shoulder pads, only Hardy Brown.” That incredibly niche memory has stuck with me for well over a decade. When I had read the page in the book that talks about that moment, that memory resurfaced again.
You play Wheatie in the film. Are there similarities between you and your character?
I’ve lived in Texas just about my entire life and I understand the harsh weather that it permits. I have tilled soil in the summer sun and played football during August when the temperature reached 115 degrees. Although I could never truly understand what Wheatie went through, I do think I have a similar love for my brothers as does he. I wasn’t a very popular kid and usually kept to myself growing up. So my two older brothers were my best friends when I was young. Even today, we have a great relationship. That is something that I felt I could bring to the character and give it justice. All Wheatie had were his fellow orphans, and they were his family. I can’t relate exactly, but I do know how to hold brotherhood dear.
How much did you learn from your co-stars while filming?
I learned more in 8 weeks of shooting than any classroom environment could ever give me. There is no education better than experience, and when you’re surrounded by professionals, it’s a masterclass. Each scene that I worked on, I was submerged in a dozen other individual acting techniques. Whenever I exchanged dialogue, I heard a different way of saying a line from my counterpart than I had thought in my own head. Essentially, what I saw was a completely different perspective of acting every single day. I benefited from being with this talented cast in those scenes, and for future ones to come.
What advice do you have for aspiring actors?
It is extremely important to surround yourself with the right type of people. I am not talking about networking, though. That is a soulless endeavor that will only allow you to piggyback on the successes of others. For all the actors out there who truly want to get better, surround yourself with people who want you to get better, and who want themselves to get better as well. The people who are willing to separate the job from the person, and criticize the performance for what it is, for better or worse, are the ones that should be sought out. That being said, it takes an open mind who is willing to receive such criticisms in order to achieve progress. And that requires setting ego aside and understanding that there is always something to be learned.