The following interview for Backstage’s on-camera series The Slate was compiled in part by Backstage readers just like you! Follow us on Twitter (@Backstage) and Instagram (@backstagecast) to stay in the loop on upcoming interviews and to submit your questions.
In the company of his adorable french bulldog, Mason Gooding of Hulu’s “Love, Victor” took over our Instagram to answer your questions! Next up, the actor (who’s son to Oscar winner Cuba Gooding Jr.) is slated to star in the upcoming fifth installment of “Scream,” due January 2022, and he was recently announced as co-star to Cole Sprouse and Lana Condor in indie feature “Moonshot.” Get a closer look at Gooding’s experiences seeking an agent, getting into character, creating self-tapes, and working alongside Beanie Feldstein in “Booksmart” in the Q&A below.
‘Love, Victor’ Star Michael Cimino’s No. 1 Piece of Advice for Hollywood Newcomers What was your reaction being cast in “Scream” and were you a fan of the franchise beforehand?
I was absolutely a fan of both the Scream franchise, as well as the creators making a fifth one, in addition to being wildly influenced and a fan of Wes [Craven] and the original vision. You can imagine my reaction was rife with a lot of screaming, a lot of celebratory shouts, and I didn’t have this dog yet, so we didn’t get to celebrate, but we would now.
How excited are you to film “Moonshot”?
Crazy excited. It’s funny because when you work on something with so many talented people, either at a table read or before you actually get to work, you wonder if you deserve it, and I just have to hope I do.
What did your dad think of you going into the acting industry?
I am blessed and fortunate enough to have as supportive and loving parents as I do; that’s my mother and my father that work in tandem to make me feel loved and appreciated. I think he had hoped I’d do something else. Acting is and can be such a tumultuous and unstable career path, as we know, so i think as a parent, it can always be curious to know how to support your child. But if they love it, let them do it.
Any self-tape audition advice?
My favorite format of auditioning is certainly self-tapes because you get to control every aspect of it. It usually leads to a longer process, but I think it’s worth it in the end. First and foremost, I think it is wildly important but maybe underrated to have an actual actor or someone you trust and feel can deliver a good performance behind the camera be reading with you. Obviously, if you don’t have access to someone like that, the best reader you can find is more than suitable, but whatever it takes to convey the emotion that you wouldn’t get in the room with a casting associate because you’re using an actor, the better.
What inspired you to become an actor? When did you have that “aha!” moment?
A love of performance is the easiest way to pinpoint when it began from an early age. That said, I’m always rediscovering my love of acting as I work. More importantly, I experience these “aha!” moments as I interact with other actors and people that talk about their experience and what they love about acting. That incites in me a perspective that maybe I didn’t think of that helps me fall in love with the craft all over again.
‘Love, Victor’ Star Rachel Hilson’s Secret to Success? Eternal Curiosity Did you get a manager or did you look for auditions yourself? If so, where did you look?
For me personally, I met with a casting director that directed me the way of an agent, and then eventually I met with a manager. I was incredibly privileged and blessed to have that path into the beginning of my career, but I always wondered what it was that allowed other actors to find their way into the industry. I remember my dad always saying, when friends or people would ask how to get into the industry, he would always say to get an agent, but finding an agent is hard to do without work, and you can’t get work without an agent. The answer has to be vague, but I do think there is merit in knowing whatever you’re doing as an actor, whether it be finding auditions for yourself, meeting with agents or managers, or making your own stuff: shorts, skits, etc., it all works to help build your craft.
How do you get into character and live through them truthfully?
I love psychology and the study of the human condition. For me, I think and pontificate on adolescence and what made the character who they are today.
What advice would you give to up and coming actors?
Once that audition is over, once you close out of that tab, once you cut on the recording, once you leave the audition room, let it be in the past. Odds are, there are a million things going on behind the scenes that you have no control over, so just be proud of the good job that you did.
Is it easy to get into character or does it depend on the character you’re playing?
It certainly depends on the character, but one thing that remains constant is so long as you have a supportive, creative, loving cast and crew by your side, especially by people that you find are more talented than you, you always find it. Every time.
Any tips on self-confidence?
You’re great! You don’t need tips. You know how good you are, especially if you work at it every day. You should have a sense of how good you are and how good you can be, so just own that. Be confident in your choices and your performance because you have that role and are where you are for a reason. It’s good to fail. You learn from that. It’s growing. It’s a learning lesson.
Were you happy with Andrew’s Season 2 arc on “Love, Victor”?
Incredibly so. I have the utmost amount of pride and gratitude for the writers and production staff of “Love, Victor” because they keep me and the rest of the cast happy with these brilliant storylines.
Was it hard to transition from filming a project like “Scream” and then jumping back into “Love, Victor”?
You would think, given the disparaging genres, but no. Both are cases of beautiful, talented, lovely casts of people that made me feel welcome and creative at any given moment.
Booksmart is my favorite movie. Do you have a favorite scene that you shot?
It would definitely be the dance number I got to do with the wildly lovely and talented Beanie Feldstein. The dance scene is way longer than what was in the movie, and we rehearsed a ton, and I got to know her as a performer and as a person. She’s incredible.
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