Tween actor Phoenix Nicholson has been acting since before he can remember. From roles that took advantage of his good humor as a baby to hard-hitting roles like his recent part as Christian Burns in Young Creed, Phoenix uses his acting to explore new lives and experiences. We caught up with Phoenix to get an inside look at his career and what it was like playing Christian from learning to box to tapping into Christian’s anger.
Showstopper Magazine Online: Hi, Phoenix! Tell us a bit about yourself. How did you get started as an actor?
Phoenix Nicholson: Getting started as an actor was a really funny story. So when I was about 3 months old, my parents took me to an audition for All My Children. They were going down a line on babies with the camera, and I was sitting with a pacifier in my mouth. When the camera came to me, my dad was asked to take the pacifier out of my mouth. He thought I was about to cry, but instead, I laughed. Before we got off property I was hired.
SMO: What draws you to acting? Who inspires you?
Phoenix: The main thing that draws me to acting is the fun of being other people. In one movie or show, I could be this perfect kid who does everything right. In another movie, I could be a bully or a really mean kid like Christian from Young Creed.
SMO: Do you have a favorite role you’ve played so far?
Phoenix: My favorite role was probably Omar from Free Lunch. I just really enjoyed playing as him because he has a really fun personality. It was interesting to learn to play as him.
SMO: Last year you were cast in the Young Creed series. Can you tell us about your role in the show?
Phoenix: So in Young Creed, I was cast as Christian. A young boy who battles life and finds his purpose through boxing. He deals with family issues and juvenile detention.
SMO: What was it like to bring Christian Burns to life?
Phoenix: Bringing Christian to life was an exciting experience. I had to learn about boxing and how to box, and I had to get in touch with some of the things I’m more angry about. I also had to get in touch with my rebellious side to make me more like Christian. I had to explore the parts of my personality where I feel lonely so I could feel more like how he feels.
SMO: How do you relate to his character?
Phoenix: I relate to Christian in the fact that he has a strong personality. Both he and I are very determined once we have our mind made up on something. We’re also leaders in the way that we don’t follow with what everyone tells us that we should do, but instead our own
thing.
SMO: Do you have any favorite memories or behind-the-scenes moments from filming?
Phoenix: My favorite memory from Young Creed was actually learning to box. I was signed up for boxing classes for something around a few days. Due to time issues, I didn’t learn that much, but it was one of the more fun things I did.
SMO: What are you most excited for people to see when the series airs?
Phoenix: I’m most excited for people to see the story in the show. It’s such a deep storyline that I want people to enjoy. This kid is going to juvie, cussing, skipping class. I want people to see that and understand the emotions.
SMO: Is there anything else you want me to know about you or your acting?
Phoenix: A lot of people think acting is really hard or really easy, but it’s neither. If you’re good at expressing your emotions, then it might be easy. If not, it may be harder. It depends on the person and the role.
