I am always amazed at the amount of connections I continue to make as I become more entrenched in the film and television industry. I’ll discover that I’m interviewing someone who has appeared with someone I just interviewed last week or was in this show or that film that a writer I had just spoken with…anyway, this is how I came across David Hardware. This young man has been featured in a wide variety of popular shows, and I was incredibly excited to have the opportunity to ask him some questions about his thrilling work in this industry, the phenomenal experiences he has had, and even a bit about his future endeavors.

RH: Why did you decide to become an actor? What kind of training have you had?

DH: The reason I decided to do professional acting was because I’ve always had a thrill for entertaining people and putting a smile on their face. I’ve wanted to be an actor for the longest time, but didn’t have the opportunity coming from a low-income family. I would always ask my mom if I could, but she either didn’t want me to get washed away by the industry at a young age, and we just simply didn’t have the funds to make it a regular job. Then finally after leaving my job of eight years (Newspaper manager, yes I was a manager at the age of thirteen and the boss of adults–haha!), I went on to working as a painter for cabinets. I didn’t work that job for long and finally decided that I want to have FUN with my job and meet and entertain people for a living. I was eighteen and ready to make the lottery move of becoming an actor.

I got discovered by a scout for a modeling and acting agency in Vancouver, went in for an interview, and the rest was history! That was the start of me living my dream job! My mom is one of the most supportive people in my career and is happy I went ahead and chased my dream! I took a scene study class with Loretta Walsh (When Calls The Heart), and she helped me SO much! I do take some training to build me up to be a better actor every day, but a lot of it is honestly just me being me. I look over the script, get into character (usually picture someone in my life that can connect with that character and be them) and perform. I love it; I can be a nice friend or a messed-up lunatic in literally five minutes. Talk about living the life! 😊 My goal in life is honestly to prove to people that anything is possible and to chase your dreams regardless of the possibilities of landing it. I say this to everyone who tells me they want to do something, but don’t know if they can do it ’cause people say it’s “impossible”. I tell them to do it anyway ’cause nothing is impossible; it literally has the word “I’m possible” in it, so go and make it happen!

One of your first professional jobs was with Ties That Bind. How did you get involved with that show? What was it like working on that show? Are you open to being a part of season two if that comes about?

Ahh yes, Ties that Bind! A big factor in my career. So yes, that was one of my first ones. I actually did background a lot on that one (kept getting called back because the chemistry was there and I was able to click with everyone). I was actually really nervous on that one and going through a death that happened during that period, but honestly that show is like family. I miss it so much! All the cast were very warm, welcoming, and greeting me by name every day, and one of my best buds is on that show–that’s where we met!

Mitchell Kummen is a BIG reason I transitioned over to principal acting. I was doing background, and he came up to me and started talking, and we just connected. He’s the one that pushed me to get out of the background and show my talent to the world doing principal work. Honestly every day we saw each other on set right away, we’d just stare and laugh at each other and start joking around, and we just connected. One time, I actually thought I was gonna get wrapped cause we were laughing loud while they were rolling, and the first AD came to us, and I was about to throw him under the bus–haha! But it was all good. They saw the chemistry and didn’t split us–just simply moved our loud selves inside the school. We now chill and read for each other sometimes, go to award shows together, amusements parks, etc.

I’m really thankful for that show honestly. Matreya {Scarrwener} was so nice, and I got to chill with her on set a lot. Natasha {Calls} also was a great girl to meet. I would absolutely come back for season two if it comes back. To be able to film with Mitch on the show where it all started would be absolutely amazing! I mean after all, I was the hero in the finale and at Cameron’s {Rhys Matthew Bond} table when he disappeared. So who knows, maybe I know a thing or two? Guess we’ll have to get a season two to find out!

You have been on Fear The Walking Dead. How did you get to be involved with that show? What is the on-set atmosphere like?

Yes! The most popular show I’m known for–haha! Everyone loves their zombies. Funny fact: I actually started off as background before getting upgraded on the show and auditioning for my “Infected” role. I got to audition in front of Mike Fields (make-up artist) and Andy Schoneberg (The Walking Dead and Fear The Walking Dead), and it was amazing. I auditioned in a huge group (two hundred plus), but I stood out as I picked Andy as my target. I went right up to his face as a zombie with big eyes (quite frightening) and got really close, and he whispered to me (good intensity), and that’s when I was officially cast as a main “Infected” on Fear. That was actually my very first audition, and I nailed it! The Fear set was so much fun. AMC is very strict on privacy, so it was hard to do no pictures, tweets, etc. And I was in a trench coat with a hoodie on the day ’cause we had paparazzi trying to see and leak what the zombies were gonna look like, since that’s what all TWD fans wanted to see–haha! But we kept it private! It was such a fun experience, great cast and crew, couldn’t have asked for a better atmosphere on set.

You also got to be on iZombie. How was that experience?  Any memorable moments?

IZombie was fun! We got to shoot at a studio I dreamed of going inside all my life in my childhood, so that was exciting in of itself. It was so great ’cause I told my mom when I was younger, “Mom, one day I’m gonna get to go inside and work in there, watch.” I would always say that, and so getting to pull past the security with my name on the list..well, words can’t describe that feeling…so satisfying. I actually do have a funny memory from IZombie. We shot a frat scene party, and that is the day I went on camera in just briefs, a diaper, and a elephant floaty. That is the only time I’ve gone that far on nationwide TV, on the CW network. Hahaha! Good memories–it was fun. You just look back and laugh at these things and some of the roles.

You were also on Wayward Pines Season Two. Did you do anything special to prepare for your time on that show?

I love Wayward Pines so much. Between filming in an abandoned mental asylum hospital regularly, and getting to torture Fred Figglehorn’s mom Siobhan Fallon Hogan (Arlene), it was a great time. I didn’t really do anything special to prepare besides watching season one and seeing how the show played out. I mostly just took instructions on how I (a first-generation doctor) am supposed to play. It was a little weird being a doctor so young but, “Hey mom, I told you I could one day be a doctor as a job–haha!” Honestly, great cast and crew. Arlene was such a nice person and made it so easy and comfortable to shoot with each other. I loved meeting everyone on that set.

You also made an appearance on The 100 and Legends of Tomorrow.  How were those experiences?

Legends was cool. It was a night shoot, and it was raining so lovely–haha-but it was so cool to see how the cast and crew were. When I was on, it was the Pilot and it was a flashback scene, so I felt like I was Steve Urkel since I was a physics nerd. I’m just happy we kept that fashion in the past.

The 100 is one of my favourite sets. I always feel like a warrior with all that leather the wardrobe department gives me–haha–and the combat boots..man, I feel like I could be in Assassin’s Creed. When I was on that set, I actually ran into Alycia (Debnam Carey), who plays Alexa on the show, but she also plays Alicia Clark in Fear the Walking Dead. So it was kinda funny because I saw her the weekend before the premiere of season one of Fear! We talked for a while, and then she got all excited ’cause I was the first zombie from the show she actually got to meet. So that was pretty sweet. She’s a great person, and the rest of the cast and crew is amazing on that show! Hope to be back for season four soon.

Since you had a tiny part on Deadpool, how did that experience compare to your TV work?

That was a bit different. I was filming a strip club scene and just a spectator, but everything is a lot different with call sheets and scenes between film and TV. Also, since it was a pretty big budget, the food at crafty was a lot better. (Yes, leave it to David to talk about food when he’s on set of Deadpool.) I liked both experiences. You learn little things every day you’re on, which I love. Plus, not only did I meet Ryan Reynolds, but we shared the same prosthetic make-up artist. So we have that in common!

Please tell us about your upcoming works.

Okay! I’ve been blessed so much ,and it’s getting even better! I just finished shooting the “Invest a Lifetime” commercial, which will be out in the near future. I played the mascot on the upcoming Scott Speer feature film Status Update, with Ross Lynch, Olivia Holt, Gregg Sulkin, Courtney Eaton, Brec Bassinger, Harvey Guillen, and many more talented cast that will be released in 2017. And I’ve started to shoot for William B. Davis’ (The X-Files, Stargate, Continuum) short film Daedalus.

Sometimes actors struggle to transition from small roles like you’ve been doing to more substantial roles. How do you view this situation?  What is the secret to not getting disappointed that you’re not yet getting more major roles?

Honestly, faith in my management. They clearly have me signed for a reason and see something in me; it just takes time. I know the perfect one will come; it just takes a lot of hard work and determination. I always look at the bright side–the fact I’ve been blessed with being in the industry is a big one. I love what I do, which is entertain people and be an actor. So I don’t care how big the production or role is ’cause I’m still doing my dream job. My goal isn’t to be some big actor with major roles. It’s to simply act and be a good positive influence that all generations can look at and be inspired by to do what they love. I love when people tweet and message me asking for advice or telling me I’m a huge inspiration to them. That’s why I’m doing this job! To be that positive influence that sometimes younger public figures lack. When I book bigger roles, hey, that’s exciting, and I’m stoked for it. But honestly, just getting to go to auditions is exciting for me because I’m living my dream.

Whom do you currently see as a role model or mentor, whether you know them personally or not? Why?

God is number one. He’s the reason I’m here, and the Person Who is controlling where I go in my career. Then family–my mom is a big role model and is with me everywhere I go keeping me in line. Also other actors I’ve met and worked with. We have each other’s numbers and Skype and FaceTime if they live in LA, Toronto, New York, etc. We always keep in touch. We help each other out by rehearsing lines, going to events, or sometimes just talking to each other and being there for hard times. I’m honestly so blessed to have all these people in my life and can’t wait to see what the future holds for all of us.

It came as no surprise that David and Mitch are good friends–I’ve had the opportunity to get to know Mitch, and I can see how these two would have an absolute blast together. In many ways, it also came as no real shock that God is at the center of David’s life. I find that many people in the entertainment universe are people of faith, and it is what carries them through those dark periods within their lives and careers.

But something else impressed me about David on an extraordinarily profound level. All too often, I find myself grumbling about the younger generation. I am a teacher, and I see these kids and young adults with an “entitlement” attitude. They don’t want to work for what they have. They want it not only handed to them on a solid gold platter, but gift-wrapped with a twenty-four karat diamond bow. Youths frequently enter the world of entertainment and quickly languish because they didn’t realize how arduously they had to work. Some will even use their background, socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, etc. as an excuse for why they cannot ever achieve their dreams. With young David, there is unequivocally NONE of that. David is young, and by his own admission, he didn’t come from a privileged class. He is not a classically schooled thespian with ten years of theater experience in his belt. He has had to labor excruciatingly hard and request an abundance of help along the way to accomplish his dreams. But that’s the key. He is not resting on his laurels. He is pursuing the passions which drive his very essence, and as far as I am concerned, he is a success even now. No matter what the future holds for this young entertainer, I have no doubt that he will continue to invest the meticulous work in the career of his dreams, and I invite all my readers to follow him at the links below so that you may accompany him on his tempestuous but fulfilling journey.

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