In my neverending quest to recognize young Canadian actors in the film/TV community, I am grateful when I am sent interview requests from well-respected publicists (like The Promotion People) because I am often made aware of artists in the industry I may have inadvertently overlooked. In the case of Hunter Dillon, the name sounded familiar, and it wasn’t long before I realized I had seen him in a couple of things, including a Hallmark production. Recently, he and I had a chance to connect, and he answered a few questions about his career in general, including his most current show, Holly Hobbie.
Credit: Mandisa Photo
RH: Why/when did you decide to become an actor?
HD: I decided to become an actor when I was about eleven. I had participated in small acting classes which were basically just dress-up and play and had never had any real training. Then I saw a performance of Alice in Wonderland by Project Limelight, and it instantly got the cogs turning. When Project Limelight was signing up kids for the second season, I was kind of nervous, thinking, “Am I going to be good at this?” But my dad really convinced me by saying stuff like, “They want you,” and “It would be fun.” So, I signed up and I have no regrets.
Supernatural
If I understand things correctly, Supernatural was your first professional role in the business. What was that experience like?
Excitement more than anything. Since I was eleven years old, I was happy because I got to miss school, and I had my own trailer; it was a thrill. And when you are a kid, just being in front of the camera for a few seconds, which it was, is an adventure. You’re like “Oh my gosh, I am on TV! This is amazing! I am going to be famous!” I remember also seeing people from other shows like Wingin’ It, so I was basically a kid at a petting zoo or amusement park.
Your first Hallmark credit was on the original Signed, Sealed, Delivered series. While brief, what was special about working on that project?
Signed, Sealed, Delivered
Episode: “Soulmates”
Excitement again! It was my first speaking role, so I was excited about that. I remember that they had us in this sort of tree house, and we were harnessed in case we fell off. I was actually kind of terrified, to be honest. However, as soon as we began rolling, the feeling just went away, and I became the character I was portraying.
I notice you also made an appearance on Wayward Pines. Tell us what it was like playing a Child Abby.
That was a unique role! I remember having to learn choreography to act like an Abby. Also, we had to get to set about 5:30 in the morning to get the makeup and prosthetics applied. I remember falling asleep while the prosthetics and make-up were being put on because they had me close my eyes. Being so early in the morning, my body thought, “Oh! Time to sleep!” And I just passed out. I also remember being frozen because I was practically naked, and it was early winter. In between takes, we would rush to the tents to warm up.
Your first more major recurring role was in Dirk Gently, I believe. What was it like working on that show and interacting with the fans?
The funny thing is that I actually started off as a fan of the show. I watched season one and loved it, so when the opportunity to work on the show came up, I jumped. I actually auditioned for the role of “Farson,” but they didn’t want to cast someone so young. Lucky for me casting really wanted me, so they were nice enough to give me the role of “Young Arnold.” The most fun thing was being on set seeing and meeting some of the cast from season one. I have to admit I got butterflies. Working with Dylan Schombing who played “the Boy” was also fun. In between takes, we’d try to flip water bottles or just talk about random stuff. I actually ran into him last summer at an amusement park; we caught up a little bit, talked about stuff that we are working on.
The Exorcist
By far, your biggest role has been in The Exorcist. What did you appreciate about your role? What was it like behind-the-scenes for you on this show?
I’d say The Exorcist definitely challenged me as an actor. At the time, I had only been cast in small roles and to jump into a full season was quite different. We filmed for five months, and in that time, I made relationships that I’ll never forget. Cyrus Arnold, who played “Truck,” is still one of my best friends, and we continue to talk regularly. I had the opportunity to work with many talented people, both cast and crew, Beatrice Kitsos, Brianna Hildebrande, Ben Daniels, Alphonso Herrera; as well as Jason Ensler, Jeremy Slater and Sean Crouch. I really owe a lot to Jason, Jeremy and Sean for giving me the opportunity to play Caleb, and I honestly don’t think I would have the opportunities today if it wasn’t for them.
Though the show was horror, there were a lot of funny moments behind the scenes. I remember this one time I was supposed to eat an apple, then spit it out because it’s rotten and full of maggots. But the mix that they made was applesauce with chia seeds and food dye, so in between takes I was just shoveling spoonfuls of “rotten apple” in my mouth because it tasted so good. The only real scary moment for me was when John Cho’s character was possessed, and John, got so into character that at one point I was like, “Holy!” I was legitimately terrified. Then they called cut and we went to get some crafty while in costume, so it was fun again.
You also had a small part on Deadpool 2. Tell us about working on that film.
I am a huge X-men, Deadpool fan, so it was a dream come true. It was a lot of fun, partly due to some of the cast just joking around. I remember we talked about what “mutant power” we wanted to have. I recall saying what I would want my mutant power to be, but Julian Dennison, who played Firefist in the film, called me out and said my power wouldn’t really do much since I wouldn’t know how to control it. I was like “Ooooh dang, you’re right,” then we just laughed. Working with Julian was especially fun because he’d be making jokes the whole time. Also, I remember our parents talking on set about New Zealand and Australia because he’s from New Zealand and my mum’s family is from Australia.
You’ve also been on Beyblade Burst. What do you enjoy about being a part of this show?
Different, I’d say. It was my first voice acting role, and I had to get used to acting with only my voice. On-camera performance is usually very subtle, but with voice work, you have to act really big to portray the same emotion. I remember listening to my audition after a few weeks into recording, and hearing how my performance had changed. It was a lot of fun.
Tell us about your role in Hollie Hobbie. Any special memories from filming this series?
Holly Hobbie
My role in Holly Hobbie is the town’s “rebel without a cause.” Tyler is a sort of deep outsider who’s been missing for the past year and has just now come back. So, there is a lot of mystery around him. We find out as the season goes that Tyler may not be as mysterious than we thought.
Holly Hobbie
Probably the most memorable thing I remember on set was when Ruby Jay, Kamaia Fairburn and Saara Chaudry, pranked me. One day on set I snuck up behind Ruby and scared her, and Ruby is really easy to scare, so she basically went limp and I had to catch her before she fell. She swore she’d get me back in a big way and joked that everyone would be involved. A few weeks went by, and I had wrapped filming for the day, but then one of the AD’s said I had a costume change and that it was waiting in the closet, I, of course, was actually confused and questioned people as I went back. So, I get to my dressing room and open the closet and BOO! Ruby, Kamaia and Saara all come jumping out of the closet; they scared me so bad. And of course, they took a video of it. What was funnier was that when they went into my dressing room, they spent a solid ten minutes just doing random stuff before I came in and it’s all captured on video.
Holly Hobbie
As a young person in the industry, how do you keep yourself away from negative influences?
You really just have to remember what’s on the line and what could happen if you make those bad choices. It can be hard because some people may try to pressure you, but you just have to get past that and remember what you want.
How have you been able to keep up with school when busy filming?
Last year, I was in school full-time and had to try to balance classes and filming. It made relationships with my teachers difficult. When The Exorcist wrapped, my teachers were all like, “Oh good, time to focus on school.” Then I was cast in Holly Hobbie and missed another six weeks which did not go over well with my teachers. There is tutoring on set; however, it’s not the same as being in the classroom. After missing so much school last year, my Mum and I discussed a plan for this school year. I now balance my academic classes online and electives at school. This way I don’t miss as much class time when on set.
After reviewing Hunter’s brilliant and entertaining responses, I am seriously considering a Hulu subscription so that I can watch his character arc in Holly Hobbie. I am pleased that this young man is off to a fantastic start in his acting career, and I greatly anticipate what is coming up for him in the near and distant future. If you live in Canada, I invite you to check out the Family Channel for season one of Holly Hobbie (you can find it on Hulu in the U.S.). Additionally, please visit his links below and consider following him on social media if you are so inclined. While not all viewers may be drawn to the entire breadth of his diverse roles which he has brought to the screen thus far, no one can deny the amazing talent and energy he brings to each role, regardless of the scope or size of the character he is portraying. Furthermore, I believe he has more than likely been involved in some sort of production that will appeal to even the most fastidious fan, at least on some level. I hope that Holly Hobbie opens up even more fun opportunities for him in the future (it would be great to see him back on Hallmark as he was quite memorable in his Signed, Sealed, Delivered episode). Regardless of the trajectory of his career, as long as he remains on his current path, I look for him to continue making a splash in the entertainment universe for many more years to come!
FOLLOW HUNTER
