Under layers of blanket, families turn on the TV and prepare themselves for a night of entertainment. Staring back at them through the television set is CHS9 freshman Max Victory.
Victory is an avid actor, having been in a commercial, feature film (Rally Caps, playing Barry) and full-length movie (It’s Christmas Again, playing Oliver). His first time premiering on TV was in an Urban Air Adventure Park commercial in 2019.
Inspired by captivating performances he witnessed on stage, Victory found himself drawn to the world of performing arts.
“I was inspired to start acting and perform theater when I saw other people live on stage,” Victory said. “I saw Carol Lindsay on the Broadway musical ‘Wicked’ and that’s when I truly connected to the art of theater.”
As Victory deepened his involvement in theater, he fell in love with TV and film acting. Seeing his peers with similar passions as him ignited a drive for the arts.
“My interest in TV and film came from theater but then bridged over because I saw other kids on TV,” Victory said. “‘Stranger Things’ was a big inspiration. I saw Millie Bobby Brown and wanted to be like those kids on a TV show and have that experience.”
When Victory expressed his enthusiasm to enter the profession, his parents helped guide and assist his career along with his prep agency, DTV Studios. Victory landed an opportunity at an open casting call through The Clutts Agency, sparking his on screen profession and helping establish a name for himself.
“The agency gave me some really good work, and helped me throughout my career, basically got me started and got my foot in the door for the industry,” Victory said.
Victory enjoys acting as a way to experience the lives of others. Although many tend to stay with what is comfortable, Victory allows himself to venture beyond what he’s familiar with, embracing different character personas through his passion.
“It’s just wonderful to get to be something you’re normally not in your daily life and know what a character goes through,” Victory said. “You can learn so much from just your own experience with that character; theater is a way to learn for yourself throughout life.”
Rather than caving into challenges, such as casted a role hard to physicalize, Victory uses struggles as an opportunity to grow. His willingness to fail allows him to experiment with new ideas confidently.
“He likes to take on challenges as an actor,” Coppell High School theater teacher Lisa Stucker said. “He likes to take risks with his acting choices, even if it’s something that doesn’t work out the first or second or third time. It’s hard when you are a teenager to take on the physicality of another person, but he does a really good job at that and he was really eager to take that on, knowing it would be difficult.”
As Victory gains acting experience, he receives a variety of critiques. He always welcomes the feedback and implements it to do better.
“I remember when we were running the show, Max messed up his entrance several times,” junior Sean Pompey said. “But with all the comments and critiques that he was given, he faced it with a smile and he said ‘my bad guys, I won’t do it again’ and he didn’t.”
Theater fosters traits that he uses for other activities in life. Having played hockey along with theater since he was young, he sees overlap in two activities, both teaching Victory the importance of community and the impact it can have.
“Helps my life skills because I have great teammates, which is also similar in theater when you have a play or musical,” Victory said. “Those characters and actors are your supporting cast and create a big ensemble together, which is basically hockey. Also the endurance from hockey helps with theater, musicals, dancing and singing at the same time.”
Acting offers Victory a sense of pride that his dedication and effort pay off at the end.
“It was just so rewarding to get to see my hard work through the audition, call back, up on screen to just know that other people are seeing my work around the nation and world,” Victory said.
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