Interview With ‘Greyhound’ Star Parker Wierling! (@ParkerWierling)
Photo Credit: Valheria Rocha
- What was the audition process like for Greyhound ?
When I got the audition from my agent, Jana, I was ecstatic! It looked like one of the coolest projects to be apart of. I’ve always been a huge history nerd and quickly fell in love with the idea of working alongside one of my idols, Tom Hanks, in a WWII navy film! I sent in a taped audition to the casting department and found out the good news a couple weeks later while I was on set for Yes, God, Yes!
- What was your reaction when you received the news you booked the part?
I couldn’t believe it when I heard from my agent that I booked the part! I was already on set filming an amazing indie film, only to find out I was just offered a role in the biggest film of my career. We had to wait a few days between knowing I was pinned for the role and finding out I had actually booked it, so we were all on edge and anxious to hear the verdict! My team and I went out for Cajun food that night to celebrate my upcoming filming adventure in Baton Rouge, Louisiana!
- What was it like getting to work alongside Tom Hanks?
Growing up, Saving Private Ryan was one of my favorite movies of all time, so it’s not an understatement to say that being in a World War II movie with Tom Hanks was a dream come true! Everyone always asks me if he’s as nice as everyone says. He is! He’s always lovely to be around. I learned a lot working alongside such an icon. He was a true professional. He was always prepared, on time, and cordial to everyone. He’s a great example of how everyone should work on a set.
- How was working on Greyhound different from working on “Yes, God, Yes”?
It was such a cool experience being able to go straight from being on set for an indie film to working on a big budget studio movie! A huge difference for me personally was just being in a completely new city. I filmed Yes, God, Yes in my hometown of Atlanta, GA. But for Greyhound, I was filming in Baton Rouge. I had never even visited the city, so being there for two months was certainly a shock at first, but I fell in love with it and definitely enjoyed my time at the St. Patrick’s day parade!
- Who do you play in that film?
In Yes, God, Yes, I play a weasel-y little character named Wade. Like most of us, Wade is a little misunderstood and goes about trying to be cool the wrong way. It was fun getting to delve into this character because a part of him really reminded me of how I felt in school. I just wanted people to like me and not stand out too much. When Wade finally gets his 15 minutes of fame, he wants to enjoy it, even if it does not entirely deserving.
- What is the film about?
Yes, God, Yes, is about a girl who grows up going to a catholic school and then eventually discovers the fascinating anomaly of masturbation. However, she has to deal with her own sexual repression because of her faith. She learns a lot about herself and the world when she attends her Christian school’s weekend retreat. It’s a great coming-of-age movie for kids growing up in an environment where they feel they truly can’t express themselves without fear of oppression.
- When and where can fans watch?
Yes, God, Yes, is making its world premier at South by Southwest this March 8th, 9th, and 14th in Austin, Texas! It’ll be making some other film festivals this year as well. You can catch me at the SXSW premiere if you’re there!
- Are you working on any other projects your fans can look forward to?
I’m also a musician with my own project called, Focal Feature. I released my debut EP, Automatic Focus last December. We’ll be playing a show at Bar Lubitsch in West Hollywood with Geaux Lightly on April 16th! You can also expect new music by the end of the summer!
- What are your social media accounts?
You can follow my personal account @parkerwierling and my band @focalfeaturemusic
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