A Conversation with Alexander Eling
Alexander Eling and I spoke about growing up in Toronto, getting started in this industry and his super secretive role in Netflix’s Tiny Pretty Things.
Yanis: We’re both Torontonians it would seem.
Alexander: You’re kidding! Are you serious?
Y: Yeah we’ve got a lot to talk about. But first things first. Tiny Pretty Things. What can you tell me about the show?
A: Sure, yeah that’s a good place to start. It’s based off a book series of the same name. The book is set in New York but the show is set in Chicago at the Archer School of Ballet.
It’s an elite ballet academy and the show is basically about how far people will go to achieve their dreams and the cut throat dark world of elite ballet.
Y: Very nice. What's your character’s name? What's he all about?
A: His name is Matteo. He’s not a dancer. I can’t say too much because this character’s not in the books. He’s one of the ones that was added afterwards. All I’ll say is he joins the fray with a guitar and quick wits.
Y: It’s exciting. So you shot the whole season already?
A: Yeah we did that last year.
Y: Is there an episode or story arc you really like? One you think fans are going to be excited about?
A: Well the thing is there’s so many different storylines with so many different characters. Everything is so fleshed out. I mean, this might be biased, but I’m a fan of the storyline that my character has because it’s a lot of fun to do.
But honestly, every single one has something that someone can relate to, and again, there are so many storylines that people can resonate with because there’s so many topics that are dealt with in extensive detail.
Y: You can’t give us just a little tidbit? Something to look forward to? Your character plays guitar. Is there a musical moment we can look forward to?
A: Yeah maybe. There might be.
Y: This show is a Netflix series. What do you enjoy watching on Netflix? What have you been watching?
A: Just yesterday I watched The Devil All the Time, that new movie that just came out with a star studded cast. Tom Holland, man, he gave a great performance. Not that I didn’t think he was a good actor before, because he is, he’s great. I just had never seen him in something like that.
It was such a departure from Peter Parker and that movie was dark and gruesome and just crazy and I watched that the other day. That was really good.
I started watching BoJack Horseman the yesterday. That show’s hilarious. I watch Archer, which is weirdly what the school is named in Tiny Pretty Things, which is also a cartoon. I watch a lot of stuff. I wouldn’t say I really gear towards certain genres. I just watch a whole bunch of stuff. Those are some of the recent ones.
Y: Oh man, you are going to LOVE BoJack Horseman. I’m so excited for you.
A: It’s so funny. It’s so ridiculous. I love Archer as well, and it’s similar right.
Y: BoJack talks about this industry in such a satirical way. I love it so much.
A: And Will Arnett, he’s from Toronto as well. He voices BoJack.
Y: Yeah he’s Canadian too. Right on! Is Tiny Pretty Things gonna be dropped all at once so people can binge it or will it be one episode per week?
A: As far as I know it’ll be all at once. For the most part Netflix usually does just drop everything so people can binge it. So, binge it. It’s dope! Binge it all!
Y: So how do you approach a binge? One episode a night? Three a night? Book off a weekend?
A: Obviously you do it based on your life. If it’s gonna take away from your health and your job, then maybe pace yourself. For myself for example, if I like something, even if I try to space it out, if I have the time I will watch it if I like something because I just wanna keep watching it.
If you’ve got the time for it and you wanna keep watching then by all means, binge the hell out of it.
Y: There are some series I binge and then say to myself “these episodes were clearly designed to be seen one per night or one per week.”
And so you’d say Tiny Pretty Things lends itself to binge watching. How long are the episodes?
A: They’re between 45 minutes and an hour. They hover around there.
Y: How did you get into the whole acting business. How did you get started in Toronto?
A: Do you know Wexford Collegiate School for the Arts?
Y: Oh yeah, Wex. Of course.
A: So that’s where I went.
2011 was my grade nine year. Prior to Wexford the only artistic outlet I had as a kid was drumming. Prior to that was just sports, video games, preteen boy stuff. My older stepbrother and stepsister both went to Wexford. I remember going to some of the performances and seeing them on stage doing sketch comedy and I remember that resonating. I remember thinking to myself as a 12/13-year-old. “that looks fun.”
But it was never something I saw myself doing, but then before high school my mom said “why don't you give this a shot?” I never sang or danced or acted prior to auditioning. but I went to the audition and by the grace of god I got in. And the rest is history. It clicked.
When I started doing it, it felt so natural. It gave me a sense of purpose and kept me out of trouble. It gave me that drive and it gave me a sense of purpose when I woke up in the morning.
When I would do anything I always had that in the back of my head. And then it was maybe the 10th/11th grade when I started thinking I would want to give it a shot professionally.
Y: How did your audition go? What did you audition with at Wex?
A: I love that you call it Wex. That’s how you know you’re from Toronto. That’s dope.
Y: It’s a great school. I know many people who went there.
A: They gave me an audition package. They give out a choice of monologue. One was comedic and one was more serious.
I was nervous so I opted for the comedic one. I didn’t know if I was capable of being a serious actor yet at 14 years old with no experience behind me. And then I sang “Consider Yourself” from Oliver Twist. That was one of the song choices they gave.
And there was a dance number they taught us on the day and you just did all of those things. And I remember my voice, I mean I still have a high voice for a 22 year old guy I think, but I remember at that age they had to change the key because my voice was too high. And I was one of the only boys in the group they had to change the key for.
Y: So Wex is in Scarborough. Where in the city did you have to commute from?
A: I lived in North York. If I walked ten minutes in one direction, I’d technically be on the border. North York and Scarborough are right next to each other. I grew up in North York. I would either take the bus to school or sometimes my mom would drive.
Y: Did you find the transition to Scarborough interesting. Was there a transition period?
A: All the schools that I went to prior to high school were in my area. So I had the comfortability of walking to school, but then high school was the first time where I would take a bus in the morning, and I didn’t know anyone.
Especially being at an arts school, there’s so much you feel you have to prove. Because I wouldn’t have been able to go to that school if I wasn’t in the program, so there’s a constant feeling of “I have to prove myself” because it was the arts. Definitely a transition period, but after a few weeks I found my core group of friends in the ninth grade who I’m still friends with today. We’re all still in a group chat and I’ve been friends with them for 11 years.
And yeah, once I made friends then that was it and the transition was fine. Scarborough’s definitely an interesting place, and they’ve got damn good shawarma all across. Best in the city man.
Y: Now you’re making me hungry!
Your character is a struggling musician who infiltrates the world of the performing arts. You were once a 14-year-old musician who felt nervous entering that world. That must have influenced how you approached your performance. Were there parallels?
A: Yeah damn that’s a good point. That’s a great question. That’s totally true, actually. Even on paper the character of Matteo does not fit with what you think the book would be about. I promise it fits and it makes sense. Give it a watch and you’ll see. That’s a great question you’re totally right. Same with going to high school. All my friends prior there’s the whole aspect of homophobia which was a big thing.
I remember going to high school and because I was doing what I was doing people that I knew prior would say not nice things and use homophobic slurs and this and that because what I was doing was foreign to them. I guess, not that it delves into the same thing in the show, but the show does delve into those topics homophobia being one of them. There’s absolute parallels. That was a really good point.
Y: What are your favorite things to do in Toronto?
A: Hit up a Raptors game! I think in terms of Toronto sports experiences, if you want to go to a game, those are the most fun. I’m a big raptors fan, big basketball fan myself. They just got eliminated so I’m a little sad about that. But hey, we got last year.
Honest Ed’s was really cool and it’s really sad to not even see the sign there anymore.
The Ex is great. Just walking along Queen and go shopping. Hit up the west end and find good thrift stores.
Go sit in a park! Go to Trinity Bellwood's park. SAFELY. Especially with everything going on.
Y: Broadview Park isn’t too far from where you grew up.
A: Oh with the big hill?
Y: Yeah!
A: That’s something that if people come to Toronto they’ve got to see that.
Y: You posted on Instagram about Kobe Bryant’s tragic passing. What did he mean to you as a basketball fan and as a person?
A: It’s interesting for me because as a kid I was a big LeBron fan. There’s the LeBron vs. Kobe debate and I was always team LeBron and obviously I never hated Kobe but even if you are a Celtics fan, you just hated the Lakers.
That is a tremendous loss. What a positive role model. What a guy. He had so much left to do. There was so much he was still doing. Same with Chadwick Boseman, they’re just gone too much and they’re like devastating losses because they’re just shining examples of men, of people, of everything.
They just did everything in stride and if anyone can take anything from their passing it’s just life is so precious and can be taken away just like that, and no one is safe from that. Make the most of what you got, put beef aside with people if it doesn’t matter that much.
Y: Tiny Pretty Things premieres December 2020. Anything else we can look forward to seeing you in?
A: I’m in Vancouver at the moment we’re working on season 2 of Another Life. Season 1 of Another Life is on Netflix now you can watch that season 2. We were filming it earlier this year we got shut down obviously because of COVID, as did everyone. But we’re back up and running. We’re making it and it’ll come soon. I promise. So be sure to check in when that comes out.
I’m just trying to stay busy and get on the next one.
Listen to your public health officials. Wash your hands. Be safe. And if you’re in the US: VOTE!
You can follow Alexander on Instagram @alexandereling.
