Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Brahms: The Boy II’s Christopher Convery

Christopher Convery is an exciting triple threat who’s taken the industry by storm. At only twelve, he’s already made his Broadway debut in Kinky Boots and starred in hit TV shows and films including Gotham, The Girl in the Spider’s Web, Succession, and Stranger Things. He’ll next be seen delivering a haunting performance as Jude in Brahms: The Boys II, starring opposite Katie Holmes. Pop Culturalist spoke with this young leading man about the film!

Career

PC: You’re an actor, singer, and pianist. How did you discover your passion for the arts? Is there one that you naturally gravitate towards?
Christopher: When I was around five, I was always singing around the house. At the same time, I knew I wanted to act. I got an audition for the part of Jeremy in a community theatre production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and ended up getting the role. That experience exposed me to the arts.

Then, I got an audition for Kinky Boots on Broadway and flew out to New York. The night before I was getting ready to leave, they asked me to stay for a callback. So, I stayed another night. Right before I was ready to leave again, they told me that I got the role!

I really enjoyed everything that I was getting to do. Eventually, I started to audition for movies and TV shows, and ended up getting auditions for Gotham and The Girl in the Spider’s Web. I loved it so much. That’s how I developed my passion.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Christopher: One of my biggest influences is Leonardo DiCaprio. He inspires me so much as an actor; he does so well in every movie he does. He plays such a wide range of characters in all types of films, from Titanic to What’s Eating Gilbert Grape. He’s done so many different things in his career and it’s really inspiring me.

PC: You’ve had a lot of success already in your young career. When you look back, is there a particular moment that stands out?
Christopher: When I booked Gotham! It was one of my first big projects. After my episodes started airing, I ended up getting so much fan mail, like letters and fan art. People were writing to me and asking for my autograph. I was blown away—I was just starting out in the industry!

One of my fans on Instagram put together all the clips of my character, Martin. I think it has two million views now. I was so happy and amazed by that.

PC: How challenging is it to balance your career and life as a normal kid?
Christopher: It’s actually not that bad, to be honest. I go to school regularly and if I have a project that I’m working on, my school is really good about sending over the schoolwork while I’m on location. I also still hang out with my friends and play sports.

Brahms: The Boys II

PC: Tell us about Brahms: The Boy II!
Christopher: I’m so excited for this film. I had an incredible experience. The cast was truly amazing and I had such a good time with Katie Holmes; she’s a true professional. She plays my mom in the film. What was really cool is that she and my dad in the film, Owain Yeoman, would always improvise where they would interact like we were an actual family. They would hug, kiss, and make it so realistic. I learned so much about improvisation from them.

Another cool thing was the doll—it was so crazy. The first day that I saw it on set, I got so freaked out; he’s so realistic. In the first movie, he’s made out of porcelain. In this one, he’s made out of silicon, which feels like actual skin. He also has eyes that look so real. It’s so creepy! I have so many scary moments with him. There’s a scene where I’m holding him and the lights are off. When the lights were off, I felt this weird thing touching my neck, but when the lights were turned on, there was no one there! It was so creepy.

PC: How did you prepare for the film?
Christopher: As soon as I got cast, I went to go see the first film. I loved it so much. The twist was amazing. I studied the tone and brought that into this movie.

PC: Is there a scene that you’re excited for your fans to see?
Christopher: Definitely! I don’t want to reveal anything from the movie but there is a scene of me playing the piano in the movie. A lot of people know that I play the piano, so I’m excited for them to see that.

You know what’s funny about that scene? Katie Holmes saw that I played the piano on Instagram. She showed it to our director, William Brent Bell, who’s absolutely amazing, and they decided that it’d be really cool if they added a whole new scene of me playing the piano. It was so awesome!

To keep up with Christopher, follow him on Twitter and Instagram. Catch Brahms: The Boy II in theaters on February 22.

Photo Credit: Rob Gilbert