Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Runt’s Carson Boatman

Carson Boatman is a gifted storyteller who has quickly emerged as one to watch. Whether he’s releasing his songs like “Name In Your Phone” or starring in Days of Our Lives, Carson has captivated audiences across film, television, and music.

This fall, he can be seen in the coming-of-age drama Runt.

Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to speak with Carson about his multifaceted career, Runt, and his latest single “”Name In Your Phone””.

PC: How did you discover your passion for acting and music?
Carson: I feel like I had a secret passion for acting and music that I didn’t even know I had. It makes sense looking back. I remember watching Grease for the first time when I was eight years old. I ran around my house dressed up and pretending that I was Danny Zuko, singing and sliding down banisters.

When I was growing up as a teen in Iowa, there was really no accessibility to the entertainment industry or any programs that allowed kids to explore and express themselves artistically—at least not that I was aware of. That led me to play a lot of sports.

After I graduated high school, I went to a community college in Iowa. I had an agent in town who would submit me for local internet company commercials to make an extra five hundred bucks here and there. He wanted to submit me for this showcase where a lot of different managers and agents from New York and LA were looking for talent. I was like, “Cool, absolutely. Go ahead and submit me. I hate school so much. I’ll take any excuse I could possibly have to leave it.” So I did. I went and did this showcase, met a manager there, moved out here in 2013, and have been working my ass off ever since.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Carson: There’s a lot to that question. In some ways, my parents had a big impression on me. Not necessarily in supporting me with the decision that I made to become an actor—that wasn’t in the cards for them—but they instilled in me a drive and a work ethic to achieve the things that I set out to do. I have to accredit a lot of my success to the way that my incredible parents raised me.

Other people who influenced me—that don’t even know me—are actors and artists that I grew up watching, like Brad Pitt and Tim McGraw.

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?
Carson: There are a couple of moments. Booking Days of Our Lives is definitely the most significant (it was also the most recent) because there was a lot of turmoil and struggle involved, as many actors and artists who try to make it know. There are a lot of challenges and hurdles to jump over. I’ve never felt such a sense of relief as when I got the call from Marnie [Saitta], the casting director at Days, letting me know that I had booked the role. I was like, “I did it. I booked a TV show that I’m going to be working on for a significant amount of time. I can breathe a little bit.”

I’ve also been on the opposite end of that a significant number of times where I’ve been the second choice for a lot of big projects. I’ve experienced those moments where you’re expecting that phone call, and it turns out to not be the phone call you thought it was going to be.

Those moments are very significant and important because you have to experience those moments where you’re utterly disappointed to feel truly gratified when you do succeed. It makes everything so much sweeter, and it allows you to appreciate everything when you do book something.

PC: You’ve got a new film out now. Can you tell us about Runt, your character, and what drew you to this project?
Carson: Runt is out now. It’s a super unique project, even more unique now than we thought it was going to be when we all first started working on it. It’s Cameron Boyce’s last film.

What drew me to this project was that it was a job. It was an acting job. It’s very important to book jobs and work. But even more so what drew me to the project was the story and the relevance that it has. Granted, the things that happen in Runt are probably on a more exaggerated level than what goes on in real life. But there are kids out there right now as we speak who are going through this, whether it be school-related or home-related. It’s not just kids, it’s people. There are people out there who are hurting. Runt shows you how people can end up turning to vices or engaging in the wrong behaviors if they’re put in an inopportune situation and what we can do to bring those people out of ruts and help them or how we can make sure it doesn’t happen in the first place.

What was cool about Runt for me is that I play the character of Hank who is just a terrible human being. He’s not a good guy. He does a lot of pretty mean things to a lot of undeserving people. I think it is important to be able to understand where those people are coming from when you play sinister characters. Because honestly, the whole time that I was playing Hank I felt horrible. I felt horrible the whole time. That’s interesting because a lot of people who are doing those types of things (bullying kids at school or being an asshole at work), they’re probably not feeling good themselves. There are two sides of that spectrum that Runt brings to light.

PC: Were there any nerves heading into this project, given everything that your character does in the film? How were you able to decompress after a day of shooting?
Carson: I wouldn’t say there were any nerves. The only real nerves were probably at the table read because we didn’t know each other yet. But after the table read, we went out to dinner a few times as a cast. We really got to know each other. We created a great rapport. Everybody was super professional and super kind on set. Everyone knew they were there to do a job. It was a safe environment. We were there to do a job, so I wouldn’t say I was nervous. I definitely felt yucky doing some of the things that Hank did, but we were all very supportive and there for each other throughout the entire duration of the shoot. So, it was great.

PC: One of the major themes in the film is the importance of mentorship. Who was that person you turned to growing up and how do they shape the person that you are today?
Carson: I’ve been fortunate to have had a lot of great mentors. I don’t know if there’s been just one. Coaches were big mentors for me. Cade Lambert (my high school football coach), Mike Marino (my high school wrestling coach), Tim Burn (my manager when I was signed to Island Records in a boy band that I was doing years ago), Carl Rumba (my manager), and my parents.

PC: Like you were saying, this is Cameron Boyce’s final film. Do you have a favorite memory that you shared with him?
Carson: There were quite a few pretty cool ones. There were one or two days where we had a lot of time between scenes. Cameron, Aramis [Knight], Charlie [Gillespie], Javier [Bolanos], myself, and a few other guys that were working on the movie went down to the football field at the high school that we were filming at. We were like, “Let’s just throw it around and play catch!” We played catch for like ten minutes and then we played a game of football. The next thing you know we spent forty minutes playing football and we were all sweating our asses off. It was no longer two-hand touch. People were going down. People were taking hits. It got super intense. It was a lot of fun.

PC: With the film out now, what do you hope audiences take away after they see it?
Carson: I say the same thing every time, but it’s to be nice to people. It’s not hard. It’s so easy and it can make such an impact on someone’s day.

PC: In addition to acting, you’re also a musician and you have a new single out now. Can you tell us about “Name In Your Phone” and the inspiration behind the song?
Carson: First of all, please go stream it! Go listen to it. I’ll take all the help I can get. “Name In Your Phone” is about liking somebody and being friends with them for quite a while and knowing that there’s a connection there. You finally have the courage to invite them to take the next step with you. I wrote it with three buddies of mine: Sam Sumser, Mike Lawton, and Shawn Small. Sam produced “Juice” by Lizzo and a bunch of other really great songs that we all love to listen to today. Mike has a couple of country radio Top 20s. Mike came to the writing session, and he had the hook. We were all like, “That’s a cool melody. I like that.” We built on it. Four hours later, we had a song. Two years later, I’m putting it out.

As we look ahead to the rest of 2021, can we expect more music from you?
Carson: My plan is to put out a single every two months for the rest of the year.

PC: Actor-musicians have often said that there’s a different level of vulnerability that you need to tap into when you’re releasing your own original music. Do you feel similarly?
Carson: It’s really nerve-wracking. It’s the hardest thing ever for me to put out music because you create this and it’s your baby. It’s something you love—something you’re proud of and that you’re passionate about. You just hope that other people like it too. Once it’s out, it’s out. You put it out and you pray that it does well and people relate to it.

There’s a cool similarity between acting and writing songs. With every song, you’re essentially taking on a character. I’m married. I have a beautiful wife and we’re super happy together. With “Name In Your Phone,” I got to take on a character who is not married and he’s in love with his best friend. He’s trying to get his friend to take that next step with him. Every song has a different character and a different story.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Carson: I don’t know if it’s a guilty pleasure, but I love Yellowstone.

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Carson: Pretty Woman.

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Carson: I love The Sound of Music. I love Hamilton. I went to The Cher Show on Broadway years ago. Loved that.

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Carson: Cher.

PC: First album you bought?
Carson: Now 6.

PC: First concert you attended?
Carson: First concert I ever attended was Jay-Z and Justin Timberlake at Yankee Stadium in New York.

PC: A venue on your bucket list to perform at?
Carson: The Hollywood Bowl.

PC: Dream role?
Carson: I’d love to be like Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible. Like James Bond but American.

To keep up with Carson, follow him on Twitter and Instagram. Watch Runt today.

Photo Credit: Ben Duggan // Stylist: Anna Schilling