Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Spinning Out’s Evan Roderick

Rising star Evan Roderick captivated audiences as Officer Nick Anatas on The CW’s Arrow, and he’s about to do it again with his new Netflix original, Spinning Out. The sports-drama follows Kat Baker (Kaya Scodelario), a figure skating Olympic hopeful who struggles to balance love, family, and her mental health while on her quest for glory. Evan’s character, Justin Davis, is the resident bad boy and a highly regarded pair skater who finds himself partnered with Kat after a series of events. Pop Culturalist caught up with Evan to chat about Spinning Out and his character in the series.

Spinning out

PC: Tell us about Spinning Out, your character, and what drew you to this project.
Evan: Spinning Out centers around a single figure skater named Kat Baker. She hits her head and it causes her all this turmoil; she loses her confidence, she loses faith in herself, and she’s thinking about hanging up her skates. Through a course of events, she gets the opportunity to try pair skating. That’s when the story starts to unfold.

As far as my character, I play Justin Davis. He’s this highly touted pair skater; he’s the best. He’s always been the best. But, he has a pension for partying and a pretty bad attitude. As you can imagine, that causes a lot of problems.

In terms of what drew me to this project, I thought the writing was so good. I was also looking for a new project to do at the time. Across the board, there were so many talented actors attached to the project that there was no way I wasn’t going to do it.

PC: Like you just said, Justin is described as the resident bad boy, but is there more than meets the eye? What can you tease about his arc this season?
Evan: Without giving too much away, it’s easy to pin him as a jerk, but there’s more lurking underneath the surface. He’s one of those guys who wears a mask everywhere. He’s afraid that if people get to know the real him, they wouldn’t like him. He’s inherently insecure and he overcompensates. You can expect him to have quite the journey in Season 1 and hopefully change for the better.

PC: Growing up, you were a hockey player. How helpful was that in your preparation?
Evan: Well, it was pretty helpful. I spent a lot of time on skates and in the rink. But figure skates are completely different. They have a toe pick at the front. For me, it was like a tripping device. I couldn’t wrap my head around why people use these toe picks. I bailed about five or six times before I really got the hang of it.

I think it helped me with the simple stuff like gliding around. I knew the energy of the rink heading in but I had to re-learn how to skate.

PC: This is your first big television role as the lead. Has anything surprised you about the surprised the experience?
Evan: I don’t think anything surprised me about the experience, but I’ve learned a lot in the last six months. Pretty much every actor on that show had worlds more experience than I did. I got lucky with the people that I was paired off with. Every day, I would go to set and learn so much from them. I had such kind actors around me. I really learned a lot.

Career

PC: Fans will remember you for your role in Arrow, which is ending this season. What do you remember most about that experience?
Evan: We had these Friday night shoots where we wouldn’t start until 10 pm, and by 3 am, everyone was falling asleep with explosions going off and guns firing everywhere. I think those were the most memorable experiences from Arrow. [laughs] It was such an action-packed show.

PC: If you could share some parting words with your character, what would they be and why?
Evan: You don’t have to pretend to be somebody else when you’re enough. That’s probably what I would say. Oftentimes, we’re our own worst enemies. If you get out of your own way, you’ll get the things that you want.

PC: Having been a part of this industry for a few years now, what’s one thing you know now that you wish you knew when you started?
Evan: Don’t be so precious about stuff. I remember three years ago if I screwed up an audition, I’d be so upset. I’d be bummed for days. There’s always going to be another opportunity. Some days will go well, some days won’t. Don’t be so precious about anything. You’re going to get more opportunities.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: What’s your guilty pleasure?
Evan: Wine! I love wine.

PC: Favorite book?
Evan: Right when I started acting, I read a book called The Road Less Traveled. It’s a book about spirituality and finding your identity. It’s probably my favorite book, but partly because I read it at the right time.

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Evan: Lobby Hero is a great play.

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Evan: I’ve been listening to what my character in Spinning Out listens to, so I would say anything right now. [laughs] It’s totally different from what I normally listen to. I’m a huge Springsteen fan and I listen to the Eagles all the time. Maybe that’s surprising?

PC: Who would play you in the story of your life?
Evan: I don’t know. There’s so much that hasn’t been written yet.

PC: Last show you binge-watched?
Evan: My own. [laughs] Besides that, The Sopranos. I’m really into it right now. My girlfriend and I are on Season 4 and we’ve been crushing through it.

PC: Hidden talent?
Evan: It’s not hidden, but I love writing songs and singing.

To keep up with Evan, follow him on Instagram. Binge-watch Season 1 of Spinning Out on Netflix today.

Photo Credit: Carly Dame