Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with The Doorman’s Julian Feder

Actor on the rise Julian Feder is quickly building a name for himself with the dynamic characters he’s brought to life in dramas and comedies like Serangoon Road, Community, I Hate Kids, and A Boy Named Po. This September, he adds action star to his growing résumé, starring opposite Ruby Rose in the must-see thriller The Doorman. Pop Culturalist caught up with Julian to learn more about the film and his journey to acting.

PC: How did you discover your passion for acting?
Julian: I was born in Tokyo and modeled there as a baby. I later stopped modeling, but then, when I was six years old (and living in Singapore), I saw my friend’s picture on a bus and asked my mother if I could start modeling again.

My first acting job was in a video that was animated around me, and I loved it! There was also an NYU Tisch Film School in Singapore, so I started working on those films, which was great. Later, I had the opportunity to work on a series for HBO Asia, Serangoon Road. I, then, auditioned for a film in Los Angeles, and after the audition the casting director called an agent about me, which is how I got signed. I just loved being on set from the time I was really young—everything about it interests me. I love the fact that I can be another person, learn about a character, and get into his skin.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Julian: There are a lot of people who have helped me throughout my career, and I appreciate all of them. I can’t pinpoint one particular person.

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?
Julian: I think the biggest shift in my career was when I did A Boy Called Po. I had to transform myself into another person, and that’s when I really began to take acting seriously.

PC: Tell us about The Doorman, your character, and what drew you to this project.
Julian: The Doorman is a really great action film. Ruby Rose plays a marine who has been stationed abroad and endures a tragedy. She comes back to New York and gets a job as a doorman in a building that is undergoing renovations. It’s Easter weekend and the building is empty except for two families. Some bad guys, led by Jean Reno’s character, come into the building to steal art and take a family hostage. That’s where the action starts and keeps going.

My character, Max, is part of the family that is taken hostage, but he escapes and teams up with Ruby’s character, Ali. Max has lived in the building for years, meaning he knows all the building’s ins and outs and secret passageways, so he helps Ali navigate the building. I was super excited when I got this audition because it is an action movie, and I had never done one before. It was a lot of fun!

PC: Like you just said, this is your first big action film. What has the transition been like going from drama/comedies to action? Did anything surprise you?
Julian: Well, doing an action film was great! I like the excitement. This was the first time I was on a harness and wire for scenes—it was really cool. It gets a bit uncomfortable after a while, but it’s fun to do. I always watched films and saw cool action, but never realized how much preparation goes into it. The stunt coordinators are awesome—they choreograph everything. They also tell great stories about some of the cool scenes they have filmed in previous movies.

PC: Your character plays a crucial part in aiding Ruby Rose’s character, Ali. What was that collaboration like?
Julian: Working with Ruby was fantastic. We are in a lot of scenes together, so I got to spend a lot of time with her. We had lots of time together between takes, too, and we had a lot of good laughs and enjoyed our time on set. The acting collaboration was great because Ruby worked with me, and we discussed scenes together. In a few scenes, there were very serious moments between our characters, and she was super helpful and great to work with as an actor. I was able to experiment with scenes and reactions with Ruby, so it was great.

PC: You recently joined the cast of Escape the Field. Is there anything you can tease about that project?
Julian: Escape the Field is a thriller in which six strangers wake up in a cornfield all with a different object that might help them escape. The characters are thrown together and have to cooperate with each other to try to get out. There are a lot of twists and turns, and it will be a really fun movie to see. It has a great cast, too: Theo Rossi, Jordan Claire Robbins, Shane West, Tahirah Sharif, and Elena Juatco, in addition to myself.

To keep up with Julian, follow him on Twitter and Instagram. Catch The Doorman on VOD today.