Exclusive Interview: Adam Fox Talks ‘The Holiday Shift,’ His Character Development Process, Evolving Queer Representation in Media, and More

Adam Fox is a transformative storyteller who had a breakout year in 2023. The star of Sugar Highs captivated audiences with his nuanced and layered performance as the show’s lead. As we patiently await Season 2, Adam can currently be seen in his recurring role as Austin in The Holiday Shift.

The must-see series is a five-episode romantic comedy series following the intersecting love stories of young mall employees during the holiday season. The ensemble cast includes Adam Fox, Varun Saranga, Jean-Luc Bilodeau, Devyn Nekoda, Nadine Bhabha, Brielle Robillard, and Michael Delleva, and features Sarah Levy and Jon Dore.

Pop Culturalist recently caught up with Adam to talk about The Holiday Shift, how he prepares to embody a character, queer representation in media, and how it’s evolving, and more.

PC: You had a recurring role on The Holiday Shift. How did this project come across your desk, and what was it about this script/character that resonated with you?
Adam: I was actually in Paris during the last few days of my trip when I received the audition request. This detail is meaningful to me because I made travel a priority in 2023, and it was really cool that I was able to do so without it interfering in advancing my career.

I recall running the lines as I walked through the cobblestone streets of Paris, never one to not multitask. I then properly prepped the role on the flight from Paris to Toronto, where I went for my childhood bestie’s bachelorette weekend, and then taped it within an hour of landing—a true mad dash!

The first audition was for the role of Deonte, which ended up being played magnificently by Michael Delleva. In those audition sides, however, my character, Austin, was mentioned. Somehow, I had a sixth sense for whatever reason that I would play Austin and not Deonte. A few weeks later, when I was in Winnipeg filming Le Monde de Gabrielle Roy, I got the audition for Austin. Turns out my gut feeling was right!

What resonated about this project and why I felt I belonged in it was both instinctual and logical. It was funny, cute, wholesome, and seemed to oscillate between all the worlds, references, and genres that I resonate with. I knew from the beginning that this would be a really special project, with great people and collaborators, and probably one of the best things to film in Canada this past year, so I felt really honored that it came to fruition and I got to be a part of it.

PC: In many of the projects and roles you’ve taken on, there’s been a strong emphasis on the theme of chosen family. Who were the people in your own life who have impacted your journey as a storyteller?
Adam: That is such a lovely summation of my various major roles thus far! That’s absolutely true, especially for Bud and Austin.

The irony is that in real life, I am incredibly close with my immediate family, and in a sense, they are both my biological and chosen family. I know that’s rare, especially in the LGBTQ+ community, and while we aren’t always a perfect family, I am really grateful for their grounding presence in my life.

That being said, I think the people who most impacted my journey as both a person and storyteller were the ones who saw things that I did not yet see for myself. It starts with my great-aunt, who, when I was fourteen, overweight, covered with cystic acne, and feeling at my most insecure and unattractive, complimented my eyes and told me how beautiful they were, something I would come to agree with one day. A yoga teacher, whose name I don’t even remember, who told me I had a gift of movement. Betsy Parrish, the one teacher at NYU who really believed in me and made me believe I could do this. Actor and acting coach Sarah Redmond, who always made me feel loved and special in every audition. Truly, every person who, instead of gatekeeping, opened doors, arms, and pathways for me, all had an immense impact on my journey as a storyteller, and to those people, I am eternally grateful.

PC: Austin plays such a huge role in changing Deonte’s view on love, and the two of you have fantastic chemistry on screen. Was there a moment on set when you were filming that you realized you had the bond needed to bring this dynamic to life?
Adam: That’s so kind of you to say so! I am glad to hear it translates well on screen. The cast and crew on The Holiday Shift were super social, so I saw Michael quite often, but he and I made it a priority to really get to know each other one on one, and we even did some character exercises to help build that chemistry. For me, as a queer performer, I wanted to make sure we could help tell that love story as authentically as possible and do it justice, so I wanted to do everything possible to build that chemistry, and I am glad it paid off!

PC: Austin is such a different character from Bud. How does that affect your preparation process and/or the way you’re able to create space for yourself to step into his mindset?
Adam: The characters are very different! Yes, Austin is a lot more gentle and soft-spoken compared to Bud. He is more of a voice of reason, whereas Bud is the voice of…unreason? [laughs] That being said, he is new to the group and is generally not as brash as Bud, and the way he goes through the world and life is quite different. Not quite the strong and silent type, but in some ways, he has to have the strength to hold space for Deonte without interfering with Deonte’s sparkle and shine.

I think, in general, while working on a project, I tend to inhabit a character’s mannerisms and worldview both on and off-screen. So, for Sugar Highs, I tend to be a little more brash than usual, maybe a little more aggressive, and more dramatic, whereas in Austin, I felt more grounded, at times more socially trepidatious, and often felt I was sitting back and being more of an observer. Ultimately, as Deonte shines so brightly, it was important to me to help play a character that would complement Deonte, to mimic the same yin and yang that this couple would have in real life.

PC: Tommy Johnagin wrote and directed the series. How different is that filming experience when the person who has created these characters and universe is also at the helm directing? What was that collaboration like?
Adam: Interestingly enough, the majority of my experiences have been on projects where the writer is also the director (Sugar Highs—Thom Fitzgerald, Le Monde de Gabrielle Roy—Renee Blanchar). Tommy is actually the writer, showrunner, and executive producer, but we had Paul Fox directing it. They made a great team. What was so great about having Tommy around as a writer, creator, and EP was that he was really with us the whole way, and you could just tell how passionate and invested he was in the project, the crew, and every single character.

For him, this was a dream come true, as it was for a lot of us, so it just made for an overall magical experience. Working with Paul Fox was also quite exciting. As someone who has done some directing, I was amazed at Paul’s calmness, precision, and specificity when directing because as viewers, we often forget that a director is not just directing the actors, but directing the whole set, and this was a pretty big cast and crew. He was super clear, collaborative, and fair. He also was just genuinely an extremely nice guy, as was Tommy. I found the whole creative team on the project really inspiring, and I definitely learned a lot working with them.

PC: This industry has made really slow progress in terms of representation. So often when you’re playing a queer character, their story is centered around trauma or their coming out experience. It becomes such a focal point in their identity. But with characters like Austin and series like The Holiday Shift, we’re seeing a much-needed step forward in terms of diversity and inclusion where these characters can exist in the world and their sexuality is part of who they are, but not their entire storyline. What has it meant to you to play such an integral role in that evolution?
Adam: You are really killing it with the questions, Kevin! This is a great one and super bang on.

I agree, the progress towards queer representation has been quite slow, particularly in getting actual queer actors cast in these roles, specifically. That is why I never, ever take any of these roles for granted, and it’s super important to me to represent my community the way I want them to be seen by the world.

In regards to Austin, this was a discussion that I had both with my acting coach, Maia Michaels, as well as Tommy, the creator, as I think the characters in this show exist in a world without discrimination and where people in marginalized communities can live freely. This means that they get to be their full selves, without any of the baggage or chip on their shoulder from whatever hardship they would’ve experienced otherwise. I think in entertainment there is room for both, but I will say it was really nice to be part of a world where this does not exist, and I hope we get to see more of that on screen.

So much of my life, I have felt like I didn’t belong, or that I was different, and I think getting to exist in a world where your sexuality is not your entire storyline opens up infinite space for where our characters can go, and creates a world where everyone belongs, which I think would have been really meaningful for me to see on TV when I was growing up.

I also think the beauty of this is that, as queer people playing queer characters, we often have a chip on our shoulder, and even if we’ve worked through it, we see how the adversity has affected or hardened so many people in our community. But how nice to take a break from that, to get to be soft for a moment, to get to experience real love without shame or fear, and to just live unapologetically.

PC: Sugar Highs Season 2 is on its way. As you stepped back into Bud’s shoes, what were you most excited about further delving into? What can you tease about his arc next season?
Adam: I am very excited for the upcoming release of Season 2! We actually filmed it over a year ago, but getting a second shot at playing Bud was a lot of fun for me. I would say overall, the season was a lot more comedic. Bud, in Season 2, is more unhinged, and he really starts the season off in a desperate place, which impacts how he interacts with the other roommates, love interests, former love interests, and the world. He has a scrappiness and a determination that I think will keep the viewers engaged throughout the second season. For whatever reason, filming Season 2 just flew by, so I can’t remember all of it, but from what I remember, it’s really good, and it’s a lot of fun. Fingers crossed for Season 3!

To keep up with Adam, follow him on Instagram. Watch The Holiday Shift on Roku today.

Photo Credit: JennaBerman