Exclusive Interview: Evan Rein Talks ‘Under the Bridge,’ His Character Development Process, and More

From transforming into complex characters in projects like Heartland and Upload to shaping impactful stories behind the scenes in Forever Ago, Evan Rein is a rising storyteller to keep your eye on.

His latest project, Under the Bridge, is a critically acclaimed miniseries based on Rebecca Godfrey’s book about the true 1997 story of fourteen-year-old Reena Virk (Vritika Gupta), who went to join friends at a party and never returned home. Through the eyes of Godfrey (Riley Keough) and a local investigator (Lily Gladstone), the series takes audiences into the hidden world of the young girls accused of the murder, revealing startling truths about the unlikely killer. Evan shines as Constable Gardner, an often overwhelmed officer amidst the case.

Pop Culturalist had the opportunity to speak with Evan about Under the Bridge, learning about his character development process and approach to the material.

PC: You grew up in a family of creatives. Did you always know that a career in the arts was what you wanted to pursue? What was that aha moment for you?
Evan: It’s interesting. My siblings are creatives, but the environment I grew up in was very much rural Alberta, Canada. It’s often referred to as the Texas of Canada, with a lot of oil production and cattle. That’s what I grew up around. There weren’t many art opportunities, but for some reason, my siblings gravitated toward careers in the arts. I’m not sure why because we didn’t have those influences around us. However, I did because I watched my older brothers. My oldest brother is a radio announcer, another works in film and TV, and my sister is a dancer. They inspired me a lot.

In terms of an aha moment, I remember when I was in grade five. I had a homeroom teacher who had an amazing dramatic flair and offered us drama workshops, which wasn’t normal for the school I went to. I remember going forward with it and committing to this theater game we were playing. I received a really great response from the teacher and the class, and that was definitely one of those galvanizing moments in my early life when I thought, “I should do more of this because it feels like a step in the right direction.”

PC: There are so many different facets to your artistry. You’ve done work in front of and behind the camera. How have those experiences writing and directing influenced the way that you approach your work on screen and interpret scripts and characters, and vice versa?
Evan: That’s a great question. It’s invaluable to have those different perspectives and try things both in front of and behind the camera. I’m back in acting class now, and we’re assigned scripts to read. You start to get a sense of the rhythm and mindset of the writer. It’s about the writing. It’s about the storytelling. Acting is just one component of that.

These experiences have helped me remember that auditions and acting aren’t tests of ability but ways to collaborate with the whole storytelling process and meet it where it is. It really comes back to storytelling and wanting to tell stories in the best possible way. This perspective helps take the pressure off and allows me to find that creative mindset to collaborate with the script rather than try to compete with it.

PC: You’re one of the stars of Under the Bridge, which is based on a true story. For many, they’re discovering this story for the first time. Does that bring a different responsibility to a project like this, where you’re giving a voice to Reena Virk?
Evan: Absolutely. It was felt on set. Quinn [Shephard] and Samir [Mehta], the creators and showrunners, did a great job setting the tone on set from the beginning. It was palpable. Every day coming to work, we wanted to approach it with sensitivity and respect for the stories.

PC: You bring such an earnest and human quality to your character, offering a different take on law enforcement compared to typical screen depictions. This is refreshing, and you’ve mentioned in the past that you never saw yourself playing a police officer. How did you find your way into this character?
Evan: Thank you. I approached it like I would any role, by imagining myself in the given circumstances of the story. How would I react? In this situation, what would my physiological responses be to what’s happening? This matched what was written and the breakdown for the character. I just leaned into that. I leaned into the imagination of what my experience would be like if I were in a situation like that. It gives me so much respect for what police officers do. The stakes and stress are so high.

PC: You’ve also mentioned in previous interviews that you approach characters almost like a documentary, living in their shoes for an extended period of time. Has that always been your character development process?
Evan: I think it depends. In Under the Bridge, I’m very much a supporting character in a larger story. I came in, and it was more important to be aware of what the story was and who the characters were within the bigger picture, and try to support that. In projects where I play a more central character, it’s fun to approach it from a documentary mindset. This method helps me buy into the story and stay invested in the character.

PC: This miniseries features such a diverse cast with both veterans and fresh faces. What did you learn about your own craft from collaborating with everyone?
Evan: I was blown away by the young cast. They’re so good. It was inspiring to see their level of commitment, what they would do before takes, and how they dropped into their characters. I saw so many things that I can take away and try with my own process next time.

PC: There are so many universal themes that this series tackles. Was there one that hit home for you? What do you hope audiences take away?
Evan: The first thing that comes to mind is empathy. You don’t know what people are going through or what’s happening behind the scenes. What the show does a great job of is giving perspective to both sides. It’s a very tragic story.

To keep up with Evan, follow him on Instagram. Under the Bridge is out now on Hulu.

Photo Credit: Kristine Cofsky