Pop-Culturalist.com

Kellan Tetlow emerges as one of the most promising young actors of his generation, a rising star destined to make headlines for years to come. With coveted roles in acclaimed projects like The Saint of the Impossible and This Is Us, he currently graces the screen in FX’s A Murder at the End of the World.

In this gripping mystery series, Kellan takes part in a unique narrative led by a Gen Z amateur sleuth and tech-savvy hacker named Darby Hart, portrayed by the talented Emma Corrin. As the story unfolds, Darby and eight other guests, summoned by a reclusive billionaire played by Clive Owen, find themselves in a remote and dazzling location for a retreat. When a fellow guest is discovered dead, Darby, armed with her skills, must unravel the mystery of murder amidst conflicting interests and the looming threat of another life being taken.

We recently spoke with Kellan about his journey in the industry, A Murder at the End of the World, the enriching experience of collaborating with a star-studded cast, and more.

PC: How did you know you wanted to be an actor? What is your favorite part about being a storyteller?
Kellan: I knew when I was four. I begged my mom, but she didn’t really let me until I was six. I have always loved telling stories to people. I like to pretend a lot, especially with my toys. I love making up worlds and characters that make people laugh. It’s fun to act because you get to do things you might not do in real life. For example, I throw a big tantrum in A Murder at the End of the World, and I would never do that in real life because my mom and dad wouldn’t allow that.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Kellan: Definitely, my siblings. They are my biggest influence because they are what got me started.

PC: You’ve had a lot of success already in your young career. When you look back, is there a moment that stands out?
Kellan: A moment that stands out was when I booked both This Is Us and AMATEOTW just a few weeks apart. Another significant moment occurred recently for a role I was up for. It was a big moment for me because I found out that casting saw over 1,500 kids, and I was the youngest one in the final three. Although I was bummed not to get the part, I was really proud of myself.

PC: You’re currently starring in FX’s A Murder at the End of the World. Can you tell us about the limited series, your character, and what drew you to this project?
Kellan: The show is a mystery series with a new type of detective at the helm—a Gen Z amateur sleuth and tech-savvy hacker named Darby Hart played by Emma Corrin. Darby and eight other guests are invited by a reclusive billionaire named Andy Roson (Clive Owen) to a retreat.

I play Zoomer, Andy and Lee’s (Brit Marling) son. Zoomer is an incredibly intelligent five-year-old who is the main focus of Andy’s life. My own parents watch a lot of TV and they absolutely loved The OA. When my mom got the audition sent to her, she showed me a few episodes of The OA and told me about Brit’s background. I thought it was cool that she didn’t get into acting until she was older and then she started creating things to give herself opportunities.

I read the first script sent over for Zoomer, and I was really excited because, like Zoomer, I am a big gamer. I have a VR, and I love it. My first audition scene was about a VR world, and I instantly could relate to Zoomer’s excitement over wanting to show Darby how to play. I was thrilled to meet Brit and Zal [Batmanglij]. I knew they were excellent storytellers, and I was excited to even have a chance to work with them!

PC: You are working alongside a star-studded cast. How did you build your bond with your fellow actors, and did they share any words of advice?
Kellan: I had an awesome time with so many of them! Harris Dickinson and Emma were great. They would invite me into their trailers, and Harris would give me super dark chocolate from England and ask me to taste test. I spent a lot of time riding my scooter in base camp, and sometimes Harris would ride with me. Emma had their dog Spencer on set every day, and I would often play with him. Emma was kind enough to let me hang out with them and Spencer whenever I was free. One day, I accidentally threw his ball on the top of a trailer!

I also spent a lot of time with Alice Braga. She would invite me into her trailer to hang out with her too, and we would share snacks from craft services. We had some fun moments at the dinner party scene that you didn’t get to see. Maybe they will be in a blooper reel someday?

I truly enjoyed getting to know Clive Owen. We are both huge soccer fans, and he spent time teaching me about his favorite team (Liverpool) and would show me games and players on his cellphone during breaks. He bought me my first professional soccer jersey! We had a lot of intense scenes together, and he always gave me compliments on my work, which made me feel really special. In fact, he asked Brit and Zal to add things to the script to include me more in some scenes with him. I learned how to do really good improv from him.

Jermaine Fowler was really funny, and I called him “the cool dude.” I didn’t have a ton of scenes with him, but he always made me laugh. A lot of the guys hung out with me at base camp and helped me build ramps for the remote control car FX bought me for my birthday too. Even the transportation guys were in on it!

I really loved every second of working with Brit. I don’t know that I can sum up that experience in an interview. She was a great scene partner and director. Probably one of the funniest moments was when we were shooting at Six Flags. It was over 100 degrees outside and super humid, and we were dressed for winter. She and I were sitting in our director’s chairs covered in ice packs with people holding fans over us between takes. I am so blessed to have had this experience. No one gave me any specific advice per se, but I do remember many of them telling me no matter what I do in life, I need to make sure to always have fun, and if it’s not fun anymore, stop doing it.

PC: What was your favorite scene to shoot? Which was the most challenging?
Kellan: It’s hard to pick a favorite, but I would say that one of the scenes that was super fun was the dinner table scene. It was awesome to see everyone in the cast at one time. I also loved improving with Clive, although it didn’t make it into the show. I also really loved working with Harris in that scene. He is someone I hope to work with again one day. The most challenging hands down was the scene where I had to say “Autosomal dominant compelling helioopthalmic outburst” with no front teeth! [laughs]

To keep up with Kellan, follow him on Instagram. Watch A Murder at the End of the World on FX today.

Photo Credit: David Muller Photography