Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Anthony Turpel About Love, Victor Season 2

Whether he’s stepping into the shoes of a spy or terrorizing the screen as a serial killer, Anthony Turpel is a rising young actor who disappears into any character he embodies. As a storyteller, it’s that “Actor’s High” that Anthony strives to reach with each new project. It’s that moment when nothing around him matters and he’s fully immersed in the role he’s bringing to life.

It’s that commitment that’s made him a standout throughout his career and in particular, with his breakout role as the awkward neighbor turned best friend in Love, Victor.

Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to chat with Anthony about Love, Victor Season 2, Felix’s growth throughout the series, and how he prepared to tackle that arc.

Please note: This interview contains spoilers.

PC: You’ve played a wide range of characters throughout your career. What was it about Felix that attracted you to this project?
Anthony: I really like his nerdiness. He’s really flowy, super supportive, and caring. It’s something that I haven’t played before—it was really fun. Plus, I love the project on its own. I loved everything about it.

PC: You’re a massive gamer. If you had to compare Felix to a character in a video game, who would it be and why?
Anthony: Oh, wow. Who would I pick? You know what? I would pick Serana from Skyrim because Felix is always there. Everywhere you turn, he’s there. I’d pick Serana. Have you played Skyrim?

PC: I haven’t.

Anthony: Are you a video game guy?

PC: I am.

Anthony: That’s one of my favorite games. Play Skyrim. It’s great.

PC: At the end of the first season, Felix and Lake have this grand announcement about their relationship. What’s ahead for the two of them in Season 2?
Anthony: A lot of growing. A lot of finding out what they want. It’s them discovering themselves. They’re young. They’re still developing themselves. It’s a lot of that, and it’s a lot of realizations in their lives.

PC: Speaking of growth, Felix probably has the biggest transformation from Season 1 into Season 2. Has anything surprised you about his journey and story arc?
Anthony: I think how he looked at things in the end was interesting. As Anthony, I didn’t expect it from him. It was a huge maturity boost, and it was really nice to see.

PC: The show does a beautiful job balancing comedy and drama, and your character gets to play in both those areas. For you as an actor, is one more challenging than the other?
Anthony: I wouldn’t say so. Comedy is all about timing. Drama is all about feeling emotions. They’re both super fun to play. I’ve been lucky enough to be able to play both. Hopefully, people like it.

There are a lot of people who say comedy is harder. They say if you can do comedy, you can do anything, but it depends on the person. There are some people who are fantastic at comedy and diving deep into the emotions might not be their thing. Then, there are some people who are incredible at drama and playing off each other. It varies from person to person.

PC: This season, we get to see so many incredible moments between Felix and his mother. How did you and Betsy [Brandt] approach building that dynamic between your two characters?
Anthony: We just talked. I remember seeing her in the makeup trailer. I was nervous as hell because it’s Betsy. I was like, “Oh my God.” Over time, we just talked. That’s how I develop most relationships when I’m going to work. You have to have that relationship in real life, and then you take that dynamic and you bring it to the screen. That’s what Betsy and I did. It was incredible. She’s an amazing person. Honestly, think about the best person you’ve ever met, and then times that by ten. She’s incredible. We talked and went in. We did the scene. We figured out what the beats were. We were golden.

Spoilers Ahead

PC: Do you have a favorite moment between Felix and his mother that you’re excited for fans to see?
Anthony: The plate scene. I haven’t seen it yet, but from what we did, the plate scene is really interesting. The dynamic between my mom, Lake, and Felix was really fun to play.

PC: There are a lot of really heartbreaking moments that Felix experiences this season. As an actor, how do you prepare for those scenes?
Anthony: Everyone has a different process. I do a lot of visualization. You read it and you go in. You walk onto set and you play off the person in front of you. You play off the reactions that they’re giving you.

There’s this great moment in acting that every actor strives for. I call it the “Actor’s High”. It’s where you forget everyone around you exists, and you’re so in tune with the scene that everything else is non-existent. It’s the best feeling in the world, the best feeling. It’s one of the reasons why I love acting so much.

When you get into it, you know it’s right and you feel it. Preparation is all about knowing your lines, understanding what’s going on, and then walking in and letting go. You just act with the person in front of you.

PC: Towards the end of the second season, Felix and Lake have their relationship really tested. What was your reaction when you read that storyline? Do you think Felix made the right decision?
Anthony: Yes, I think he did. It was really powerful. In Season 1, I believe it was episode six when he’s talking about the fish. He’s basically saying this person is willing to give everything to you—that’s what started the relationship. I was talking about his growth earlier and figuring out how a relationship works. That’s not what he wants, because he needs to be happy as well. It a hundred percent made sense.

When I first read that Lake told her mom, I was like, “Well, I’m siding with Felix, because there was a promise made.” Then, the more I read the script and the more we did it, the more I understood Lake’s perspective and actually agreed with her because he needed it. He did need that help, even though he couldn’t see it. It would have been the wrong thing to do, not to extend that, especially when you’re a teenager and you’re trying to figure out how to pay your bills.

PC: With social media now, you get to watch the show with the fans. How do you think they’re going to react to Felix’s decision?
Anthony: I honestly don’t know. I have no idea. I’m sure some people will agree with Felix, but I think more people are going to agree with Lake, which I understand. I agree with her as well. It’s a back and forth. Maybe she could have gone a different route with it…I don’t know! But I think most fans will probably agree with Lake. That’s my speculation. I could be completely off.

PC: There’s so much opportunity for this story to continue to grow. If the series gets picked up for a third season, where do you want to see Felix’s storyline head?
Anthony: I want to see the relationship that was built at the end of Season 2. I want to see where that goes. She’s amazing to work with, so it would be super fun. I’m excited to see what other things are going to come up in Felix’s life, and for all the characters for that matter. Everyone’s story is really interesting, and everyone plays them beautifully. I’m excited to see Season 3 in general.

To keep up with Anthony, follow him on Twitter and Instagram. Watch Season 2 of Love, Victor on Hulu on June 11th.

Photo Credit: Greg Gayne/Hulu