Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Away’s Adam Irigoyen

Adam Irigoyen has been shaking up the industry for over a decade. He’s made the seamless transition from Disney Channel star to Hollywood leading man with projects like The Fosters, The Resident, and The Last Ship.

This September, he joins the cast of Netflix’s must-see sci-fi series Away, starring opposite Hilary Swank. Away tells the enthralling story of a group of astronauts who embark on a three-year expedition to Mars and the people they leave behind.

Pop Culturalist caught up with Adam to learn more about the role and what fans can expect.

Career

PC: How did you discover your passion for acting?
Adam: When I was younger, I grew up in Miami. There was a bunch of hurricanes. Because of that, all the houses had shutters. Whenever my dad would come home from work, we would shut all those shutters and we would make it completely dark in the house and watch movie after movie. That’s where my love for film started. Then obviously at such a young age, I would watch Disney Channel. That was really accessible. It made film and acting seem attainable.

I was eight years old when I first decided I really wanted to be an actor. When you’re eight years old and you’re telling your parents you want to be an actor for the rest of your life, not a lot of parents are going to take you seriously. [laughs] But I kept hounding them for a couple of years, and when I was ten years old, they finally put me in an acting class. Fast-forward to when I was eleven, I ended up moving out to California and they gave me a chance to get it out of my system. Thankfully, I started working fairly quickly. After about a year and a half, I ended up on Shake It Up and have lived in LA for the past twelve years, pursuing acting ever since.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Adam: Definitely my family. They have had the biggest influence on me, especially my parents and grandparents. They have always been in my corner, pushing me, supporting me. They gave me the support I needed to keep going. Because as an actor, there’s a lot of ups and downs in your career, especially when you’re starting out. Having that support system has kept me going.

PC: You’ve had a lot of success already in your career. When you look back, is there a particular moment that stands out?
Adam: A really cool moment at the start of my career is when George Lopez guest-starred on Shake It Up and he played my dad. I thought that was super fun and something I always remember. I remember thinking that week, “Wow, I’m on a show that George Lopez is guest-starring on.” I grew up watching Nick at Nite and staying up and watching his show. For him to come and agree to play my dad, that blew me away.

Away

PC: Tell us about Away, your character, and what drew you to this project.
Adam: It was a no-brainer: a Netflix show with Hilary Swank as the lead, Jason Katims as the executive producer. It sells itself. When I read the script, it is such a character-driven piece. That for me has always been a dream: to be part of something that is really pushed forward by the characters and their relationships.

The show centers around Hilary Swank’s character and this group of astronauts that go off on the first mission to Mars. It centers around the interpersonal relationships on the ship and those they’ve left behind to go on this three-year expedition. It’s beautiful. You really see how everything is connected. You see the motivation that pushes each of them.

I play Isaac, who Alexis [Talitha Eliana Bateman] meets fairly quickly after her mom is sent off on this three-year expedition. We grow this relationship because we have a lot of similar experiences. They’re not exact because only so many parents can go off to Mars, but they’re similar enough in that we grow this special bond. I become her place of solace and help her cope with these outstanding circumstances.

PC: You recently shared that this project is really special to you. When you look back at the experience of Season 1, what was the biggest takeaway for you?
Adam: I really fell in love with the fact that this is a character-driven piece. Up until this point, I’ve worked on a bunch of really cool shows and I’ve always had a great time, but this was the first experience that I had where I could really dive deep into who this guy was and where he came from, what’s important to him, and that is always fun.

PC: Speaking of Isaac’s journey, what can you tease about his arc in Season 1?
Adam: When you first meet him, you think he’s going to be this bad boy. But when you get to know him, he’s really a sweet, genuine kid that really cares for Alexis and everything she’s going for.

PC: The series tackles a lot of really important themes. Was there one in particular that resonated with you more than the others?
Adam: My favorite part of this show is the inclusiveness. There’s so much diversity on this show. All the astronauts come from different countries and represent different cultures.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Adam: My girlfriend has recently gotten me into Selling Sunset. She’s studying interior design, so that’s how we got into it. But yeah, it’s honestly a guilty pleasure. I can’t lie.

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Adam: I’m a huge fan of dumb comedies. They’re the best. Master of Disguise for me is the first thing that pops up. It’s a cult classic with Dana Carvey that I loved since childhood. I can pop that in and still laugh as much as I laughed the first time I saw it.

PC: Favorite book?
Adam: Life of Pi. I love the movie, but the book really expands upon the characters in the story. It gives you insight on the author of the story.

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Adam: I love Red by John Logan. It was the first play that I read that I felt I could relate to. The character was around my age when I read it. This Is Our Youth is a great one. SubUrbia by Eric Bogosian. Anything August Wilson.

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Adam: I have a very eclectic playlist. I drove into Vegas yesterday, and I ended the drive by listening to a bunch of old ’70s music like Eagles and “Mr. Blue Sky” and just a whole bunch. I just love some groovy music, and there’s no time more groovy than the ’70s.

PC: Who would play you in the story of your life?
Adam: Andy Garcia.

To keep up with Adam, follow him on Twitter and Instagram. Binge-watch Season 1 of Away on Netflix today.

Photo Credit: Orion Bustamante