Pop-Culturalist.com

The future of Hollywood looks bright with Roger Dale Floyd leading the charge. The talented young actor has landed coveted roles in hit TV shows and films, including Doctor Sleep, Stargirl, and The Walking Dead: World Beyond.

Later this summer, he’ll be seen starring opposite Gerard Butler and Morena Baccarin in STX’s Greenland. The action-thriller follows a family fighting for survival in the face of a cataclysmic natural disaster.

The project and character pushed Roger in ways that he could only have imagined, and we caught up with him for an in-depth conversation.

Career

PC: How did you discover your passion for acting?
Roger: My dad is an actor. I would watch him on TV or taping auditions and I just knew that’s what I wanted to do. I told my dad I wanted to do what he does when I was about four. He told me to wait a year. A year later I still wanted to do it, so he started teaching me.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Roger: I have to say my dad. He has taught me from the beginning. He coaches me, directs me, and tapes all of my auditions with me. He’s teaching me everything he knows so that I can do it on my own.

PC: You’ve had a lot of success already in your young career. When you look back, is there a particular moment that stands out?
Roger: There are so many things, but the one that stands out the most is riding the tricycle in Doctor Sleep, the sequel to The Shining. I got to ride the tricycle in one continuous shot all through the hallways. It was awesome. The only bad part was I didn’t get to keep the tricycle.

PC: Is it ever a challenge to manage life as a normal kid and your career?
Roger: Not really. My parents keep me grounded, and we do all the normal things a happy family does. Of course, our normal can be pretty out of the normal sometimes. We’ve been lucky to be together as a family for every acting job I’ve had. That helps too.

PC: Of all the characters you’ve played in your career, which has been your favorite and why?
Roger: I have to say Nathan in Greenland because there was so much for me to go through and learn as an actor. I worked on Greenland almost every day for three months, so I was able to learn a lot. My movie parents were great too.

Greenland

PC: Tell us about Greenland, your character, and what attracted you to this project.
Roger: Greenland is a thriller, action, disaster movie about a giant comet named Clark that hits the planet. It’s pretty awesome because the story is really exciting and there’s lots of action. It’s also a movie about family and hope. Things get pretty intense and scary too.

Nathan loves space, which was great because I do too. He’s really excited about the comet Clark at first, but then things go bad. He loves his family. He has type 1 diabetes, which can be scary for him. But I think he is very brave because he never gives up no matter how crazy things get when Clark hits.

PC: How did you prepare for the role?
Roger: One of the first things I did was learn about type 1 diabetes. Nathan wears a small insulin pump that clips to his pants. I learned all about how that works and what it’s like to have type 1 diabetes. Production arranged for us all to meet with a nurse who taught us a lot.

I did character work with my dad, and then Ric [Roman Waugh], the director, guided me and helped me find truth in the performance. Morena and Gerry were a big help too. Every single person on the set helped make me better. Especially everyone at crafty.

PC: Do you have a favorite scene? Which was the most challenging?
Roger: That’s hard because I have a few favorite scenes. One of my favorites is definitely with Scott Glenn. He plays my grandpa. I had so much fun working with him. He was so nice and helpful. I liked him the second I met him. His wife is really nice too.

I can’t say what the most challenging scene was because it’ll give away a big part of the story. It’s a very serious scene though. Scary and intense.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Favorite book?
Roger: The Bad Guy series by Aaron Blabey.

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Roger: Hamlet because my dad is reading it to me now.

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Roger: Twenty One Pilots and Bowie.

PC: Who would play you in the story of your life?
Roger: Gary Oldman because he can do anything.

To keep up with Roger, follow him on Instagram.

Photo Credit: Kristia Knowles