Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Lost in Space’s Charles Vandervaart

Actor-musician Charles Vandervaart is quickly making a name for himself with the dynamic characters he’s brought to life in projects including The Stanley Dynamic, The Craft: Legacy, Holly Hobbie, and Murdoch Mysteries.

Most recently, he can be seen delivering an out-of-this-world performance in Season 3 of Netflix’s Lost in Space.

Pop Culturalist had the pleasure of speaking with Charles about his career, joining the cast of Lost in Space, and he shared his favorite on-screen moment.

Career

PC: How did you discover your passion for storytelling?
Charles: I think a passion for storytelling is something that we all share. It’s very human to share stories, fears, desires, and dreams. I’m honored to get to do it for a living.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Charles: I would say my mom. She drove me to a lot of auditions and ran lines with me countless times. There’s no way I could have pursued this career without her. She’s a pretty good acting coach too!

PC: There are a lot of facets to your talent. Does one come more naturally to you? Is one more challenging?
Charles: I think natural talent only takes you so far, so I try my best to work on my talents. Working on yourself is important so you can present the most prepared version of yourself. Most days, I spend time at the gym, work on lines, and play the guitar and piano. Working on something is a very fulfilling process as well. It gives you a sense of purpose. I’m always learning and growing; you can never run out of new things to learn. I definitely don’t have a natural talent for making my bed…sorry, mom and dad. [laughs]

PC: You’ve had a lot of success already in your young career. When you look back, is there a moment that stands out?
Charles: I remember when I was about twelve I was getting home from school and my mom told me that I had booked a role in a sitcom called The Stanley Dynamic. It was my first big role and I remember how great I felt. I worked so hard auditioning for different projects and I finally got the privilege to pursue my dreams full-time. That’s the show where I decided I wanted to do this as a career. Every time I start a new project, I get the same feeling. Success is not a guarantee, so I feel very lucky.

Lost in Space

PC: You’re one of the stars of Lost in Space Season 3. What should audiences know about your character Liam?
Charles: Liam is a long-haired, rock-climbing astronaut—what’s not to love? Then again, what’s not to love about Vijay too? Penny will have to make some hard decisions!

PC: Did you feel any pressure heading into this series, just given how successful the series has been and that you were joining a cast with two seasons under their belts?
Charles: I definitely felt the pressure, but I think I function better under stress. It just means I care about what I’m doing. Having such a lovely cast and crew also made the job way easier. Even with pressure, we are still having fun on set.

PC: This project finds you incorporating two of your passions: acting and rock climbing. Was that initially part of Liam’s character description or was it added in after you were cast? How beneficial was it for you to have that background in rock climbing?
Charles: I had no idea I would be rock climbing when I booked the role. Once I got the first script, I freaked out. It was just so perfect. I got to combine two of my biggest passions. When I got to set, no one knew I was a rock climber either, so it was completely coincidental.

I’m similar to Liam in a lot of ways. We both rock climb and have the same style, and although I’m probably more tightly wound than Liam, I like to think that I’m almost as laid back as him. I barely have to act when I play Liam. He’s just me!

PC: We see an interesting love triangle form between Penny, Liam, and Vijay. How did you, Mina [Sundwall], and Ajay [Friese] approach the dynamic between your three characters?
Charles: The scenes with Mina felt really natural to me. She’s very kind and supportive, which are always fantastic traits in a scene partner.

You know, it was tough being at odds with Vijay (played by Ajay) because in real life Ajay’s such a nice guy! We basically hung out nonstop while we were filming. We are both pretty connected to nature, so we did a lot of hiking and running in the forest, climbed some mountains, and even rock-climbed outside! All this made it a bit tough to keep a sort of tension between the three of us in the love triangle when filming, but Liam isn’t really one to feel much tension anyway.

PC: What was your favorite moment from Season 3 that you’re excited for fans to see?
Charles: A few come to mind! Definitely the rock-climbing parts because they’re just way too cool. I also have to mention Vijay’s cover of “Three Little Birds.” Ajay changed the song to a minor key to fit the tone of the show and I think it works so perfectly. Oh, and of course all the cool battle scenes towards the end of the show, but I don’t want to give too much away!

PC: Besides Lost in Space, where can fans see you next?
Charles: For all my American friends, another show I’m on called Holly Hobbie is going to be premiering on the Disney Channel on December 27th. It’s a feel-good show with a lot of heart, and it’s been a pleasure to work on it. I hope you all check it out! We’ve already shot five seasons of the show, which has been airing in Canada, so it will be funny to see the first season airing on the Disney Channel for the first time. I was so little when we filmed it.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Charles: Demon Slayer, Yellowstone, and Lost in Space.

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Charles: Into the Wild! There are so many good ones though. The ones that come to mind include The Kings of Summer, The Edge of Seventeen, Ford v Ferrari, and Parasite.

PC: Favorite book?
Charles: Gathering Moss by Robin Wall Kimmerer.

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Charles: I honestly don’t know! Maybe Hairspray.

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Charles: This probably isn’t very surprising, but Ajay from Lost in Space makes great music! I love it.

PC: Dream role?
Charles: Something Lord of the Rings or Kung Fu Panda related. Or a cool rock-climbing astronaut…oh wait. [laughs]

To keep up with Charles, follow him on Twitter and Instagram. Watch Season 3 of Lost in Space today.

Photo Credit: Matthew Bennett