Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Middleton Christmas’ Trevor Stines

Trevor Stines has emerged as one of the most exciting young actors of his generation. From his breakout role in the CW’s Riverdale to releasing his debut literary work, Trevor’s talent knows no bounds. Each project has allowed him to express his creative juices, and to learn more about himself and his craft.

This December, he stars in the heartwarming holiday film Middleton Christmas, which spreads a much-needed message about being there for one another and making sacrifices for the ones you love.

Pop Culturalist had the pleasure of speaking with Trevor about his blossoming career, Middleton Christmas, and what’s ahead for him.

PC: How did you discover your passion for the arts?
Trevor: When I was in elementary school, my brother, who’s two years ahead of me, was in sixth grade. The sixth-grade teacher always put on a play with her class every year. They did the same play: A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Shakespeare. She did the same play every year with her sixth-grade class. My brother did it. Then two years later when I was in the class, I knew I was going to audition for the play. I got the part and we did Shakespeare. [laughs] I really enjoyed it.

I continued doing plays and musicals throughout my entire academic life. Every year, I was doing all the plays and musicals. After I graduated and turned eighteen, I decided to move down to Los Angeles to pursue it professionally. It’s weird because I didn’t really feel like it was a discovery. I did this play in the sixth grade, and this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Trevor: That answer has changed over the years because there’s a wealth of artists that I look to that I find really inspiring. Hugh Jackman is a guy that strikes me as a really good person and a really great performer. He comes from a musical theater background like I do. Then people like Donald Glover and Phoebe Waller-Bridge, they’ve been my biggest inspirations the last couple of years of my life because they’re Renaissance people. They do everything. They’re so in tune with their modes of self-expression. I want to be like that. I’m an actor. I do writing, and I want to do everything I can because it’s all part of that creative force that I want to dip my toes into.

PC: Now more than ever, we need a film like Middleton Christmas, especially with the year that we’re having. Tell us about the project and your character.
Trevor: Middleton Christmas is a holiday film that has a unique take on the genre. That was what drew me to the script originally. It’s not exactly what you’d expect from your archetypal holiday movie. It has a powerful message about connectedness and caring for your fellow human being.

My character, Lucas, exemplifies that really well in his arc in the movie. He starts off as a pretty typical jock basketball player: dates the cheerleader, that kind of thing. But he evolves over time and you see another side of him. It’s a unique take with a unique twist on that character archetype. I’m so excited for people to see it. I hope it really connects with people the way that we’re hoping it does.

PC: Fans will recognize you for your breakout role in the CW’s Riverdale. What has the transition been like going from television to film?
Trevor: It’s honestly been a tough road. It’s not always easy going from a project like Riverdale because it’s a pretty ubiquitous show. If not everybody has seen it, a lot of people have heard of it. A lot of people, especially now, have an expectation of what that show is going to be. Trying to go from a show that is beloved by so many fans and trying to find my own path as an actor and as a performer outside of the show hasn’t always been easy. But it’s been really rewarding because I’ve found a fan base and a following that want to see me as an actor, not just as Jason Blossom on the show. They want to see other projects that I’m working on and things like that.

PC: You’re somebody who loves and studies film. We talked about this a little bit earlier, but when you’re reading through a script, how do you decide what projects you want to go out for and be a part of?<
Trevor: It’s all in the writing for me. It’s all in the words on the page when I’m reading a script. It’s a little hard to describe. It’s mostly a feeling that I get when I’m approaching a character or when I’m reading a script. I’m thinking about how I would perform this character and how I could do justice to who this person is and do justice to the writing. If I don’t feel like I can do that—if I don’t think I could bring this to life in a way that it should be brought to life—then I might be a little hesitant about taking it. But at the same time, finding those roles in those projects that scare you a bit as an artist is what you want to go for. That’s when you really discover something about yourself and hopefully create something special.

I think it comes down to a good mixture of feeling like I understand the character but also am a bit scared of it. That’s how I make my decisions. Then I obviously talk to my team and reps to see what they think.

PC: Speaking of characters, Lucas comes off as this stereotypical jock and someone who appears to be looking out for himself, but over the course of the film, we see a huge transformation from him. How did you prepare to tackle that journey?
Trevor: It was really interesting. I sat down with Kennedy Tucker, who plays Sam, and Michael Varde, who plays Max—my younger costars in the film—and we talked about where the characters are going and how they meet each other at different points in the film. I think the latter part of the film where you have that transformation of the character was a bit easier for me than the beginning because I never played sports in school. I was never that person.

The trick was more about finding where this guy starts and what was in his head. In the film, they’re getting ready to go off to college, and they’re planning out their futures. I was trying to get into that headspace of having a plan and knowing what I wanted my life to look like and then having wrenches thrown in that plan.

PC: There’s a line from your character where Lucas tells Sam, “It doesn’t have to be about us,” which perfectly sums up the film and its themes. What do you hope audiences take away after seeing this?
Trevor: Exactly, yeah. It’s so funny that you picked up on that line because that was the line for me. I’ve talked about it before when examining the characters and the scenes that he’s in, but that was the line that I picked up on and stuck out to me as being the defining line for who he is as a character. For me as an actor, that tells you everything you need to know about what he’s thinking, feeling, and who he is. It’s crazy that you picked that up!

The film is about connecting with your fellow human being and going out of your way for other people. It’s not just a love story. It’s not just a holiday film, but it’s a film about people and being there for people and maybe sometimes putting your own desires and your own hopes and dreams aside for others. I think, especially now, in this year and this time of our lives, that’s especially important.

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? What do you hope to accomplish in the next five to ten years?
Trevor: There are a lot of moments. It’s hard to point to one in particular that was a big revelation. Obviously, getting to work on Riverdale, getting that news is a moment that has defined me. Even in the wake of Season 1 of Riverdale—when that aired and the months following the season finale—were very informative for me as an actor in seeing how I worked with my team, the things that worked, the things that didn’t work, and it really helped define what I want to be doing later on in my life. I think as an artist, as a performer, it sounds cliché, but I feel like every day is a process of attempting to identify and define who you are and who you want to be as an actor.

Every audition, every role is a chance to reflect on whether I’m doing what I want to be doing and if I’m living up to the standards that I’ve set for myself. “In the future” is a broad question, but I do have a very clear idea. I want to be doing everything I can to tell stories, developing my own projects, telling my own personal stories, and working on projects that are inspiring to people and really touch people and make them feel. I want to get my hands in everything: writing, music, acting—any kind of storytelling I’m compelled to do.

I want to continue to work in film. I am a student of film. Working in TV is a different process, but it’s very rewarding and amazing. Television has changed so much over the last few years with streaming. The landscape of television production and storytelling is completely different than it was ten years ago. There’s a lot of rewarding and rich storytelling going on in TV. But I love the concise nature of film and I want to continue to pursue filmmaking.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Trevor: Love Island. That show is the definition of a guilty pleasure.

PC: Favorite book?
Trevor: One of my favorite books is Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card. Card has been a controversial figure in popular culture because of his sociopolitical views. I’m not going to necessarily agree with everything he says, but as far as his earlier writing goes, Ender’s Game was really influential to me when I read it. I only read it a handful of years ago, but that stuck out to me.

I actually read a book not too long ago called A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara, which is really good. It’s a moving story. I actually have a love for House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski, which is a weird, weird book. But I love that kind of storytelling.

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Trevor: It sounds basic, but I have a strong love for Hamilton because I love musical theater. I love rap and hip hop. I listen to a lot of that in my own time. I love American history and history in general. It’s an intersect of all these different interests that I have. I also really love Into the Woods. It’s one of my favorite musicals. It was the first musical I ever watched, so it’s always had a special place in my heart.

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Trevor: I’ve been on record saying my favorite band is Imagine Dragons. They’re an alternative rock band. I’ve seen them play a few times. They’re one of the few bands that I get so amped any time they announce new music. Anytime they drop an album, I’ll listen to it twelve times front to back right away. I love their music.

Greta Van Fleet is another one who’s consistently good. They have a Led Zeppelin feel like classic rock. I grew up on classic rock. That’s what my father listened to. My father was a bit of a metalhead. He listened to Kiss, AC/DC, Zeppelin, and Metallica, so that’s what I grew up listening to. Greta Van Fleet takes me right back there.

There’s a band called grandson. I fricking love their music as well.

PC: Who would play you in the story of your life?
Trevor: That’s a good question. Maybe Robert Pattinson. That would be ironic because everybody always tells me that I look like Robert Pattinson and that I could play him or Edward Cullen from Twilight. It would be an ironic twist of fate if he played me.

To keep up with Trevor, follow him on Twitter and Instagram. Watch Middleton Christmas today.