Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with The Expanding Universe of Ashley Garcia’s Conor Husting

Make some room, Young Hollywood. Conor Husting has arrived. Since breaking into the industry two years ago, the talented actor has landed not one but two notable roles on Netflix. The first is in the comedic family drama Prince of Peoria, where Conor plays the lovable and simple-minded Tanner. The second is in the newly released series The Expanding Universe of Ashley Garcia in which Conor stars as Tad, a charming young man who always sees the glass as half full. Pop Culturalist had the pleasure of speaking with Conor about discovering his passion for acting, his career, and The Expanding Universe of Ashley Garcia

Career

PC: How did you discover your passion for acting?
Conor: I didn’t discover it until recently, but I’ve always loved to be creative. As a kid, I had a costume box. I would always dress up and play pretend. So I think that played a role in it.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Conor: I would say my manager Eric Kind. He’s believed in me every step along the way. He’s constantly supporting me, putting me in the classes that I need to be in, and pointing me in the right direction.

PC: As you look ahead in your career, what are some of the goals you hope to accomplish?
Conor: I just want to be an actor who’s consistently working.

PC: Your new show, The Expanding Universe of Ashley Garcia, is out now. Tell us about the series and your character.
Conor: The Expanding Universe of Ashley Garcia is about a young lady named Ashley Garcia who is a genius. She went to college at the age of nine. She’s going to be building robots for NASA. She moves in with her uncle, played by Jencarlos Canela.

My character is Tad. He’s in Ashley’s friend group. Tad is outgoing and sees the world in a different way than most. That spars him on to work out things that others might find questionable, but in his head, it all makes sense. He’s wacky. To play him, I drew a lot of inspiration from Kelso from That ’70s Show and Joey from Friends.

PC: This is your first big television role as a series regular. Were there any nerves heading into this project? What was the biggest takeaway?
Conor: I don’t know if I would call them nerves. Working with Netflix is so fun. I worked with some of the same writers on Prince of Peoria, so it felt like a family, and the creators of The Expanding Universe of Ashley Garcia are so cool. I felt so happy and blessed to be a part of the series.

PC: What are some of the similarities/differences between you and Tad?
Conor: [laughs] We both get really excited. We both love spaghetti. Tad is a bit more optimistic than I am in real life. The glass is always half full with him. It’s something that I have trouble with in my own life.

PC: We can tell from the trailer that there’s a possible romance forming between Tad and Ashley. What can you tease about their journey in Season 1?
Conor: I can’t say too much. [laughs] They’re great friends. Throughout the first eight episodes, they help each other with their problems. They inspire each other to be their best selves.

PC: In the series, Ashley hasn’t had the opportunity to experience a lot of things that most teenagers have. If you could go back and relive one of your own childhood memories, what would it be and why?
Conor: I’d love to go back and relive a nostalgic moment with my family. I’d love to do that and go back to that place and time when I was a kid and didn’t have a worry in the world.

PC: There’s a natural chemistry that comes off the screen between you and the rest of the cast. How did you all build that bond?
Conor: It was really natural! Everybody involved got along so well. It really created a comfortability on set to take changes and explore our characters. Everybody was so nice. Jencarlos kind of took the role as father.

PC: If you had to summarize the first season in one sentence, what would it be?
Conor: Oh man! I don’t want to be cheesy but a winding journey. [laughs]

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Conor: Star Wars: The Clone Wars, the animated series.

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Conor: I don’t feel guilty about it, but I like Zombieland.

PC: Favorite book?
Conor: I don’t know if I have a favorite, but right now, I’m reading The Name of the Wind.

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Conor: West Side Story

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Conor: I listen to a lot of rock ‘n’ roll. My friends would be surprised to know that I have some Lorde songs on my playlist.

To keep up with Conor, follow on Instagram. Binge-watch Season 1 of The Expanding Universe of Ashley Garcia on Netflix today.

Photo Credit: Storm Santos