Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Utopia Falls’ Phillip Lewitski

Phillip Lewitski is an exciting, fresh face in Hollywood confidently commanding the screen as Apollo 4 in Hulu’s sci-fi hip-hop drama Utopia Falls. Set in a futuristic city called New Babyl, Utopia Falls follows a group of teenagers who discover a forbidden archive of historical, cultural, and musical relics. The discovery will ignite an uprising for change.

At the forefront of that revolution is Phillip’s character, Apollo, a quiet-natured dreamer who puts his musical talents on display. Phillip brought us inside his head and chatted about his career, and, of course, Utopia Falls.

Career

PC: How did you discover your passion for acting?
Phillip: I was quite young when I first started acting. It was something I accidentally stumbled across when my mom put me in a theater production. I was just a kid, but the second I stepped on that stage I instantly fell in love with the craft. I transitioned from the theater to the screen when I was older but never stopped after that.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Phillip: My parents have had the biggest influence on me and my career. They have without a shadow of a doubt been there supporting me through this whole crazy process. When this industry can take such a drain on your mind, it’s so important to have those people around you. I always felt like I could call them at any time and they would be there. I know for a fact that even if my parents didn’t approve of me pursuing this, I would have still done it, but I could only imagine how much harder that would have been.

Utopia Falls

PC: Tell us about Utopia Falls, your character, and what drew you to this project.
Phillip: Utopia Falls is one of the most rewarding shows I’ve worked on. The collaboration between me and the whole creative team was such a smooth ride. I know that sometimes there can be a lot of strong opinions and conflict with ideas on certain things, but I felt that everyone respected and were open to one another. The story had to stay on track but the characters within the story were very free, and that was really nice to see. I saw this right from the first conversation I had with the creator and one of the producers on the show. They were willing to hear me out and listen to what I had to say about the character, and to me that’s everything. Especially when they were wanting to explore my character’s background, they were careful to do it in the right way and were so open to anything I wanted to add.

PC: Apollo’s journey in Season 1 centers around perseverance. How did you prepare to tackle his arc?
Phillip: Perseverance is a huge word Apollo carries through all the trials and tribulations life throws at him during Season 1. I can’t go into my preparation because my methods would spoil a traumatic event that happens to Apollo halfway through the season. It is a catalyst for some of the big moves Apollo then makes to discover the truth. I typically research people who have gone through similar events and go off of that.

PC: There are a lot of interesting dynamics between the various characters. Which of Apollo’s relationships was your favorite to explore and why?
Phillip: Tempo and Apollo have a very unique relationship in the sense that they have been friends for so long but were separated as kids. It was interesting to explore this because when they are finally reunited again at the Exemplar, there is this looming question in the air which is, can I still trust you? They almost have to restart their friendship from the beginning because it had been so long.

PC: If the series is picked up for a second season, where would you like to see your character’s storyline head?
Phillip: I would like to see Apollo reunited with his ancestors and family. I want him to be fully immersed back into his culture and discover everything there is to know about his past. I want him to find out just how important music is to not only him but to his background. I think this would excite him more than anything but will also make him a bit angry he didn’t find out about this sooner.

PC: You’re also starring in the upcoming season of Vikings. Is there anything that you can tease about that project?
Phillip: I can’t reveal too much, but I’m so excited about my role on Vikings. I can’t wait for fans of the series to catch me when the final ten episodes air later this year on History.

PC: In addition to acting, you’re also a writer. Tell us about the process of creating Inside My Head. What did you learn from that experience?
Phillip: I learned a lot from the experience of writing Inside My Head. There was something very therapeutic about writing down my personal experiences in life. All I really wanted from the book was to help at least one person out there feel less alone in this big world. I wanted someone to relate to some of the things I experienced during those years. Shortly after I published it, I started getting exactly that. I was receiving messages from people all over who felt like they totally related to what I was saying and others who avoided certain things because of the things I went through. That was my only mission, so after I started reading those messages, I had this huge wave of satisfaction come over me because as hard as it was to get all those words down on paper, it was so worth it.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Phillip: Peaky Blinders

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Phillip: One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

PC: Favorite book?
Phillip: The Catcher in the Rye

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Phillip: Hamilton

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Phillip: Nirvana

PC: Who would play you in the story of your life?
Phillip: I feel like a young Joaquin Phoenix would understand me. I would love to see his interpretation of my life.

To keep up with Phillip, follow him on Twitter and Instagram. Stream Season 1 of Utopia Falls on Hulu today.

Photo Credit: Benjo Arwas Photography