Pop Culturalist Chats with Themo Melikidze

Peter Berg’s Patriots Day is the new drama about the tragedy that took place at the Boston Marathon on April 15th, 2013. The film’s cast may include familiar faces such as Kevin Bacon, Mark Wahlberg, John Goodman and J.K Simmons but it also introduces newcomer Themo Melikidze. The 24 year-old portrays Tamerlan Tsarnaev, one of the bombers who alongside his brother Dzhokhar Tsarnaev (portrayed by Alex Wolff) caused the death of 3 civilians and injured over 200 others. We spoke with Themo to discuss how he mentally and emotionally prepared for his tough role, his role in the new FOX show 24: Legacy and how he got his start Off-Broadway.

PC: Congratulations on Patriots Day. The Boston Marathon Attack is a tragedy that has brought strife and fear to our country. Were you ever reluctant about accepting the role? What were your concerns, if any?

Themo: Having this opportunity to be in this amazing movie with Mark Wahlberg and looking at the overall message of this movie was so big to me. It was overwhelming. I never really looked at it as my character or me individually in the movie. I only looked at it as what the movie was overall and what the movie brought as a message to the world. I think that’s far more important than me being obsessed with my part. Again, this part, I committed myself 100% to tell the story right and to honor the people of Boston.

PC: To prepare for the role, you and co-star Alex Wolff visited the boxing gym where Tamerlan Tsarnaev trained. How else did you prepare for the role and how did you manage to get into the dark mindset?

Themo: It’s so challenging, especially psychologically. It got very unpleasant at a certain point. Again, everything that I do, I commit myself 100%. I wanted to do this right. What I did was I took the hate I have for this person, the absolute anger and disgust that I have for this individual and used it as fuel to motivate myself and to guide me through the project. That really helped me. It’s amazing to know how much hate can drive somebody. That’s really what it was. Like you said, I had the opportunity to meet John Allen, his boxing coach. He gave me vital information about his personal life that helped me to understand his characteristics and who he was really. At the end of the day, it was really me being obsessed for the hatred I have for this person.

PC: On set, you were surrounded by legendary actors such as John Goodman and J.K Simmons. What is the most valuable thing you learned from working with them? What about from director Peter Berg?

Themo: We see Mark Wahlberg, we see J.K. Simmons and John Goodman as the celebrities—as the actor superstars. We tend to look at the result. We tend to look at the end result of their hard, hard work. Being on the set with Peter Berg and Mark Wahlberg, I saw how much hard work they put into it to get to the point they are and to get to that point of making this movie happen—that celebrity status. That’s what I saw. This being my first break-through movie, I saw how hard they worked and then I asked myself: How far do I have to go to get to their point, and how much discipline they have and how much respect they have to these little details that make this movie so great? That’s really what I learned and how much patience they have to make this as it should be and make this as true as possible. They’re not just celebrities being all glittery and Hollywood and all that. They’re hard-working people that want to create this situation—creating this movie for the people of Boston. That’s really what I learned from being with them.

PC: What do you expect to achieve with your portrayal? What do you hope audiences take from it?

Themo: The fact that [Tamerlan] had a wife, and the fact that he had that little kid and a little brother, and still could be able to commit this horrible act… You can only imagine what type of a state of mind he was in—all the damage and all the pain he brought onto his people. Then, to see how people reacted to that compared to what I did to them. That’s basically what I want to achieve with this character. I want to highlight the people that reacted on the acts of this person. I want to highlight them with with my character. I think that’s the most important part of the two brothers, that we highlight the heroism and courageousness of the people of Boston.

2017 is an exciting year for Themo; in addition to starring in Patriots Day, he will also be starring in 24: Legacy. The highly anticipated spin-off of 24 premieres next month on FOX. Themo told us how excited he was to be involved with the project:

PC: Were you a fan of 24 before accepting the role?

Themo: I was a fan way, way before when I was in Belgium. It’s absolutely amazing. I really grew up on that show. I think Kiefer Sutherland (Jack Bauer) was bigger than Superman. It’s incredible. Now, to even have the opportunity to audition for that, it was very big and very important to me. Eventually, being on the set with the executive producers and the original directors—like John Cassar—it’s absolutely amazing to now be part of the show. I was definitely a fan before the show in Belgium when I was a little kid.

PC: Before starring in films and on television, you starred in various Off-Broadway shows such as The Ryan Case 1873. How is acting on stage in front of a live audience difference than on a closed set?

Themo: When I had the graduation after my academic year with New York Film Academy, there was an initial screening and that’s where the CEO of LiveInTheater saw me. He gave me this Off-Broadway contract. I think nothing beats that experience. I took on the contract and started working. What I learned from LiveInTheater is how amazing it is to really be in the moment and only having that one shot of getting it right. I think that is something you don’t have in the movies. In this particular situation, The Ryan Case and all the LiveInTheater Danger shows are half improv and half scripted. Every show is different. You have to be ready, as an actor, to react to anything that could happen on the show and you have to know your script, basically. For me, I really encourage everybody to try out theater first. I feel still that’s really where the essence is of acting. That’s really still where my passion is as an actor. Making movies is on a bigger scale. In movies, you can become anybody anywhere.

PC: Do you have an dream roles, on stage or on film?

Themo: I definitely have. I am nothing like the psychological state-of-mind that that [Tamerlan] was in. I can see myself playing a superhero. I can see myself playing in a rom-com or an adventure movie; something that’s totally the opposite of what I did in Patriots Day. Also, with my martial arts background, I would love to adventure in that space and in that environment; like in the Marvel or DC Comics. That’s something I’m looking forward to in the future.

PC: Your background is in acting but do you have any aspirations to write or direct?

Themo: Directing will definitely be in the future. At the moment, I always write. Nothing is more powerful than imagination of human beings. As an actor, nothing is more powerful than imagination. Anything that we do, anything that we see in this world, is processed in the head first, and then it’s executed. Writing is very important to me. I write different synopses. I don’t write screenplays but I write synopses for movies. Yeah, I’ll be writing. Eventually, directing would definitely be something I’d be interested in.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Favorite TV show?

Themo: At the moment, I just finished Peaky Blinders. Peaky Blinders is absolutely amazing. I’m watching Sons of Anarchy now. I love the mafia genre. That’s actually also one of my favorite things ever—mafia genre. The Sopranos is my ultimate favorite show ever, but I’m actually obsessed with Sons of Anarchy at the moment.

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?

Themo: Scary movies are fun. White Chicks…you just put it on. It’s so dumb, you just laugh with it. Also, Sharknado. I love that. It’s something I just watched just for the heck of it.

PC: Favorite book?

Themo: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. I think that’s the most amazing thing ever written by a man. Reading that book, I can actually say it helped me with my acting.

PC: Favorite play or musical?

Themo: Singing in the Rain. That’s my favorite.

PC: Favorite social media platform?

Themo: With Patriots Day, I had to be very low key with social media. I wasn’t on there too much. At the moment, I’ve been using my Facebook page and mainly Instagram.

PC: Hidden talent?

Themo: To me, as an actor, it’s all about being limitless. I love to live like a quote of Bruce Lee: “Be like water.” It’s shapeless, it’s formless..that’s what I love to live by. I love to explore myself in different adventures. I want to see what my body can handle. I’m into Parkour.

PC: If you could have dinner with 5 people, alive or dead, real or fictional, who would they be and why?

Themo: B.I.G., the rapper. I love that music. I grew up on rap music. He’s my ultimate hero. Then Sylvester Stallone, Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee. I would maybe add Tom Hanks and Al Pacino.

Make sure to follow Themo on Instagram and Facebook. Patriots Day is now in theaters and 24: Legacy‘s season premiere is on February 5th on FOX, right after the Super Bowl.