The Mercenary was directed by Jesse V. Johnson, with David Filmore as the screenwriter of the film. It garnered a favorable review from Digital Journal. “People that like hardcore action films will really like this movie, and if they like movies the way they were done in the ’90s without too much CGI, they will really enjoy this film,” he said.
Regarding his character in The Mercenary, he said, “I actually created the character, Maxx, more than a decade ago when I was working on a graphic novel. It was a long time coming. The film was such hard work.”
On being an actor in the digital age, he said, “In some regards, it’s easier, but in other regards, it’s harder, especially with the culture that is going on in Hollywood. It’s fun. This is what I want to do with the rest of my life, hopefully.”
Each day, he is inspired by the creative aspect of the acting profession. “Also, as an actor, every job is different. It’s not a 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. gig. It never gets boring or mundane. I try to keep my physical self and my mind busy. I like to explore with different characters and play with that,” he said.
For young and aspiring actors, he encouraged them to “never give up.” “Be ready. For some people, it will happen overnight for most, it won’t. We only have this one life to live. The meaning of life is determined by our own actions and the value in that is finding purpose in life,” he said.
Vandenberg listed Clint Eastwood, Liam Neeson, Tom Hardy, as his dream acting partners. “I would love to work with Clint Eastwood, and as an actor with Liam Neeson. Also, Tom Hardy is fantastic,” he said.
The action superstar defined success as follows: “A successful person is an individual that is content within oneself that finds true wisdom and passes it on to other younger people without judging and really being a selfless individual.”
