On his experience on Sweet Magnolias on Netflix, he said, “My experience working on Sweet Magnolias was amazing! The whole cast and crew were as nice as they could be. Everyone was so down to earth and luckily, I got to work with a bunch of different actors and actresses. Working on something is so much fun but when it’s over it’s not that fun because you miss everyone. Throughout shooting you build great relationships with these people and then you don’t see each other for a while.”
He also opened up about Creepshow on AMC. “Creepshow was really fun because it’s a horror anthology series. I’m a huge horror fan so I was so excited to work with Greg Nicotero and David Bruckner. Also, it was something that I’ve never done before. While I do watch horror movies/shows, I had never actually acted in one before. It was a whole new experience for me, but it went smoothly and I had a great time.”
On being an actor in the digital age, he said, “It has its positives and negatives. Obviously, you get to get your name out there easier and get to interact with fans more, but you also have to be careful what you do/say. Things that you do and say can be taken out of context and posted online for thousands of people to see.”
Regarding the impact of streaming services (Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, Disney+) on the entertainment industry, Allen said, “I think it’s had a positive impact on the industry. Don’t get me wrong, there isn’t anything like watching a film in the movie theatre, but it’s nice to have streaming services like Netflix so you can just lay in bed and have access to hundreds of movies/shows.”
He was thrilled to be a part of both of the Bernie the Dolphin movies. “I’m so happy that I got to be a part of Bernie the Dolphin 1 and 2 because I got to hang around dolphins for weeks. We got to shoot scenes with them, pet them, and even interact with them,” he exclaimed.
“Dolphins without a doubt are one of my favorite animals now. They all have little personalities and just never fail to make you laugh. So, it was definitely as fun as it looked and probably even more. We worked with most of the same people on both productions, so that was nice,” he said.
For Allen, working with Kevin Sorbo (Hercules fame) on Bernie the Dolphin was a “great experience.” “Working with Kevin Sorbo was great. He is so good with what he does but is also super funny on set. I was a fan of his work before I worked with him so it was a very cool experience,” he said.
For young and aspiring actors, he said, “If this is what you really want to do and this is your passion, then go for it! One of my favorite sayings is ‘never give up.’ I know it’s generic but it fits in perfectly with the business. You’ll get denied a lot, but you have to keep your head up high and move on to the next thing. The first thing you need to do is get some representation. Someone to help send you on auditions and get you in front of people.”
Allen listed the following actors as his dream acting partners: Christian Bale, David Spade, Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Kevin Hart, Heather Langenkamp, Paul Rudd, Chris Evans, Tom Holland, Chris Hemsworth, Drew Barrymore, The Rock, John Krasinski, Steve Carrel, and Jim Carrey.
On his definition of the word success, he said, “Success, to me, means being constantly busy. The busier I am, the more I get to do what I love. This is my passion, this is what I want to do, so that’s what success means to me.”
For his fans and supporters, Allen concluded, “I would love to tell everyone that you guys are going to love what’s coming up and I have been working very hard these last few years on some great projects that will be coming your way soon. Thanks for all the support.”
