Actor Max Burkholder chatted about starring in Season 2 of the hit series “Ted” on Peacock.
“Ted” is the prequel to the hit film franchise, where Max plays the leading role of John Bennet (the younger version of Mark Wahlberg’s character from the films).
On returning for Season 2, he exclaimed, “It was great! At this point, it has been over a year since we finished.”
“So, we are now looking at old memories. We had a great time. Obviously, a lot of it was the same, and a lot of it is different,” he added.
Commercial success of Season 2 of ‘Ted’
“Ted” launched as Peacock’s most-watched original title ever through its first three days on the platform. “I’m hoping that we get a similar metric for Season 2. By then, the second season would have been out a month in streaming,” he said.
“So we’ll see. People seem to be liking Season 2, arguably more than they enjoyed Season 1. So, here’s hoping for another season,” he said.
Mark Wahlberg as an inspiration
When asked if Mark Wahlberg was an inspiration, he responded, “Partially, in the beginning, for sure Mark was an influence. It would have been stupid to just ignore it. As we went on with Season 1, and especially with Season 2, it just became something that I didn’t really have to think about.”
Playing John in ‘Ted’
John is a good-hearted teenager who is still in his awkward teenage phase. John, with Ted’s help, hilariously navigates adolescence, dealing with everything from first dates to high school bullies.
On playing John in “Ted,” Burkholder said, “I like how little anything changes for John. He stays the same guy sort the whole time as if he is a cartoon character.”
“So, it’s always fun to play a character that grows and changes and has an arc,” he said.
“I feel like that’s part of the allure and love of acting. It’s also really fun to play someone who really learned no lessons… with John, I just get to be the same guy the whole time,” he explained.
Burkholder on spending three months with a life-sized stuffed animal version of Ted
On spending three months with a life-sized stuffed animal version of Ted, he recalled, “All the way back before Season 1, they sent everybody in the cast a life-sized version of Ted that we could bring around with us.”
“Yeah, it was fun bringing him around,” he admitted. “I put him in the passenger seat of the car, and I would take him out with me sometimes to go out to eat or just walk around.”
The digital age
On being an actor in the digital age, Burkholder said, “I really don’t know anything else… I’m 28 years old. I’m just half a generation removed, I think, from being a true digital native.”
“I have memories of when there was like a computer room in the house. I feel like I’m just about the oldest person that remembers having a computer room,” he admitted.
Plans for the future
Regarding his plans for the future, he shared, “I would love it if we can get a Season 3… that is still up in the air at this point.”
“Other than that, I am always looking for the next thing… I am looking for something cool whether it is comedy or drama,” he noted.
“I have been taking some more steps behind the camera in the last few months as well, which has been really fun,” he admitted.
“I have been writing and directing some shorts and some proof of concept things with my friends,” he said. “I’m hoping — in the not too distant future — to move into directing as well.”
Lessons learned from the ‘Ted’ screenplay
On the lessons learned from the “Ted” screenplay, he reflected, “The first time I read the ‘Ted’ screenplay. I was 10 or 11 years old. That was for the table read of the first movie.”
“I don’t know that my sense of humor hasn’t changed that much since I was 11 years old,” he added.
Advice for young and emerging actors
For young and aspiring actors, Burkholder said, “You need to really want it! Nine times out of 10 times, you are not currently working on anything, or being paid to work on anything. It’s fun to stay in class and keep your fangs sharpened that way.”
“It’s fun to be making content with your friends. This gig is 99 percent rejection, and you really have to be okay with that and all the downtime because there is so much downtime in this game,” he noted.
Stage of his life
On the title of the current chapter of his life, he revealed, “Forward Motion.”
Superpower of choice
If he were to have any superpower, it would be “teleportation.”
Success
Burkholder went on to define the word success as “comfort.”
Message for his fans and supporters
For his fans and supporters, Burkholder expressed, “You’ve got great taste! I hope they have a good time watching ‘Ted.’ That’s really it. It makes me happier than anything when people just enjoy it and have a good time watching.”
To learn more about actor Max Burkholder, follow him on Instagram.
