Interview With Award Winning Twelve Year Old Actor Blaze Tucker Of Last Man Club

So what were you doing when you were twelve?

Blaze Tucker is a young actor that is receiving a lot of attention in the industry, for good reason. By the tender age of twelve Blaze has already starred in several movies, TV shows, and directed a short film, and has won numerous awards for his work.

To date he’s won a Best Performance Award by the Young Artist Awards in CA, Best Young Actor Award by the Broadcast Film Critics Society-Houston, Best Young Performer Award in a Feature Film at Action On Film in CA, Best Male Rising Star Nomination (youngest nominee) at WorldFest, Outstanding Cast Performance Nomination at Action on Film, and at Burbank International Film Festival, Central Florida Film Festival and GI Film Festival in Washington, DC, his latest movie, Last Man Club, won in their Best Feature Film categories. Not too shabby.

Blaze is an incredible combination of fun/carefree youth and serious, focused adult; it was a treat to do this interview. 

 Tell us about yourself!

I’m 12 years old originally from Houston, Texas. I like peanut butter and burritos. I love blocks of special cheese like muenster, romano, asiago, gorgonzola, and vlaskaas. I like to study inventors and other people who’ve made big changes in the world like Nikolai Tesla. I love to wear my Reebok Pumps. If I need to walk far, I’ll put on my Heely’s. I’ve been wearing both for years! I love formal vintage clothing, too.

How did you land the role of Taylor in Last Man Club? What is your character like in the film?

I was asked to audition for the role. I thought there would be one or two people in the room, but it was a whole room full of people! The director said I nailed the audition. I was very excited about the role because I loved the script and the character. I also knew I’d love working with everyone in the room. Both of my grandparents are veterans. My great grandpa is a World War II vet, and I love listening to his stories from the war. My character, Taylor, is loving and looks after his grandpa, too.

How did you prepare for the role?

I studied my character and the lines. I was the only young actor on set with great veteran actors like Mr. Sheppard, Mr. Corbin, Mr. Massee, and Mr. Riehle. I was 10 when we filmed it. I played Taylor Pennell. I also studied the other characters for the movie.

What was the greatest challenge you faced while working on the film? 

Running after the B-17. It was windy!

Your favorite part?

Running after the B-17! You don’t do that every day! Actually, I enjoyed all of it from the beginning to end. I love my Last Man Club family.

How do you handle school, acting, music, and everything else you do?

School always comes first. I’m an all-A GT student and a Duke Tipster. I love to watch all of the science and history channels, too. I also love architecture, engineering, technology, psychology, and math. If you love something, you make sure there’s time for it. There’s always time for music, acting, family, and friends. It’s all about balance.

 What do you want to do after you graduate from high school? What school do you attend?

I’m not officially in high school yet. I’m supposed to be in 7th grade, but I’m already earning high school credit. Since I’m homeschooled, I use different programs and schools depending on the subject. I plan to go to college and get a master’s or PhD. There are lots of degrees that are interesting, so I haven’t picked yet.

Do you have any other projects coming up?

Yes, I have future bookings in music and acting through next year. I’m not sure if I can give details on some of them though. I’m the official entertainment every year for a few organizations. I love to perform for large community and holiday events.

Obviously you are a huge fan of music. What bands are you listening to?

Yes, I love music! I go all the way back from the 1940’s. I listen to AC/DC, Ink Spots, Ozzy, Johnny Cash, Elvis, Betty Hutton, The Smiths, White Stripes, Cole Porter, The Five Stars, Rush…So many great ones. I listen to music all the time, and I love finding cool songs by artists in the past. I like all the new music, too. I’ll pull out my bass or mixer or break down beats any time to jam with a song. I also like  ballroom and latin dancing.

Who is your biggest DJ influence?

My favorites are probably Qbert, D-Styles, and Shortkut. I had a chance to meet them when NAMM gave me a VIP artist badge for a surprise birthday gift. I also went to Thudrumble and saw the turntable octagon. I love my turntables. I also like to beatbox, play the drums, and play my bass guitar. I’ll mix it up in my shows.

Finally, what advice would you give other kids trying to break into acting?

I’ve never thought about “breaking into” or “making it” in acting or music. If you do what you love to do, things just happen because you enjoy it. You get to meet all kinds of wonderful people who enjoy it, too. It’s the journey in life that matters the most!

Official trailer for Last Man Club can be seen here

Written and Directed by Bo Brinkman

For more information about Blaze, you can visit his IMDB here.