The multitalented actor/musician Wesley MacInnes continues to surprise fans on screen and stage. In the freshly revamped Power Rangers movie that takes the '90s cult classic and morphs it into today's box office standout, Wesley is called to bring the instigating, hot topic totting bully, (Colt Wallace), to life. The movie brings our teenage misfits together in Angel Grove High School's Saturday detention, where they begin their journey to become heroes, but not before dealing with Wesley's character Colt. He is a force of constant turmoil for Billy the Blue Ranger (RJ Cyler), the socially awkward genius, by attacking him in the school halls, or breaking his pencils in detention, Colt wants to be king of the hill.
Being a hard working actor and musician keeps Wesley on the move, but on April 6, TheCelebrityCafe.com's Reno Greenidge-Bullock was able to grab some time with the Calgary, Alberta native while he spent some time at home before continuing work filming a new movie close by. He discussed his excitement for his role in the Power Rangers film, his thoughts on keeping the balance between his two passions of music/acting and revealed some interesting opinions on commitments to himself as his career continues its climb to the top.
Reno Greenidge-Bullock: Power Rangers has been taking the box office by storm since its debut March 24, and bringing '90s nostalgia for the franchise back in full force. How does it feel to be a part of that?
Wesley MacInnes: As a huge fan of the original it is still unreal seeing myself in that world. I grew up with the original series and as most kids back then was excited about seeing every new episode. The team behind this new movie is a group of super fans just like me and wanted to do the rangers justice.
RGB: How did you get involved with Power Rangers?
WM: Well that's actually a funny story, I was auditioning for a really similar role for another film when I got the call from my team about this new part that I would be perfect for. Now when they sent me the script it was only a few lines and the title had a code name, but being a fan of the rangers a few things keyed me into the true title of the movie.
I thought wow this has got to be the Power Rangers, am I about to play Bulk or Skull? It actually turned out to be a new bully and I started working on Colt.
RGB: Did you draw on any past experiences to bring Colt Wallace to life?
WM: To really bring a character to life I try to figure out what their motives for doing things are, and kind of create a full story for them to bring out all of the needed emotions. With Colt I tried to picture what interactions Billy and I have had in the past and what he may be going through in his personal life.
RGB: I bet bullying the Blue Ranger (Rj Cyler), had to make it hard to stay in character during your scenes. Any behind the scenes fun during filming?
WM: It was very hard not to laugh, especially in that scene where I break his pencils in detention. It became a running joke for me to come over and knock all his pencils to the floor, I still laugh about it now. In the scene where we actually fight I can't even count the amount of times he helped me up off the floor after each take of the head butt.
RGB: I imagine those fun times brought you guys close, do you two still keep in touch?
WM: We would talk via Twitter, but RJ has been working hard promoting the movie with the rest of the cast so we haven't talked as much.
RGB: Which ranger would you say was your favorite from the original and do you relate to any of the current rangers?
WM: Well, back when the original came out, I remember being in third grade and the coolest ranger to me was the white ranger. He was a rebel, a leader, and worked alone sometimes. He just seemed really powerful and mysterious, and knowing now that the series was based on a Japanese show, the reasons for the white rangers actions click and I still enjoy him.
As for the current rangers I think many people will, like me, relate to all of them at some point. They are all in some way or another outcasts and misfits that no one around them understands. They end up saving each other by joining together.
RGB: Being a musician and actor must keep you traveling a lot, how do you balance you're growing careers?
WM: What I try to do is focus on the task at hand and completely throw myself into what I need to do, whether it be music or acting I always want to do my best.
RGB: What advice would you give to young fans looking to break into the industry and keep that balance?
WM: One thing I can say is that they shouldn't be afraid to suck at something. I feel that my life works in chapters and although at some points I have may have sucked at something, I wasn't afraid to throw myself at it fully and because of that I was able to grow and improve.
RGB: Speaking of those chapters of your life we actually got to see a few in the music video for your latest single 'Listen To Me.' I can honestly say the video was beautiful and made me look back to my own precious family moments and fall into the feels. What is one of your favorite family memories?
WM: It's corny to say but honestly when my parents, cousins and I went to Disney World. Being an only child there were times where I would have to really entertain myself and that vacation was one of the moments we were all together doing something fun.
I have this strong memory of playing with those little white wrapped poppers that you would throw on the ground and a loud pop would blast out. Me and my cousins threw those like crazy everywhere.
RGB: You have been on a steady climb in your music career and one of the high points has got to be performing on tour with Shania Twain. What inspired you to jump into music?
WM: When I was in 8th grade I feel like that was an extremely low point in my popularity at school. At that time my life was centered around what other people were doing, would I get invited to a party most of my friends were going to, things like that.
It wasn't until I started a band at thirteen with some friends that I began to take control of my life. Instead of my days being about what was going on with everyone else around me it became centered on band practice after school, writing lyrics, and experimenting with new sounds. That band changed my life.
RGB: Are there any artists out there that sparked your passion for music?
WM: When I was really little The Beatles were a big inspiration to me. Their music just reached out, pulled me in, and it felt like magic. I remember listening to them and the Beach Boys and feeling like my life had changed. I could listen to those tapes forever.
Being a rebellious dude in high school with long hair, I remember listening to a lot of Nirvana, grunge, post grunge, alt rock, type bands. I got huge into classic rock and being obsessed with Led Zeppelin, and idolizing Robert Plant and Jim Morrison and The Doors. All of these rock and roll outcasty type figures who seemed petty brash, yeah I was pretty big on that.
As I got a little older I really started getting into country music. I was bartending at the Calgary Stampede and I basically left my post and went and watched a Dierks Bentley show, and it kind of changed my whole view on country music. He took all the brashness I loved from rock shows but all of the storytelling I love from late Beatles stuff. All of their music just made me feel something.
There are more artists than I could possibly name, even artists like Justin Timberlake, who's concert in 2007 I still regard as one of the best shows I have ever seen,
RGB: Have you been performing since wrapping up Power Rangers?
WM: Yeah, I have been performing at a few festivals and events here in Canada while preparing for some cool things to come later this year.
RGB: Those festival fans can surely bring the energy can't they?
WM: There is nothing like it man. Honestly when you work on music in a studio, perfect it and then release it to the public, it takes on a whole new meaning and I am so surprised at how a song I wrote to mean one specific thing, takes on a different purpose for someone else. I have come to enjoy that as one of my favorite things to hear about when I do meet and greet events with fans, really hearing about what the music means to them feeds me so much energy.
RGB: Before we talk about your exciting new project with Liam Neeson in the feature film Hard Powder, can you give me some insight on your path into acting?
WM: There were three things that kind of happened at the same time that got me into acting. I went to see a play when I was in my second year of university by a guy named A. Hussein, who is now sort of a buddy of mine, called Diary of a Mad Man. It was a local small thing but I was like wow, he was like almost a one man show, and he had everyone so captivated. I thought it was amazing that he could do that with just his body, and his face and his voice.
I remember being a big sci-fi and fantasy guy hooked on Wasp, and Josh Holloway's performances yanked me in.
I remember seeing Lord Of the Rings and watching Aragorn in that. Those three dudes made me feel something by just acting.
I realize that those are weird and not like standard hard drama, but those three hit me at a weird point in my life. I had just gone and dropped out of a bunch of math and physics courses that I was enjoying but wanted to make a change, and picked up a theater course at random. A few life events transpired and I stood back and thought wow, acting is something I really get a lot out of.
RGB: What do you feel was one of your hardest but most satisfying roles?
WM: The Phantoms, is one of my favorites, but one of the hardest I worked on because it was based on a true story. It wasn't just a movie, but a sort of healing method for the people of a broken community to become whole again, and I really felt the pressure to live up to the part and not let the community down.
In one of the scenes we actually played against the actual high school basketball team the real players went up against which made it so much more powerful.
RGB: Moving back to your current project in Hard Powder, how excited are you for this new movie?
WM: It is really an honor to be able to work with Liam Neeson on this new film and it's great that we are filming it so close to my family in Canada that I am able to visit them. I am excited for everyone to see what we are working so hard on.
RGB: Anything else we can expect from you this year?
WM: I have been working on my second album and you may see a single or two in the coming months.
RGB: Well, Wes I can't thank you enough for taking the time to talk with us today.
WM: It's a pleasure man, and thanks for listening to all my ramblings.
Check out Wesley MacInnes in a trailer for Power Rangers and his music video for 'Listen to Me' below.