Dylan Snyder - TV
By Rych McCain International/Nationally Syndicated Entertainment Columnist
Dylan Snyder
Kicks Out The Laughs!
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| Dylan Snyder M&H Photo |
The Disney XD Channel broke new ground last
season when they premiered a teen martial arts comedy titled “Kickin’ It.” The
show’s theme is based on a strip mall martial arts studio which is the worst
dojo in the Bobby Wasabi Karate school nationwide chain. To make matters even
worse, the entire Bobby Wasabi
nationwide chain is under-performing. The dojo consists of six lovable
but whacky teen misfits who make up their competing karate team. The show is
now in its second season.
One of the team members is Milton, an
honors student who enrolls in martial arts to defend himself after being
bullied for taking French horn lessons. He is oblivious to his own shortcomings
and has an awkward sense of confidence. Milton is played by fifteen-year-old
Tuscaloosa, Alabama native Dylan Snyder. As a child, Snyder was inducted into
acting almost at birth by virtue of the fact that his mom was involved in local
theater as was his older sister who took him everywhere she went which included
auditions, rehearsals and plays. After early training and some local stage
appearances, the family moved to New York where at age nine, Snyder won the
role of young Tarzan in Disney’s Broadway hit “Tarzan.” He also secured roles
on the soaps “Guiding Light” and “One Life To Live.” Then came the inevitable;
the family relocated to Los Angeles.
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| L-R Olivia Holt, Dylan Snyder, Christian Jones, Jason Earles, Leo Howard & Mateo Arias. Cast of "Kickin' It" Disney Photo |
Before we got into the meat of the
interview, I had to clear up the difference between regular Disney and XD
Disney for those who don’t know. Snyder explains, “The original Disney Channel
is more centered toward girls. That’s the way its always been. They wanted to
branch out and make a channel specifically for the boys. So the boys would be
like oh yeah, well I’m watching this show about skate boarding and the girls
don’t have to watch it. XD is more extreme; skate boarding, karate, that sort
of thing.”
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| Dylan on set Disney Photo |
In describing his character Milton, Snyder
runs it down, “He is an awkward but very smart kid and very good in school but
he just doesn’t connect well with others. The way he does connect and become
social is through his karate because he goes to the dojo and he opens up and he
becomes really good friends and popular among his clique. He gets confidence
from his karate.” Most martial arts shows and movie involve the actors taking
theater combat training so they can look authentic fighting on camera. Has
Snyder had any real life karate training outside of the studio? He lights up,
“I have. Actually tonight I’m going. I haven’t done a whole lot of it but what
little I have done, its all for fun. We’re just doing it to keep in shape and
make sure that our fights look the best they can.”
Of course, you have fans who have
difficulty separating the on camera fantasy from real life reality. With that
being said, has Snyder run across a nut case that actually expected him to be
like his character and karate chop something? He laughs, “Not always. I have
gotten one offer for a fight but I turned it down saying no, I’m OK.” This is
why Snyder has done his best to project a normal persona for Milton on camera. As he puts it, “With Milton, I try to make
him not a sit-com nerd. I try to make him a normal lid. He’s a geek of sorts,
he likes school, he likes normal things he just doesn’t connect well. There are
more of those kinds in the world then there are sit-com nerds and that’s what
I’m trying to go for.”
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| L-R: Top; Olivia Holt, Leo Howard, Jason Earles, Bottom: Mateo Arias, Christian Jones and Dylan Snyder Disney Photo |
When it comes to changing things, Snyder
even got rid of his southern accent when he went to New York to make the
adjustment go easier. Having a New York theater background coupled with the LA
TV show has made Snyder a well balanced actor. He is one regular teen dude who
likes to hang out with his friends, listen to music and play video games.
Kickin' It airs Monday nights 8:30 PM - 9: PM EST on the Disney XD Channel.
Kickin' It airs Monday nights 8:30 PM - 9: PM EST on the Disney XD Channel.
© 2012 Rych McCain
Media/Syndication tm
(You DID Hear It From Me!)
E-Mail:
feedbackrych@sbcglobal.net
