Lucas Barker is a young actor who portrays Fleance in the critically acclaimed film The Tragedy of Macbeth. With this movie, he began venturing into Shakespeare the best way possible: by having a lifetime experience that allowed him to work alongside Hollywood legends like Denzel Washington, Frances McDormand, Brendan Gleeson, and the worldwide respected director Joel Coen.
This magnificent opportunity has helped Lucas Barker to confirm even more his love for acting, stay humble and grateful, and keep trying to be the best version of himself while helping others. In this exclusive interview for Vanity Teen, you can get to know him better and feel inspired to treat others with love and kindness.
Enjoy it!
Venturing into Shakespeare
VT: What motivated you to become an actor?
LB: I first started this journey because a photographer worked with me and then suggested I try acting. After that, it all sort of spiraled to where I am now.
I am motivated to keep acting because I love being able to express my creativity and take on different roles. My family and friends are also very supportive; that motivates me to do the best I can.
VT: Did you ever imagine you would be part of a Shakespeare play adapted for a major motion picture? Therefore, how was the experience of filming The Tragedy of Macbeth?
LB: It definitely wasn’t something that I was expecting when I got the initial audition. It took some research and preparations to fully understand the character and script.
Filming The Tragedy of Macbeth was a unique experience. Not only was I working with so many talented people, but it was my first time really venturing into Shakespeare. The dialect and accent took some getting used to. It was definitely an experience I’ll remember forever.
VT: What are some of the most valuable things you learned from your worldwide-respected fellow actors and the incomparable director Joel Coen?
LB: Working with all these amazing people has shown me a lot. Honestly, my mind is still blown that I’ve had the opportunity to do so. The biggest thing that I can take away is the amount of preparation and practice that everyone puts in.
There is so much to think about and work on, especially with the script being adapted from Shakespeare. I also saw how focused everyone was as soon as filming began, which helped me adjust to the set.
The acting world is very unpredictable
VT: We also know that you have a passion for robotics and computer sciences. So, what would you like to tell us about it?
LB: I’ve been interested in computer science for a long time. I’ve gotten pretty good at building computers and coding, and more recently, I joined my school’s robotics team. We actually have a few competitions soon, so I’m looking forward to that. I’m planning to go to college for Mechanical or Software engineering.
VT: Please, what would you want to share with us about your involvement with the SAG-AFTRA’s Looking Ahead program?
LB: Looking Ahead is a really great program that I often attended when I lived in LA. We had lots of fun activities and volunteer opportunities. I have a lot of friends that I met there. One of my favorite things we did was a mini short film festival. We had only a couple of hours to write, film, and edit a short film.
We also visited the Retirement Home of the Directors Guild, made Holiday treats, and played games. Talking with people about their experiences and the stories they have about the Golden Age of Hollywood was incredible.
VT: What projects do you have for the future?
LB: We’ll see! The acting world is very unpredictable; you never can really know what is coming next.
Spread kindness
VT: You also have been collaborating with anti-bullying campaigns. How did you start to take part in these kinds of activities?
LB: I think that anti-bullying is a very important topic because everyone deserves to feel safe and comfortable. No one should feel stressed over being bullied. Friends of mine have experienced it in the past, and I just hope we can work to prevent it.
As part of the student council at school, I led the project to create a “Zen Zone” for students to use whenever they were feeling overwhelmed and needed some peace. I think having a safe space helps all of us deal with the challenges of life.
I got very involved in anti-bullying as part of a movie, Reach, released during October Anti-Bullying month; the film and its message are that acts of kindness can change someone’s world. As part of that movie, we worked to spread kindness and did anti-bullying campaigns at various schools.
VT: As a young person, how do you consider we all can help make the world a better place?
LB: I believe we all have the ability to make a better world. Every day you have the choice to be kind to one another. I think that even small acts of kindness have a big impact.
Before we go
Everyone who sees Lucas Barker acting gets amazed by his talent. Even though, after this conversation, I not only got to admire him for his acting abilities but for his kindest heart and the will that leads him to be a considerate person who offers a safe environment to those who surround him.
I encourage everyone to follow his example and stay tuned with his upcoming projects and other social activities.
And just like him, let us spread kindness!
