Get ‘Freaky’ with rising star Carter Glade

Anyone who’s worked in a creative field knows that you put in the effort, day after day, and eventually things start happening for you. Well, Carter Glade has put in the effort, and things are definitely happening. The German/American actor, and brother of Shadowgraphs lead singer Charles Glade, has lived all over the world and has worked to break into the wonderful world of acting.

Carter Glade is probably best known for his role in the Vince Vaughn-led film Freaky. October 2021 saw the release of Her Deadly Boyfriend which stars Glade in the lead role. He’s currently preparing for his part in the upcoming season of Better Call Saul and the soon-to-be-released feature film Three Blacks and a Jew Walk Into a Bar.

We had the unique opportunity to speak with Glade just as his schedule is getting busier than ever. Our conversation below covers acting, sports, and developing a craft.

Tell us about your history in acting. How did you start your journey?

I’d say what got me interested/started was always just being the class clown or that kid that always cracked jokes on the soccer field and in my friend groups. I do specifically remember my freshman year of college submitting to a casting call for an indie film for a tiny role with a buddy of mine and absolutely falling in love with the whole process of story-telling… from pre to pro to post, everything just kind of felt right and excited me in a way that nothing else has before.

Who were some of your biggest inspirations growing up?

Some of my biggest inspirations growing up were definitely James Dean, Paul Newman, Steve McQueen, and Clint. I love watching those good ole spaghetti westerns haha.

Your older brother Charles Glade was in the band called Shadowgraphs. How much did his success fuel your desire to perform?

I don’t think it was much of a success thing that drove him, or the both of us, but it’s more about being able to tell a story… Whether that’s through music or acting, expressing ourselves has always been a big gene of ours. He actually introduced me to the German Theatre as a kid in our small town called “Wolfratshausen”… playing pretend was something I immediately fell in love with.

You acted opposite Vince Vaughn in the 2020 film Freaky. Do you find it more difficult to work in genres like horror or comedy than in drama?

What an experience that was! Working with Vince was just such a blast… He is by far one of the wittiest, quickest, comedy-driven actors I’ve had the opportunity to be around. He’s a mastermind, that’s for sure. I love acting in Horrors and Dramas, but finding the correct comedy beats in comedy and being able to find what works and what doesn’t, in my eyes, is the toughest craft to master… I’m in love with it though.

Do you have certain tricks or routines to help you get into character?

I do! But a magician never reveals his secrets… does he now?

You star as Jack in the new Lifetime movie Her Boyfriend’s Deadly Secret. What initially drew you to the role?

What drew me to Jack was seeing how much power this character had because of his family name, but some of the insecure traits that came out of him… dealing with characters like these can be tricky because there are so many layers to them which attracts me… I love sinking my teeth into a character that has me constantly thinking or playing situations out in my head how Jack would react.

How does Jack differ from the characters you’ve played previously?

In all honesty, I can always find a way to correlate the characters that I have played.. I tend to start from the pit (similarities) working out to the skin (differences). I always also try to put a truthful spin on them to give the audience something to walk positively away with.

Some actors hate to watch themselves on the big screen. Do you ever watch yourself in older projects? Do you enjoy it?

I’ve recently started to stop watching myself perform because I would get so heady and self-sabotage or critically dissect my performance which almost became an obsession. I tend to just live as presently and truthfully to my characters at that moment as possible and whether it’s a tape or I’m on set on a Big budget, turn it off ASAP and walk away from it. Of course, going back and seeing what works and what doesn’t is huge, but just letting it go is a healthy habit to form while bringing these characters to life.

You’re slated to appear in the next season of Better Call Saul. How did the casting process work for such a revered show? Did you audition?

Ahh, it was such a cool process and most of it was just being at the right place at the right moment. I got cast by “Sharon Bialy, Sherry Thomas, and Russell Scott”, which are some of the biggest CDs in the game, so just being able to catch their eye, and booking a role with them was a dream come true.

Were you a fan of the show prior to being cast?

To be completely honest, and if this stays between us, I actually never heard of Better Call Saul or watched Breaking Bad.. so yes, I had a lot of homework to do haha.

You’re going to be speaking English and German in Better Call Saul. Do you find that your acting style changes depending on the language?

That’s a great question. I actually do… in a sense of ping-ponging back and forth with my characters I like English better, but emotionally I tend to go a tad bit deeper with German… not sure why that is.

Do you prefer working in film or television?

Hmm, I think I prefer working in film more just because of the collaboration with one director through a shoot instead of multiple throughout episodic. At the end of the day, work is work!

What do you consider to be your greatest professional success?

Love this question. Well, you need to first define what the word success means… To me, flat-out, being able to wake up every morning with a smile on your face knowing deep down in your bones, you love what you do, that is success. Too many people care about the social construct that money derives from and being miserable just to make some coin. I truly believe whatever you are most passionate about, is going to take you the furthest in life and your career since all your time and energy will go into it… Life is too short to chase/pursue something you aren’t excited about… You only have one life, how are you going to live yours?

What about your biggest failure? What did you learn?

My biggest failure would be leaving LA back in 2018 and essentially giving up on acting… It did lead to some different things, but then again, I think defining “failure” is important. You essentially need some “no’s” or “rejections” or “failures” to learn and get better.

You were a competitive athlete when you were younger. Do you still enjoy playing sports when you’re not acting?

I love playing sports… You can always find me at the gym, literally every day, or on hikes/playing soccer or basketball or even surfing.. Being active is extremely important to me and something I carve time out of every day!

What’s your mission as an actor? Name the most important thing you want viewers to experience when watching you onscreen.

“What you do in life, echoes in eternity” – The Gladiator. You know, bringing characters to life can absolutely change the world if done right. The way you can make an audience feel, relate, and move is something that has been a fire inside of me since the womb. I’m so blessed and honored to be able to have a platform of creating change in a positive way throughout our society nowadays. Without acting, none of that would be possible. Each and every character that I am given a chance to play, I always tend to have a purpose behind them for a positive change or reflection in today’s world. There’s nothing more gratifying than being able to make a human being feel something and connect to a character on-screen that inspires them to be a better person off-screen… I wouldn’t trade this career path for anything.

Is there a filmmaker or actor you’d like to work with down the line?

I’d truly love to collaborate with Alma Har’el! Her eye for the camera both in front and behind is something truly special. Honey Boy is one of my favorite films of all time.

What advice do you have for aspiring actors?

Do. Not. Give. Up. You see, a lot of people come to Hollywood and chase the wrong things… fame, money, status, etc… The best advice I can give someone starting out is to focus on the work, be dedicated, stay patient, have a fire in your stomach that you want this more than anyone out there and when preparation meets your opportunity, that’s the time to make it happen.