by Sam Spotswood
Casey Deidrick, star of the CW’s hit series In the Dark, is more than one of Hollywood’s newest heartthrobs. As an actor, he’s had experience on some of the most popular television series. In addition. Deidrick’s curiosity drives him to learn and grow not only in his acting career, but also in his personal life as he explores his interest in adventure. We got to speak with Deidrick and as him about his experiences as Max, his what he’s learned from this role, his future goals, and more.
You star in In the Dark as Max. What has been your favorite part about this role?
Honestly, getting to work with my incredible cast and crew. Working opposite of Perry and the rest of the cast has taught me so much about acting and myself. I feel like I learned a whole new language from Max and what it truly means to accept someone for who they are, even with all of their flaws.
What has been the most challenging part?
Working with someone playing a character who’s visually impaired was definitely challenging in the beginning. It was odd at first to be acting opposite someone who could never look you in the eyes, so there was this adjustment period for me. It was also challenging for me at times to be Murphy’s punching bag in their relationship. Sometimes I’d get mad at Max for putting up with Murphy’s shit, and then I had to remind myself that I’m playing a character and it’s how Max would respond. Max taught me to always respond from a loving place which I think a lot of people can learn from. It’s still something I’m working on but it’s forever in my thoughts now before I say anything.
Do you see parts of yourself in Max?
I do and I don’t. I don’t think I’d ever see myself laundering money for a drug enterprise but I try to focus on why Max is doing what he’s doing. What’s the point of it? And I try to relate to it without any judgements and put myself in his shoes. I ask myself is there anything in my life that could happen that would make me want to do this? And I go from there. I love how vulnerable and open Max is, I relate to that so much. There’s also a brokenness in Max that I completely relate to.
What has the dynamic been with you and your costars (including the dog who plays Pretzel) on set?
The dynamic has all been very loving and supportive. We’re very lucky to have a cast that gets along so well. I get excited to see everybody. Having Pretzel on set always makes me smile and is a great stress reliever.
How has your life changed since taking on the part of Max?
Considering that a week before I got the role of Max I was ready to walk away from acting and call it quits, I think it’s drastically changed my life. I got to experience living in a new city that was constantly inspiring me. I met so many incredible people I didn’t know existed. Working with Perry has been one of the highlights of my career. Like I said earlier, I’m more calm in my thinking and my thoughts. I really think before I say anything and I try to focus on acceptance. I learned all of that from Max, so thank you Max.
In addition to Max, you’ve played Detective Tommy Calligen on Eye Candy and Chad DiMera on Days of Our Lives among other roles. Which character have you enjoyed bringing to life the most?
I love really intense roles. I had a lot of fun with my character on Teen Wolf. Coming up with the way he talked and walked into a room was a real joy for me. I’d love to do more roles like that.
I understand you’ve lived in Northern California, Colorado, and now film In the Dark in Toronto. Which would you say is your favorite place to live?
I’ve also lived in Vancouver when I was shooting another series that didn’t get picked up. I really enjoy Canada to be honest. I think Colorado is just an entirely different vibe which I love. It’s hard for me to say what my favorite place is, anywhere besides LA traffic is good!
Outside of acting, what other activities/hobbies are you interested in?
Right now I’m just trying to figure what it is that Casey likes. I’ve been dabbling in a lot of different things lately. I love working out and staying active so I do a lot of CrossFit training. I’m also taking Muay Thai and Jiu Jitsu classes. I take my dog on a lot of solo hikes. I’m going to get my motorcycle license soon. I’d love to buy a bike and do some solo cruises around Malibu. That’s a fantasy of mine.
What’s next for you?
We just recently got the good news about a Season 2, so we’ll all be getting ready to head back out to Toronto in the next couple of months. Really excited to get back out there and continue the journey!
Photographer: Tommy Flanagan
Art Director: Aleksandar Tomovic
Styling: Luke Funtecha
Grooming : Alex Thao