(photo credit to Matthew Bennett)
Charles Vandervaart shares stories from the set of “Lost in Space.”
The third and final season of “Lost in Space” came out today, Dec. 1st, and actor Charles Vandervaart plays a part in the excitement. Out of Canada, the talented young actor has some fun projects in the works. Along with his “Lost in Space” spot, his series “Holly Hobbie” is headed for its third season, as well as his spot on “Murdoch Mysteries.” Fans also know him for his role in”The Craft: Legacy.”
Along with his acting career, he is an accomplished multi-instrumentalist. He is obsessed with eggnog and is looking forward to the holiday season. Charles also loves hiking and he found out the hard way just how far away the mountains in Vancouver were! Read on to find out more.
Colleen Bement: Congrats on your role in season 3 of “Lost in Space.” Two questions:
1.) What was the atmosphere like on the set?
Charles Vandervaart: “Lost in Space” was the first thing I worked on during the pandemic and it was unlike anything I’ve experienced on set. I was thousands of kilometers away from home and I didn’t know anyone in Vancouver where they filmed, plus it was near impossible to meet people because of the lockdowns. I landed in Vancouver a few days before my birthday. Mina, who plays Penny, and Ajay, who plays Vijay, found out my birthday was coming up and surprised me with a little picnic party and birthday cake. It was a blast. Even though we only just met, they knew I was new to Vancouver and they went out of their way to make my birthday special. There are countless stories like this, Ignacio (Don West) taking me rock climbing, Max (Will Robinson) showing me his gaming setup on PC, or Ajay showing me some cool hikes. It could have been a very lonely experience for me, but the cast and crew took good care of me. That’s the best way I can describe that set. All Love.
2.) What can you tell us about your character, Liam Tufeld?
CV: Liam is a positive, laid-back kinda guy. I like to think he spent time in Malibu before taking off to outer space. The colony is in rough shape when this season starts so it’s not easy to be laid back, but he’s got a strength to him as well. He’s one of the older kids so he knows he has to put on a brave face for the little ones. But he can’t do everything on his own, he’s lucky the Robinsons are on his side!
CB: Do you have any other projects in the works that you’re allowed to share?
CV: Funny enough the 3rd season of another show I am on called “Holly Hobbie” is coming out around the same time as season 3 of “Lost in Space.” It’s a lovely, kind show that is dear to my heart. I’ve got an episode of a show called “Murdoch Mysteries” coming out sometime in the near future as well. I’ve been on that show since I was a little kid, I basically grew up on it. It’s been a funny experience going from acting as a cute 12-year-old to doing steamy make-out scenes years later all in the same show.
CB: What were you like as a kid? Were you always performing in front of people; trying to make them laugh?
CV: I was definitely an eccentric kid. I used to insist on wearing a tie everywhere, I would even wear one to bed. My parents have tons of stories of me jumping up in front of an audience and doing little skits. I think I would be terrified to do that now, I need that little kid confidence.
CB: Were your parents supportive of you becoming an actor?
CV: Definitely! My parents work in education and there’s really no one in my family in the film industry so it was unfamiliar territory for me and my parents. When I asked if I could audition for a play in my hometown theatre, they weren’t really sure how it was gonna go. In the beginning, we treated it like an extra-curricular activity, just like soccer or basketball, but as I got older it just stuck and now it’s my job! I feel very lucky to be able to pursue one of my passions as a career, and even more lucky that my parents supported me all the way. They did a lot for me. Growing up, my mom probably drove me to the city over 1000 times for auditions. I couldn’t have done this alone.
CB: Your Instagram has some great photos on it and I can see that you’re a fan of the outdoors. What are your favorite outdoor activities?
CV: Haha thanks! I’m a big fan of rock climbing and hiking. When I was in Vancouver filming “Lost in Space” I went out and hiked almost every day I wasn’t working. Back home there are no mountains, and for some reason, I thought I could walk to a mountain from downtown Vancouver because I could see it from my apartment. Turns out mountains are REALLY BIG and you can see them from REALLY FAR AWAY. The one I ended up walking to was 20 plus km away. Long story short I walked a whole marathon going there and back from the mountain. I got home and could barely move, so I ordered an entire tub of ice cream and ate it in the bathtub. I bought a bike the next day. Not my brightest moment.
CB: I read that you’re a super-talented musician! What instruments do you play? Do you sing as well?
CV: Yeah, I play piano and guitar! It’s a great feeling to be able to play the songs you love. Unfortunately, I’m a terrible singer but I want to learn. I think singing is a lot like playing an instrument, it takes a lot of practice to get good. In the meantime, I’ll leave the singing up to the pros.
CB: What do you do when you wake up and you’re just not feeling it that day? How do you pump yourself up?
CV: I find that getting my body moving helps pump me up. I am the exact opposite of a morning person, if I don’t set an alarm I’ll wake up at noon or later, so I have to force myself to get up and move around otherwise I’ll just be a potato all day. Some light stretching or a few pushups usually does the trick and gets my blood flowing. Other than that, I’m obsessed with eggnog so it’s pretty much impossible for me to be sad if I have eggnog during the holidays.
Check out the trailer for this third and final season of “Lost in Space.”
Written by Colleen Bement
Hi, I’m Lynn, and I Make.
Props, Cosplay, Scale Models, Home Projects, and just about anything else that involves me Making.
A positive podcast about video games. Chris and Ashley go over the video games we love. Updated biweekly.
Chris and Lynn
Evan Conroy
Ron Peterson
Join our Patreon family