The Callback Kids Page 2
The Underdog: Alex Charak
Digest: How do you feel about getting this far?
Charak: I’m stunned. It’s an amazing opportunity and it feels incredible. So yeah, I’m relieved. But watching INTURN now, I get nervous flashbacks.Digest: How did you originally find out about it?
Charak: Through Backstage, like anything else. My friends and I make movies together and my friend just got all this new equipment so I said, “Do you mind testing out the equipment so I can do a scene?” And then I got the phone call to come in and it kept growing from then.Digest: When did you first start watching ATWT?
Charak: I had watched it every now and then, but once I started to get more involved with INTURN, I began to watch it more and more and read up on it. Definitely now I try and watch it as much as I can, but it was always difficult because I was still in school.Digest: You said on your CBS questionnaire that your favorite character was Casey No. 4. Do you know Peter Vack?
Charak (laughs): I know him as Peter Brown. We went to French Woods [Performing Arts Summer Camp] together and he was a good friend of mine. I haven’t seen him in awhile, but I thought if he saw that he’d get a kick out of it.Digest: What surprised you the most about doing the reality show?
Charak: I guess I could have done a little more research, because I had no idea what was going to happen. I didn’t want to expect anything or get my hopes let down. I was sitting back and whatever happened, happened. I had no preconceived notion about what was to happen, so I was just there to have fun and do my thing.Digest: On the first day, you got stuck in the bunk bed jumble. What was that like?
Charak: I went to a camp for a lot of years, so I’m used to the packed-in-like-sardines atmosphere. But it was fun. Some people, it was nice to get to know more intimately, some more than not, I guess.Digest: Who were you closest with?
Charak: I would say Meg because our personalities were similar and she seemed pretty laid-back. It was easy to talk to her and hang out. You can’t really do that with some of the other people.Digest: What was the most difficult challenge?
Charak: I guess the crying audition, only because it was out of context for me. I made it personal, but I feel like it would have shown more to the judges and audience if it was done in a scene and they were going a certain direction, but it was so specific that you had to cry.Digest: Which one did you most enjoy?
Charak: The improv with the trunk. I like improv a lot. That’s probably one of my strengths, so I tried to have fun with that.Digest: Michael Park said that you were too nice to strategize. Did you see anyone else attempt to sabotage others?
Charak: Nothing that dramatic, thank goodness. But I could definitely see that some people were trying to get in the heads of other people. I knew this was a reality show and I did come in with a strategy. In the beginning it was just to lay low and let them fight with each other [laughs]. And then I realized I’m here for who I am so I might as well have fun with it and let the cards fall where they may.Digest: How did you feel about the Screech comparisons?
Charak: I actually figured that was a good thing, because Ian was kind of grouping me with the nerds. So I’ll get, I guess, the “nerd vote.” Not the demographic that people are usually concerned about, but…. It was funny. I hadn’t heard that one yet. I shouldn’t say never, but I’m not really perceived as a nerd. But I guess in comparison to all these other beautiful guys, the guy with the glasses…. I don’t know, it was interesting. I was going for it.
Digest: And then you won the push-up challenge.
Charak: Yeah, poor Ian and his confidence [laughs].Digest: You would probably fit in well with the teen scene. That could work to your advantage.
Charak: Thank you. When I was working with them, we had chemistry and off-screen we just had fun. It definitely felt like we were a good match.Digest: What was your most embarrassing moment?
Charak: They probably won’t use it because it’s so strange, but after being locked up in there for two weeks, I started to lose my mind a little bit, like when they put astronauts in those chambers for like 40 hours to see if they’ll go crazy. But I was wearing the robe that I always wear, and I was hot but I didn’t want to take off the robe, so I put bags of frozen french fries all over my body [laughs]. I hope they don’t use it. But maybe I’ll get the frozen french fry demographic, too. Digest: The Ore-Ida fans! What was the best thing about the loft?
Charak: The whole thing was really cool; the loft was this wonderfully divine thing. I’d never stayed in a place like this. The Brooklyn pizza was nice to have.Digest: Speaking of, are you still a delivery guy?
Charak: I had to take a leave of absence [laughs]. I try to make it sound as professional as possible. I wanted to make sure I had time for the end of the competition. Now I’m making a movie with my friends, so I want to film that. I’m going to college soon. Digest: What do your friends think?
Charak: They love it; they’re just as addicted as I am. Digest: Have you always wanted to act?
Charak: I started acting and singing when I was 9 or 10 because my older sister acts. I did it because I wanted to be like her, and I guess I got serious maybe three years ago. I devoted myself to it. I was also a musician, so I was trying to decide what I wanted to do more. Digest: You’re from New York, right?
Charak: Long Island, born and raised. Digest: Where are you going to college?
Charak: New York University in the fall. Digest: So you could do both if you win?
Charak: Yeah [pauses]. I really hadn’t even thought about that. My whole mentality for this INTURN thing has been, “If something happens, it happens.” Which I guess isn’t that great of a strategy being that I didn’t think that anything would happen and then they called me and I missed my high school graduation. I don’t even want to think about it because I don’t want to get my hopes up for anything. If it happens, I’ll have to deal with it then.Digest: What’s your Raven Lake character like?
Charak: My character is named Alex and he’s supposed to be a big nerd. I don’t know if there’s any connection to me. I’m a geek, one of those guys who’s just trying to fit in and have fun. My mother packed me up and I was ready to go with a whole pharmacy in my jacket. [The location shoot] was really cool, to hang out with the cast and crew. They’re all business down there. You’ve got to know your stuff. It was very professional and a fun atmosphere — something I could definitely see myself doing. Digest: If you do win, who on the show would you want to be paired with?
Charak: I guess I would want to be the nerd that Jen Landon cheats with. Is that too specific [laughs]? If I do get this contract, whatever character they give me, I’ll have a good time with it.Digest: Why should people vote for you?
Charak: I guess I could really only say that they should vote for me if they like what they’ve seen and they’d like to see me more. Or more than Ian and Geneva. I hope it’s not like the lesser of the three evils when it comes down to it [laughs].
Conversation
All comments are subject to our Community Guidelines. Soap Opera Digest does not endorse the opinions and views shared by our readers in our comment sections. Our comments section is a place where readers can engage in healthy, productive, lively, and respectful discussions. Offensive language, hate speech, personal attacks, and/or defamatory statements are not permitted. Advertising or spam is also prohibited.