Yesterday saw the release of TV series Ted on Peacock in the US, with Max Burkholder starring as John Bennett in the prequel to the films, a role made famous by Mark Wahlberg, and the series and film scripts are written by Seth MacFarlane (who also voices the character of Ted). In 2019, Max played Benjamin in the feature film Benjamin, which was directed by and starred Bob Saget, and across all five series of Parenthood, Max was seen playing Max Braverman. Having made his film debut as Max in Daddy Day Care in 2003, his further projects have included horror film The Purge as Charlie Sandin and voicing Roo in the animated series My Friends Tigger & Pooh. We recently caught up with Max about starring as John Bennett in the recent US release of Ted, playing Benjamin in the feature film of the same name and his time in Parenthood.
How did you feel finding out you’d booked the starring role of John Bennett in Ted, and had you seen the films before auditioning for the prequel series?
If I said anything less than “ecstatic and bouncing off the walls” I would be lying. After I got the call from Seth (MacFarlane) back in 2022, I burst into my living room, still and silent, until my roommate at the time asked me if something was wrong. When I told him the news, we literally grabbed each other and jumped up and down. And yes, of course! Loved both the original and the sequel. Also, I’ve talked about this before but I was in/at the table read for the first movie way back when, I was probably around 10.
Can you tell us about John and how was it getting into character?
John is an idiot. I am also very stupid. The only difference is that we’re stupid about different things, in my opinion. We’re just as likely to dig our heels in and be stubborn about something we are 100% wrong about, but our blindspots are just a bit different. Plus, I was very similarly awkward as a 16 year old. All this is to say it wasn’t so much of a stretch between my basic resting state and John’s, and I approached the character in the same way as I would any other.
How did you prepare for the role and what was it like playing a younger version of the character Mark Wahlberg played in the films?
Well, I definitely wanted to make sure that I did right by the hilarious, iconic character that is John Bennett. At the same time, I wanted to make sure I wasn’t trying to copy anything that Mark did in the films and try not to do a “John Bennett” or “Mark Wahlberg” impression. I watched the Ted movies a bunch of times while prepping for the role and reading the scripts for the series, really trying my best to sort of reverse engineer where John is in 1993 based on all that information.
What was it like reading Seth MacFarlane’s scripts and how was it working with him and the rest of the cast?
I don’t think it’s a secret that Seth is a comedic titan. That is to say, every single time I read the script for a new episode there would be multiple instances of me laughing out loud, alone in my apartment. The whole writing staff is crazy talented, and I think the jokes will speak for themselves. In terms of working with Seth, it was like a masterclass in directing, voice acting, and improv every single day on set. The guy wears about a billion hats at the same time and still manages to find the time for fun and experimentation. As for the rest of the cast, they’re some of the most talented and welcoming people I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. It was also deeply infuriating to work with all of them, because when you have people who are that talented working with material that’s that funny, it’s so, so hard to not break into laughter in the middle of a scene.
Did you have a favourite scene to film and how has it been seeing your role come together with Seth MacFarlane’s Ted?
My favourite scene to film is a really tough question just because there are so many highlights. In this moment, the ones that come up are: the scene with John, Ted, and the mall security guard, the scene where John and Ted are high at family dinner, Matty’s confession scene at the end of the second episode, and honestly, all of my scenes with Danny Jolles in the Halloween episode. And it’s wild seeing the final product with the bear!! There would always be times where it would feel a little awkward here and there, simply because we were always acting opposite empty space – but to see him fully animated really makes it all seem so natural and right.
What have you enjoyed most about playing John and being part of the new series?
I think what I enjoyed the most was getting to do comedy professionally for the first time, especially in the company of so many wonderfully funny people. I’ve always loved making people laugh. It’s also insane that I get to be a part of so beloved a franchise. I always loved the movies, and I knew they were popular, but only in recent weeks since the first trailer dropped have I realised just how into this abrasive little teddy bear people are.
Why would you recommend watching Ted and who do you think will enjoy the series now it’s premiered in the US on Peacock?
Fans of the movies will enjoy it, and people who have never seen them will enjoy it! I’ve seen most of the episodes at this point, and goddamn it’s really, really funny. That’s honestly my full recommendation: It’s hilarious, you will laugh, full stop.
In 2019, you played Benjamin in the feature film Benjamin, what was this like to work on?
So, I mentioned that Ted was my first opportunity to do comedy professionally – Benjamin was also a comedy, and a sadly overlooked one at that. However, I had about five to six lines in it, none of which were jokes. The vast majority of my role in that film was to sit silently and look confused (which I believe I did very well). As with many indie films, the shoot was hectic, but I can honestly say it was a blast, especially because I got to meet and learn from about a dozen comedy icons, not the least of which was the late great Bob Saget.
What are some of your favourite memories from playing Max Braverman in Parenthood across all five series, and how was it seeing the fan response to the show and your role?
Both because it’s been so long, and also because there are too many to count, it’s really tough to nail down any favourite moment over another. However, I can tell you my absolute LEAST favourite memory from the whole show. For context: I. HATE. BUGS. I hate them, they make me feel uncomfortable on the most primal level. For those who don’t know, my character, Max, LOVED bugs. Went nuts for’em. And in one episode, Max had a birthday party where he had an insect keeper (bug-enthusiast? Entymophile?) show off cockroaches, beetles, etc. not more than two inches from my face. And I had to be excited about it. That may just be my biggest acting challenge to date. But to pivot from that – I am immensely proud of my time on that show. The amount of people who reached out and continue to reach out to me, whether virtually or on the street, to let me know that they felt represented by Max Braverman, makes any degree of insect encounter more than worth it.
What was it like filming for The Purge as Charlie Sandin, and how did you find the experience on set of a horror film?
It was a really great experience from top to bottom. Made even sweeter by the amount of hate that I get in my DMs to this day for hitting the button and letting Edwin’s character into the house. But for real, it was a blast to shoot. It was a very kinetic, dynamic set, and when you’re a 14 year old who’s getting to do a lot of his own stunts and fire blanks while at work, you’re having a blast and counting your blessings.
How was your time voicing Roo in My Friends Tigger & Pooh and how was it taking on the role of a hugely popular animated character?
Well, I loved watching Winnie the Pooh VHS tapes long before I got the role (my standing favourite is The Blustery Day). What I can say about my experience voicing Roo is basically this: I would show up to the studio, eat some chocolate, say some lines for about 45 minutes, sing a song a few times, then when I was done, my mom would take me across the street to get In-N-Out. 12/10 I hope I get another job like that in the future.
What do you remember from making your film debut in 2003 with Daddy Day Care as Max?
Not much! I believe I was three years old when we started filming, so I had just come online as a lucid being. That being said, I hope this answer isn’t too similar to the one I just gave, because the most vivid memories I have of that movie are the snacks. I remember getting a sweet lime popsicle at lunch every day, and a double chocolate chip muffin in the mornings. Double chocolate chip muffins are still one of my favourite things in life.
Where does your love of acting come from and how did you get into it?
So, for the story of how I got into it, it started with Daddy Day Care. Everything I’m about to say is essentially hearsay as I was a toddler when it happened, so if anything is inaccurate, take it up with my parents because they’re the ones who told me this. So, my parents were both actors (they met doing a play), and when I was three, a casting director friend of theirs was looking for small kids to be in Daddy Day Care. My parents brought me in, and I auditioned for it and didn’t get it. Fast forward a few months later, the kid that they cast for it had to drop out of the project right as they were about to start filming, and so production called my mom, and we scrambled on over to Fox and (allegedly) I still remembered my lines from months before. They expedited my start paperwork and apparently I started shooting that day! I would attribute my love of acting to how I got started – I was literally playing pretend with a dozen other kids every day and got to skip school. As I got older, I fell in love with it more and more, and I don’t think I’ve ever really lost the fun of it all, how freeing it is to just play pretend.
Do you have any favourite films and TV shows to watch and how do you like to spend your free time?
I’m always rewatching something or another. Right now, I’m partway through a rewatch of Happy Valley – I think Sarah Lancashire is one of the greatest actresses I’ve ever seen, and I love going back and just taking in her performance. For my free time, I love to read (mostly sci-fi and fantasy), play video games, and hang out with the people I love.
Have you been given any advice that has stuck with you since starting in the acting industry, and what are some of your stand-out highlights of your career so far?
I was lucky enough to have the most tremendously talented acting coach growing up, both kind and strict in equal measure. He passed away last year, and I hope anyone who reads this takes this to heart. The late great Harry Mastrogeorge always likened acting, and any art form or pursuit for that matter, to being like a child at play. Among many other nuggets of wisdom, he always said that a child in a sandbox playing pretend isn’t just acting like a princess, they are a princess. Whenever we would finish a session in preparation for an audition, he would say the same thing as I was leaving: “Bring your sandbox”. I could talk about highlights in my career, favourite moments, but they all stem from that simple phrase. Every time I’ve done good work that I’m proud of, had any sort of fun on set, it’s only because I brought my sandbox.
What are you hoping 2024 brings for you?
In 2024, I want to work more!! I am equal parts happy that the 2023 strikes happened as I am that they’re over. SAG and the WGA got some incredible deals, and now that they’re in place I want to get back to work. There’s a reason I’ve been doing this for as long as I have, and that’s because it’s my favourite thing in the world to do.
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