In the short film Happy Endings Funeral Parlor, Trevor Larcom plays Leonard Benson alongside a cast including Kyle Ricchetti and Zachary Roozen (who also wrote and produced the project), with the short film having an upcoming run at film festivals after recently opening in Los Angeles and New York City. Trevor has played Trent across all six series of Fresh Off the Boat, Blake in all three series of Teachers, joined Fuller House in Series 3 as Mankowski, and he played Chad Velcoro in the second series of True Detective, with Colin Farrell as his on-screen father Detective Ray Velcoro. Further projects for Trevor include playing Young Clyde in the Netflix superhero film Thunder Force and Doug in To The Beat! and the sequel To The Beat!: Back 2 School, and over his acting career so far, he has been nominated for and won awards for his work. With Kyle Ricchetti and Zachary Roozen working on a feature-length of Happy Endings Funeral Parlor, Trevor is hoping to reprise his role of Leonard Benson, and he is also involved with a number of other unannounced projects. Answering our questions, Trevor talks about playing Leonard Benson in the new short film Happy Endings Funeral Parlor, his time as Trent in Fresh Off the Boat and filming with Colin Farrell for True Detective.
You can be seen in the new short film Happy Endings Funeral Parlor as Leonard Benson, can you tell us about the film and your character?
Happy Endings Funeral Parlor is a buddy comedy. I play the character Leonard, who is part of a family that has the misfortune of running into the two brothers.
How was it reading Kyle Ricchetti, Zachary Roozen and Anthony Theodorokos’s script for the first time and what was it like being directed by Kevin Boston?
When I first read the script, I knew it was something I wanted to be a part of. Kevin was great to work with and being directed by him made the experience so much more fun.
What was Leonard like to play and how was it getting into character?
It was fun playing “carefree” Leonard and playing a part of the happy-go-lucky Benson family.
How was it being on set of the film and working alongside the rest of the cast?
It was a great experience on the set of Happy Endings Funeral Parlor. Everyone worked fluidly together as a team. I was also reunited with actress Lily Rains, who worked with me on a commercial 10 years ago. It was a funny, fake family reunion moment on set for me.
What was it like seeing the completed version of Happy Endings Funeral Parlor and what are you looking forward to for its film festival run?
I was very impressed with the completed version. During future film festivals, I’m greatly looking forward to continuing to hear the audience laugh and get their impression of this film.
In the Netflix film Thunder Force, you play the role of Young Clyde, how was it being involved with a superhero film?
Playing the role of Young Clyde was a really fun experience. I had the opportunity to work with renowned actress Melissa McCarthy, and it was the first time I travelled out of state to film in Atlanta. It was my first time there and I was able to see a lot of Atlanta. I also got to hang out with a fellow cast member Brooke Singleton, who had previously worked on Fresh Off the Boat with me.
What was it like playing Doug in To The Beat! and its sequel To The Beat!: Back 2 School?
Playing Doug in both of the To The Beat! films was a lot of fun as I had a lot of friends my age who worked on both of those projects with me. It was my first time being a part of a dance-focused film. Being on set, I learned a lot about dancing and grew closer to the people I had the opportunity to work with.
Across all six series of Fresh Off the Boat, you played Trent, what are some of your favourite memories from your time working on the show and filming alongside the rest of the cast?
Having filmed 70 episodes, there are so many memories from Fresh Off the Boat that I hold dearly. One of them that jumps out at me is the episode where I was singing Janet Jackson songs in downtown LA while the actual managers of Janet were filming with me. I met Scottie Pippen when in the show my father is his accountant. Also, during one of the seasons I was wearing a Cleveland Browns jacket which production had to keep their eyes on closely because it was an authentic jacket and they only had one that couldn’t be replaced. In the final episode of that season, I got to burn up the jacket because in the 90s the Browns moved.
How was it developing the role of Trent over six years and what was the character like to play?
At the beginning of the show, Eddie and I were enemies, but throughout the show, he and I were best friends both on and off set. Seeing that relationship go from enemy to friend was very cool to see develop. As the seasons of Fresh Off the Boat went on, I was given larger parts in the show. Towards the middle to end seasons, it was awesome to be a part of working at Cattleman’s Ranch with Randall Park. Being Trent was one of the biggest blessings and it was so much fun. I hope in the future there is a chance at a spin-off series.
Can you tell us about filming for the TV series Teachers, in which you played Blake throughout all three series?
In the show Teachers, my teacher has a huge crush on my dad. My character was used as a reason for her to see my father whose name, funny enough, is “hot dad”. During the show, I get held back and called into the office, among many other things, to give a reason for her to see my dad. Teachers was originally a web series made by a Chicago comedy troupe named the Katydids. They were used to stand-up comedy, and when it came to the series, they were great at using their skills to change things and make them more funny.
You joined the cast of Fuller House in Series 3 as Mankowski, how was this?
It’s kind of an interesting story of how I got that role. I had actually gone out for a different role, and the day before filming they told me I would be Mankowski instead of Nugs, who I was originally supposed to be. The writers enjoyed my performance and really dove into my “love” for DJ so they brought me back for multiple episodes. It was also the most unique in the way that it was the first show that I had worked on that was filmed in front of a live audience. Seeing people from all over the world come to see me film was such a cool and unique experience and I have Fuller House to thank for that.
What was it like having a guest role in CBS drama series Scorpion as Russell in 2015?
At the time, I was working on Fresh Off the Boat, so I had to work around my schedule a lot. My favourite thing about working on Scorpion and being Russell was definitely the special effects. The set was so cool. They brought a helicopter for my scene, there was fire and so many other things going on that made it such a fun experience.
How did you find the experience playing Chad Velcoro in the second series of True Detective and filming opposite Colin Farrell as your on-screen father Detective Ray Velcoro?
Probably the most exciting Hollywood experience for me so far was working alongside Colin Farrell on the set of True Detective. Being able to be his son in such a profound series was an absolute blessing and a blast. I learned so much from him, not only how to be professional but also kindness in the midst of this crazy industry. Chad and Ray have this crazy father-son dynamic and I feel the writers and directors did a great job of showing both the dark and loving side of Ray Velcoro and his son.
What do you remember most from being a guest on the Nickelodeon shows Sam & Cat and iCarly at the start of your career?
I remember being so excited to work on these two shows with all these cast members whom I grew up watching. It was so surreal for me to be able to work with Jennette McCurdy on both series. It was really cool that she actually remembered me from the filming of iCarly.
You have been nominated for and won awards for your roles in Fresh Off the Boat, Fuller House, Scorpion and True Detective, including winning Best Performance in a TV Series – Recurring Teen Actor at the 2017 Young Artist Awards, how is it being recognised for your acting work?
Awards are very nice and I think that’s something everyone can agree on, although awards for me don’t mean as much as being able to do what I love and being able to create a character and make people laugh.
Where does your love of acting come from and how did you get into it?
Being so outgoing and energetic, acting for me came somewhat naturally. I was lucky enough to have a great support system growing up who never made acting feel like a crazy job but more like a fun professional hobby. My mom, Deborah, had a friend who worked with an agency and she had suggested the idea of me just going out on auditions for fun because of my unique look and it all kind of took off from there.
What are some of your favourite films and TV shows to watch, and how do you like to spend your free time?
My shows of choice change a lot, although right now I have been watching a lot of Game of Thrones, Outer Banks, and Psych. I spend my free time away from acting working out diligently, working on my golf game, and managing properties with my mom.
What are you hoping the upcoming year brings for you, and do you have any further projects coming up that you can share?
I hope to start working on the feature of Happy Endings Funeral Parlor and to keep promoting it and building that up. I’m excited about all the new opportunities that are coming my way in 2025!! I can’t share too much of what’s to come, but I can say I’m super excited for 2025 and it will be a great year.
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