Easton Rocket Sweda plays Taylor Diehl in feature film The Present, which had a recent UK release on Netflix and will be releasing on Hulu in the US in November. In The Present, Easton Rocket works alongside a cast including his on-screen family Isla Fisher (as his mother Jen), Greg Kinnear (as his father Eric), Shay Rudolph (as his sister Emma) and Mason Shea Joyce (as his brother Max), and he was directed by Christian Ditter. Having started work as a model, Easton Rocket booked his first acting role in 2021, joining the cast of the US soap General Hospital as recurring character Leo Quartermaine. Chatting to us, Easton Rocket told us about playing Taylor Diehl in The Present, joining General Hospital in 2021 as Leo Quartermaine and what the character is like to play.

You play Taylor Diehl in the recent release of The Present, which is currently streaming in the United Kingdom on Netflix, can you tell us about the film?

It’s a fun, family movie about an autistic boy who tries to save his parents from getting divorced. He fixes an old grandfather clock and uses it to go back in time. He even gets his siblings to help. They work together with funny ideas to keep their parents together. If it doesn’t work, they rewind the clock 12 hours and try again with a new plan. It’s a movie about bringing a family together.

How would you describe your character Taylor and what was he like to play?

Taylor is autistic just like me. He loves to stay in the basement and work on computers. He doesn’t like to leave the house much. He was really fun to play because I have so much in common with him. He didn’t speak in the movie and I had to express his feelings in other ways.

How was it filming alongside the rest of the cast, which includes your on-screen family Isla Fisher, Greg Kinnear, Shay Rudolph and Mason Shea Joyce?

I loved it! Everyone was so sweet. I miss working with them. It was one of the best times of my life.

What was it like on set of the film and being directed by Christian Ditter?

It was very fun. We did a ton of different angles. I learned a lot about filmmaking. We had so much fun and worked really hard. Christian was an awesome director. I thank him very much for directing this cool movie.

How did you feel when The Present released worldwide this year and how has it been seeing the fan response so far?

It was exciting and I was so happy people would finally be able to see it. I’m glad people are enjoying it. I love the film.

Do you have any stand-out memories from filming for The Present that you can tell us about?

We had so much fun destroying the apartment. We got permission to break specific things in the room. Everything was sugar glass so we were safe. One day we released my butterflies in front of the Diehl house. My caterpillars had become butterflies and were ready to fly. I wanted to include my co-stars and we all let a butterfly go. It was really neat.

What was it like joining General Hospital in 2021 and do you remember how you felt finding out you’d been cast as Leo Quartermaine?

I don’t remember but my mom said we were excited but nervous. I hadn’t acted before and we weren’t sure what to expect. My first day was amazing. I still remember my first line! Everyone was so sweet and welcomed me. I met Lisa LoCicero, who plays my mom on the show. She was super sweet. I started calling her “Tom”, which is short for TV Mom. It’s been a fun experience playing Leo. He’s a cool kid.

What is Leo like to play and how has it been developing the character over the years?

I love playing Leo because he’s a fun character. He’s had great storylines and I’ve had a lot of fun playing him. I wasn’t an actor before I started playing Leo so playing him has taught me a lot about being an actor and working on a set.

Is there anything you enjoy most about being part of General Hospital and filming with your fellow cast members?

I love to be around the actors on the show, especially when my friends are working. I love my mom and dad on the show. They run lines with me in the green room and I learn so much from them. I love being on the set and, sometimes, I even get to use the cameras, which I think are really cool. The behind the scenes people are amazing too. I always say good morning to them when I first get there. They are all so kind.

How do you find the experience working on set of a long-running soap opera?

They shoot at a very fast pace. You have to be ready to go when you go up to the set. You only get one to three takes per scene! Soap opera actors and crew are really incredible.

How did you get into acting and was it something you always wanted to do professionally?

I first worked as as a model for several years for companies like Zalando, Zara, Old Navy, Gymboree, etc..  My first real acting job was when General Hospital was looking for an autistic kid to play Leo. I had never really acted before except for a car commercial. I never thought about being an actor but now that I am, I would love to keep doing it.

Do you have a process for learning lines and how is it reading your new scripts for the first time?

My mom and I just practice the lines a lot. We read the script a few times and then I start working on memorisation. Then, I start working on how I’m going to act it out. It’s exciting when I get a new script because I get to see what’s happening next in Leo’s life. He’s a fun kid and has fun storylines.

What are some of your favourite films and TV shows to watch?

I don’t know what my favourite film is but I like to watch Pixar and Disney movies and destruction films like San Andreas and 2012. I really don’t watch TV but I love to watch YouTube math and science videos.

How do you like to spend your free time?

I love to play Minecraft. I love ChatGPT/AI. I’m always studying math and numbers because it’s interesting. I have two dogs, Frank and Bowie, that I love to play with. I also enjoy playing the piano.

Do you have any projects coming up that you can tell us about and what are you hoping the next year brings for you?

The Present will be on Hulu in the US in November. Right now, I’m just homeschooling and learning piano. I hope to keep working and auditioning in the next year. I hope that I can show autistic kids that they can do awesome things.

Thank you, TresA, for having me!

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