This week sees the US release of new independent musical feature film Juliet & Romeo, with Alex Grech playing Tomasso – a role created for the film, which marks Alex’s first major project. Alex filmed on location in Italy alongside a cast including Clara Rugaard as Juliet, Jamie Ward as Romeo, Jason Isaacs as Lord Montague and Sir Derek Jacobi as Friar Lawrence, and the feature film (which is written and directed by Timothy Scott Bogart) will release in the UK on 11th June, with Alex doing his own stunts in the production, along with being the fight double for Romeo. Whilst travelling around the world and spending two months in New York City, Alex auditioned and was offered a place at NYU’s TISCH School of Arts, where he trained for four years at various studios including the Experimental Theatre Wing and The Lee Strasberg Institute. Answering our questions, Alex talked to us about the independent musical feature film Juliet & Romeo, being cast as Tomasso in the production for his first major project and working with a cast including Jamie Ward and Jason Isaacs.
You will soon be seen playing Tomasso in the upcoming independent musical feature film Juliet & Romeo, releasing in the UK on 11th June, how would you describe Tomasso and was there anything that drew you to the role?
Well, funnily enough, I originally auditioned for the role of Mercutio and then in the callback process was introduced to the character of Tomasso, a member of the Montague family and an original character created for this film. Tomasso, a younger cousin of Romeo, admires his adoptive cousin Mercutio and, like his idol, devotes himself to honouring the responsibility of defending the Montague name. Raised as a bit of a brawler, Tomasso is not afraid of a fight, but throughout this film, we see him become increasingly inspired by Romeo’s passion. By the film’s end, Tomasso is left conflicted; caught between his feelings of duty to his family name and his ambition for a life beyond the conflict in which he was raised. The idea of originating a character was fascinating. Working with Tim Scott Bogart, the writer/director of Juliet & Romeo, was such a pleasure, and he gave me the perfect sandbox to play in to bring Tomasso to life. I think Tomasso and I were a good fit, honestly.
Can you tell us about Juliet & Romeo, and how was it finding out you’d booked the role of Tomasso for your first major project?
Of course, Juliet & Romeo is an excellent original movie musical interpretation of Shakespeare’s classic story. It features all new original music that reimagines Shakespeare’s poetry and a commitment to building out the world of the Montagues and Capulets that is not only refreshing but exceedingly fun, and bold.
The feeling of booking the role of Tomasso was immense joy. From the first moment [writer/director] Tim Scott Bogart discussed the story with me, I was in love with it. I loved the care and commitment to giving a classic piece of theatre – a classic story – a genuine original reimagining. The original music was composed to serve as a modern interpretation of Shakespeare’s iambic pentameter; it was music as a new form of poetry for a new kind of audience, and I was incredibly excited to get the chance to work on bringing the world of Juliet & Romeo to life.
How did you prepare for playing Tomasso and what was it like getting into character?
All the actors underwent quite a bit of preparation. We worked extensively with the Kuperman brothers, Jeff and Rick, who are amazing Broadway choreographers and were an immense pleasure to work with. Tim [Scott Bogart], along with producers, really wanted actors to do as much of their own stunt work as was reasonably safe. I’m incredibly comfortable with my physicality and, having done quite a bit of stunt work prior, I was more than happy to train with stunt horses and the stunt fight teams to prepare for the role. Mind you, we were doing all the pre-production in and around Rome. So, a typical day for most of the actors would be early morning riding session with the horse team, a little espresso, and a sandwich, then off to train with the stunt teams for fight scenes, then lunch and choreography for the afternoon with Jeff and Rick as well as the rest of the dance ensemble. This was perfect for me as physicality is my favourite method of getting into character and exploring. The confidence to ride a horse as if you have since you were a child, even though I’d never really had the chance to before this film, was so amazing. The physical aspect of training for this role was hugely beneficial as it also informed choices on how Tomasso’s physicality fit in with the style of each of the Montague boys, as we all trained together. So much so that when our leading man, Jamie Ward, injured his leg during a stunt rehearsal and was no longer able to do much of his stunt work, I was asked if I’d be willing to work with Jamie to make sure the physicality of his Romeo was consistent throughout. In the end, I did all my own stunt work as well as working as the Romeo fight double. The process of getting into character was made ever easier by the incredible work of Dante Ferretti, who created these amazing set pieces to build the world of Juliet & Romeo.
What was it like on set of Juliet & Romeo and how was it filming on location in Italy?
It was a magical experience to shoot on location, mostly in 14th and 15th century castles, which, after Dante was done dressing them, costume was done dressing us, and all the candles, braisiers, and torches were placed, it became very easy to step into the world of Juliet & Romeo. I could hardly believe it when I first arrived and watched the different sets come to life. There was a moment when Tim needed a ladder for actors to safely get from the market area in a lower part of one of the castles up to the town square. Dante must have taken this as some personal challenge because not a few days later, there was a large-scale bucket pulley system built and ready to go based on an old Da Vinci sketch, which aptly became called “The Da Vinci Lift”. It was impossible not to be impressed by the amount of detail and care that went into creating the world of these characters in a never-before-seen way.
What did you enjoy most about working alongside the rest of the cast, which includes Clara Rugaard (Juliet), Jamie Ward (Romeo), Jason Isaacs (Lord Montague), Rupert Everett (Lord Capulet) and Rebel Wilson (Lady Capulet)?
I think what I enjoyed most about working with this cast was how tight-knit it all felt. We were travelling around the north of Italy to shoot in various locations, and many of the younger actors were training together daily before that. The shoots were mostly at night in the dead of winter, so the cast and crew were really the only people you had around you. It made for some wonderful moments of singing songs in the hotel foyer after returning to the hotel in the early morning hours, to getting to sit next to Sir Derek Jacobi and Jason Isaacs between takes as they casually discuss working with Daniel Craig on separate occasions. Working alongside such a talented cast was a bit mind-blowing and a real learning opportunity.
How did you find the experience performing your own stunts, and being the fight double for Romeo?
I absolutely love it. As I was saying earlier, I’m a very physical performer and I love using my physicality as a means of getting into and exploring a character. Stunt work is something I’ve always been comfortable with. I began performing on stage around age six and did various stage combat, martial arts, and physical conditioning from a young age, and have only expanded that list as I’ve gotten older. I was ecstatic when I was offered the opportunity to work with Jamie as his Romeo double. I loved being on set, and the idea of being able to work with Jamie, a fellow Australian actor, to step into the physicality of his Romeo was an absolute pleasure.
Who do you think Juliet & Romeo will appeal to and why would you recommend watching it?
If I had to narrow it down to one specific demographic that I think will get the most out of this film, I’d say young men and women. I think people are often intimidated by the language of classic texts like Shakespeare’s. I hope this film, with its bold new reimagining, deep as well as detailed characters, and original music that establishes the poetry of the world, will help rekindle an interest in those who have seen many similar adaptations in the past. Also, I hope this film introduces audiences to a new perspective and means of connecting with this classic story of love. And I happen to think the music is really catchy as they seem to live rent-free in my mind.
How was your time training at NYU’s TISCH School of Arts in New York City, and what encouraged you to train there?
I loved my time at NYU’s TISCH School of Arts. I was there for four years training at various studios, like the Experimental Theatre Wing and The Lee Strasberg Institute. During my time there, I also studied in dramaturgy and worked with stunt as well as stage combat coaches to refine my skills. I’ve always enjoyed taking as wide a spread as possible, and I’m incredibly grateful, as that’s exactly what my study at NYU offered me. I came in knowing a few areas of acting theory and technique that I really wanted to work on, and over time, let those connect me to various other practices that I could ultimately shape into something more personalised. Coming from Australia, I never considered moving to New York to study at NYU until I was accepted. In all honesty, I thought it was a bit of a far-fetched dream. I was travelling around the world at the time on an 11-month circuit of the globe, and, as part of that trip, I was spending two months in NYC. During this time, I had scheduled an audition for NYU’s TISCH School performing arts course. At the time, I thought I’d give it my all and use it as a learning experience to go back to Australia and audition at a few of the reputable performing arts institutions there. But as luck would have it, I got the confirmation from NYU that I’d been accepted before I ever made it back to Australia. The following winter, I was moving to New York to start what would become my life over in NYC.
We understand you are involved with charity work including volunteering at community-run theatres and campaigning for more research in the medical field, can you tell us about this?
For sure. Through my studies at NYU, I was introduced to a local NYC theatre group practicing various Theatre of the Oppressed performances and community engagement events. Since I’m from Australia and not really a member of the communities they operate in, my role was much more administration and logistics than performance. My interests in the medical field are limited, as I’m an actor and not a doctor, but I would love to one day hopefully have the sort of platform that could promote awareness for mental health and neurodivergent stigma. I truly believe in the power of the arts to impact social change and particularly in the power of performance to give awareness to perspectives that may otherwise elude us.
Where does your love of acting come from and how did you get into it?
My love for acting was born incredibly young. As I mentioned earlier, I began acting around age six with a company called the Victorian Youth Theatre, operating out of Melbourne, Australia. We would do two shows a year for each of the three campuses, and, as I got older, I would find myself doing more and more of these shows, being called in if someone dropped out last minute or whatever may happen. I continued acting all through my adolescence, doing Higher Level IB Theatre for two years, as well as producing and performing in multiple shows as the school’s Drama Captain in my senior year. I worked as a bartender, labourer, and paralegal before committing my life to pursuing acting and performance, which is by far the most fulfilling work I’ve ever done. It was always and will always be the dream to be involved in creating and performing until I am no longer physically able, perhaps even after that. I’m incredibly grateful for how many opportunities I’ve already had and can’t wait to see where the wonderful roller coaster of being an actor takes me.
What are some of your favourite films and TV shows to watch?
That is a very hard question. I feel like it depends so much on what you’re looking for out of the experience. Drive My Car, directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi, is a stunning film with a slow burn that brings me to tears, but with an inevitable build-up in the emotional tension that just wells up seemingly out of nowhere. It’s a fabulous film that plays with the themes of a Chekhov classic, Uncle Vanya. The Lighthouse, with Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe, is another favourite that gives me a new mind-bending experience every time I watch it. It’s cinematically beautiful, and the performances are outstanding. It also gives me a little taste of sci-fi or occult with its somewhat cosmic horror undertones. Everything Everywhere All At Once immediately became a favourite from the first moment I saw it, and the more I learnt about the team behind it, the process of making it, and rewatching it time and time again, I began to appreciate it all the more. Archer is an animated TV show created by Adam Reed, and I’d have to say that it is probably my favourite guilty pleasure show. It’s hilariously written with the most obscure and oddly detailed references. I love the unique animation style and the iconic voice performances. The show is immensely entertaining, and I think I’ve probably seen all 14 seasons at least half a dozen times.
How do you like spending your free time?
I love hiking and rock climbing. Honestly, anything to do with the outdoors usually is pretty up my alley. I ski, snowboard, surf, hike, do mountain runs, climb, and skydive as often as possible. I do a three to four-day solo hike once a year at least, and normally go in winter, so I don’t need to deal with bears or bugs when I’m in North America. Otherwise, when I’m in the city, I love taking a day to visit the gym, get a good climb in, and sit on the roof with a good book. I also love a good cocktail, and as someone who used to work behind the bar, I love going to nice little cocktail spots around the city, of which there are plenty in NYC.
Have you been given any advice over your time as an actor so far that has stuck with you?
Funnily enough, I think that both of my favourite pieces of advice come from two idols I had on Juliet & Romeo.
Early in the process, I was talking with Tim [Scott Bogart] about my character of Tomasso, and I was casually saying something along the lines of “I feel so lucky to have this opportunity”, and Tim turned and responded: “luck was just where hard work meets opportunity”. I thought that was a beautiful sentiment and continue to carry that idea with me.
The second piece of advice was from Jason Isaacs, who when I asked him what he thought were the most important parts to having a long lasting career as an actor, responded with “you can’t be holding out on a Plan B – if there is a Plan B in the back of your mind, then you’ll more than likely end up going with the safety of Plan B because this industry is complex and it can at times be hard to remember why you do it”.
Apart from Juliet & Romeo, do you have any projects coming up that you can share, and what are you hoping this year brings for your career?
None that I can speak on at this time but am excited for people to see this film and step into the world of Juliet & Romeo. You’ll have to stay tuned to see what’s next from me.
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