All That comedian Lex Lumpkin is transitioning into drama as he stars in the new Freeform drama series The Watchful Eye. Portraying “Elliott Schwartz” a precocious teenager who lives at the Greybourne and befriends series star Elena Santos, played by Mariel Molino.
How did you get started in the industry?
It all started in a theater camp in downtown Indianapolis. I begged my parents for most of my young life to put me in a movie or on a tv show. I literally asked almost every day till I wore them down. My mom could not take it anymore and she would teasingly say, “you hate me don’t you? You play the piano, football, and basketball, don’t you do enough already!?” Eventually, my dad told her about a theater downtown with a summer program for Actors. (Indianapolis Repertory Theatre). A few months after I completed the camp, they invited me out to audition for the role of Stuart Little in the play ‘Stuart Little.’ That’s where it all began.
Can you tell us a bit about the upcoming series The Watchful Eye?
“The Watchful Eye” follows Elena Santos, a young woman with a complicated past, maneuvering her way into working as a live-in nanny for an affluent family in Manhattan. She quickly learns that everyone in the mysterious building has deadly secrets and ulterior motives. What they don’t know, however, is that Elena has some shocking secrets of her own.
Can you tell us a bit about your role and character “Elliott Schwartz”?
Elliott Schwartz is a cool, smart, and funny teen with an old soul. And because he grew up in Greybourne, he’s very aware of everything that’s happening around him. I like to jokingly say that Elliott knows where all the “bodies are buried.”
Something that makes this character relatable and really fun to play is that, even though he’s quick on his feet and seems like he knows it all, Elliot is still just a teen. He’s still trying to figure life out. He’s also trying to find his way in the life of dating, and he gets tongue-tied when talking to a girl he likes. I think people will be able to connect with him and I hope you guys like watching him as much as I liked playing him.
How did you land this role?
I auditioned while we were all in quarantine, so my first few callbacks were tapes that I sent in. Eventually, I got a Producer called back and then a chemistry read with someone that they were considering for Elena. A chemistry read is basically when I run lines with another character from the show in front of the director and producers. After that, I heard that I’d booked the role!
In what ways are you and your character different and similar?
Elliot and I both get along with people very well. I’d say that we’re both personable, but we both also have old souls. I remember being told that as a newborn I’d always have a facial expression that seemed like I knew everyone in my family. My Grandma used to say, “that baby has been here before!”
Elliott and I are different in that I don’t smoke. Elliott is way nerdier than I am, and I like to think of myself as a ladies’ man. Elliott is still working on it. Lol
When you received the script for this series, what was it that made you want to be a part of this show?
The drama aspect of it is something that really drew me to this series. As an actor, it’s always fun to try new things and this show gave me a chance to show people that I have the ability to flex in both genres. I love Sketch comedy so it was fun to be a part of “All That.” That show required me to be able to transition quickly between multiple characters. We also had live shows every Friday night and I had to bring a lot of energy. I had to be quick on my feet and I loved feeding off of the audience’s energy. Transitioning to “The Watch Eye” requires me to bring down that energy a bit and test myself to deliver a more natural and grounded performance.
What can viewers expect to see in this first season?
You can expect to see some romance, mystery, and the testing of moral compasses as the characters do what they must to reach their goal.
What is it like working with our co-stars on the set of this new show?
I had so much fun working with everyone on set because they were all very warm and kind people. One story that I love to tell is how Mariel and I would freestyle before going on set. We were dropping some heat, so I’m thinking about making a band.
We also heard you wrote and directed your first short film, what does it feel like stepping into new and bigger roles as your career develops?
Something that is very important to me, not just as an actor but as a creator, is the ability to be multifaceted. I love being able to create whatever I want and getting to work more behind the camera has made me so happy. I want to be able to act and produce films that enhance the human condition. I’d love to see our society happier and laughing together more.
Speaking about your short film, can you tell us what the premise is of your film, The Hidden Truth?
It’s about a teen who witnessed his best friend die in a car crash and is dealing with survivor’s remorse, depression, and ultimately drug abuse and Suicide.
The reason why this is such an important issue for me is that it’s something that a lot of my peers are dealing with. The second leading cause of death, according to the CDC, for people ages 15 to 24 is suicide; so, I wanted to bring more awareness to this issue because it needs to be talked about more.
What are you looking forward to most in 2023?
I’m very excited for the premiere of my film, ‘The Hidden truth’, and the rest of the season of ‘The Watchful Eye.’ I’m also preparing a standup comedy set so be sure to stay tuned because I’ll be posting.
Photo Credits: Freeform/Disney
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