BELLO #192

How did your career in TV, film, and theater
start?
My career started because I loved taking pictures
when I was younger. My parents saw that passion
and thought getting me into the entertainment business
would get me money for college, fourteen years
later, here I am!
Getting casted as Simba is a big deal for a young
boy. Were you nervous about your role in The
Lion King musical and what did you learn along
the way?
I was petrified! However, the casting directors knew
how to make me feel comfortable. The experience
was great, I learned how important it was to give
your all no matter how you feel. The audience doesn’t
know that I had a bad day, they are there to enjoy a
show they paid money for. I’m obligated to give my
all.
What was it like to go on tour at such a young
age? What is the coolest place you visited while
on tour?
It was amazing. Visiting so many places and seeing
people of different races, socioeconomic backgrounds,
orientations and more, really shaped me.
My favorite places were Montreal, Quebec and
Ottawa, Ontario in Canada.
What is your favorite part about working on a
musical?
You currently play Randall along Sterling K.
Brown in the phenomenon "This Is Us." Tell us
how this role has impacted you.
The role has impacted my professional and personal
life. Working with such great actors has improved
my craft so much. My personal life has changed because
it’s given me the ability to take care of and give
back to my family after all their sacrifices.
How fun is it to work with multiple versions of
your character and see him grow up?
It is so cool and inspiring. It makes me want to not
only kill a scene for myself, but for Mr. Sterling and
Lonnie too because they’ve set the bar so high!
Do you ever feel like you and young Randall are
going through similar things although you live
in different decades?
I feel like that all the time. Randall and I are the same
age, so everything that Randall has gone through I’ve
been going through - learning to drive, prom, freshman
year of college (I was working on my college
essays when Teen Randall read his college essay to
the family). Funny story - I had stopped studying for
my learner’s permit and then the script came, and
Jack was teaching Teen Randall to drive! My mom
freaked out because I needed my permit to film this
part of the episode. We went to the DMV the next
day and I took the test in written form, so I had the
best advantage of passing. I stood nervously over
the DMV rep while she graded each page. I passed!
My favorite part had to be the feeling I got from singing
a song and seeing the audiences smile.
When did you realize you wanted to get into
acting?
I realized I wanted to act at 4 years old when I would
audition for commercials and do print modeling
jobs.
Bello
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