INTERVIEW by Giulia Juliet Belkin
Photography Benjo Arwas
Actor Phillip Lewitski joins The Talk on Joliegazette. Phillip is currently starring in the Hulu original series “Utopia Falls” where he portrays ‘Apolo’, a quiet and calm natured dreamer, who works as the mechanic and brings his musical talents through drumming to the show. The series is a genre-bending take on a coming of age story, where a group of teens in a distant future colony uncover a forbidden archive of historical, cultural, and musical relics. With the help of rap icon Snoop Dog as the voice of the futuristic Siri, they use the power of music to ignite change in their reality to expose the truth. Phillip is currently working on a feature film.
Lewitski is of Mohawk Ancestry and grew up with seven brothers and sisters. He uses music to connect with his roots. He plays the piano, violin, and drums. At the age of 19, Phillip published a book with hopes to impact teens struggling with life’s ups and downs. Inside My Head is a glimpse into Phillip’s life—the life of a typical teen, how he lived his teen years. Inside My Head is an emotional roller coaster of all the ups and downs that he experienced as an adolescent—covering everything from relationships, sex, and drugs, to family, friends, high school, and the overall pressures of life.
Giuli: You grew up in a musical household with seven siblings. What was it like? How did it shape who you are today?
Phillip: There's never a dull moment at the Lewitski household. Being born into a family with seven siblings completely shaped who I am today. It was always a competition to get even a single word during a conversation. We were constantly challenging each other and questioning everything. I also always had someone to go to. I had my older brother who helped guide me when I was experiencing new things he had already gone through. When I got my heart broken I always went to my sisters. My younger brothers were the ones I went to if I felt stuck or needed to pass the time. I am beyond grateful for every single person in my family. I know it’s such a privilege to have the kind of parents that I have. They are such wise well rounded respectful teachers and I learned almost everything I know from them. My siblings also taught me a lot and they have become my best friends and the people who I can rely on more than anyone in this world.
Giulia: Your heritage is a strong part of your identity. How did your heritage shape who you are today?
Phillip: My heritage was a huge part of shaping me as a young adult. When I was confused or feeling lost I went to my Grandma and she would tell me all these stories about the past and our ancestors. It helped give me clarity and inspired me to do certain things with my life. A big lesson I learned from her is to not take this life for granted because all we have is the present moment and then it’s gone so don’t waste your life and end up on your death bed with a head full of regret.
Giulia: Do you think musical upbringing helped you to land the role in "Utopia Falls"?
Phillip: My musical upbringing is a huge part of who I am as a person. If my musical background shaped who Phillip Lewitski is I could imagine that it would have also played a huge factor in whether I fit the spirit of Apollo.
Giulia: How is your character different or similar to you?
Phillip: Apollo is very similar to me in a lot of ways. He is probably the most similar character I have taken on so far. When I first read the breakdown of Apollo I felt like I was reading up on myself. Of course, there are always going to be differences but I felt very connected to his aura and energy just from words on paper which was pretty powerful.
Giulia: Why do you think we should love "Utopia Falls" ?
Phillip: I think the writers did an excellent job of catering to a wide diverse audience. They have done things in the show that I haven’t seen in any other show. They have broken rules and tried things that no one else has. I think our creator R.T. Thorne is a visionary and sees things that most people don't. There are also really powerful messages behind a lot of the writing. If you look closely they are trying to say something to society in almost every episode.
Giulia: You published a book at a young age called "Inside My Head" for teens struggling with life's ups and downs. What inspired you to write about it?
Phillip: My Maman has been a writer her whole life and so she played a huge factor in inspiring me. My great Grandma was also a driving force for me. Any time I was feeling down or needed advice on something big I would call her. She had one of the hardest lives I have ever heard so she always helped ground me and put things into perspective. Her stories and how much she could relate to me got me thinking. If her life lessons had such a huge effect on me maybe if I wrote about my teenage experience and the lessons I learned others could see personal value in that. I started writing about things as they came. I knew I wouldn’t be done with the book until I was finished High School because I was writing about life as it came at me. I wanted to give back and honor my great Grandma. I’m not sure if she's fully aware of how much of an impact she has had on my life but at least I can carry her storytelling method down into my generation. I wasn’t looking for anything when I published the book. I just wanted one person out there to take something away from my story just like I did with my great Grandma. I never expected the kind of messages I got after the release. Some of the stories people told me brought me to tears but it was at that moment that I knew I was meant to put those words on paper.
Giulia: What were your teen years like? What would your advice be to teenagers today?
Phillip: For me when I was young everything seemed like it was the end of the world. That feeling that everything around you is slowly turning black. I wish knowing what I know today I could go back to my younger self and remind me that everything always works out in the end. I know things are hard right now but everything is temporary and it will pass. Everything happens for a reason and if you just give life some time and trust the process I promise you , you will look back at everything that happened to you and know there was reason for it. Whether that be it helped you grow as a person or that you learned a lesson that you will now carry with you for the rest of your life. I know it's so hard to see that in the thick of things but it is true and God the universe is taking care of you. You are never alone.
Giulia: What actor or actress are you inspired by today?
Phillip: I think Joaquin Phoenix is one of the most versatile and free actors out there. He doesn’t lock himself into any experience or formula. He trusts completely and falls into the hands of the characters he takes on. I always lose myself in his characters when I watch his work and to me, that is a brilliant actor.
Giulia: What is your dream role?
Phillip: Everyone who knows me knows how obsessed I am with Joker. When I was a kid my escape was to put makeup on and to sit in front of a camera alone in my room impersonating Joker. I don’t even think impersonating is even the right word because this character is such an interpretation of yourself. I think all of us have a little hint of Joker within and only some let that part of themselves surface. Joker is such a free unapologetic soul who doesn’t try and hide anything. He just fully is.
Giulia: How are you coping with pandemia, Covid19? How is it affecting you? What can we learn from it?
Phillip: I think it would be naïve to say this isn’t affecting me. Although no immediate family members or friends I know have been affected there are still thousands of people out there suffering right now. With that kind of energy floating around on a global scale everyone is going to be affected energetically. The most important thing is to recognize whether what you are feeling is truly yours or if it is stuff you are picking up around you. Fear is more contagious than any disease so you are more susceptible to that feeling. Once fear enters the system you are almost welcoming the disease inside because you are predicting it. Now I am not saying to not fear anything because that is our body's natural way of alerting us that something is going on but don’t let it consume you and your family's life. Keep your attention elsewhere focus on things that you haven’t had a chance to do because of time restraints. Most people have too much time on their hands now so use that time don’t waste it. You can always find good if you look for it even in the most horrendous situations. Breaks and step backs are essential maybe not for yourself but definitely for the people around you. Prioritize your loved ones. Nothing lasts forever especially our time here so use it wisely.
Giulia: What is next and exciting for Philip?
Phillip: I am super excited to start working on a feature film later on this year. It is a project that feels really close to me. It deals with some pretty powerful subject matter that I think people will take a lot away from. Unfortunately, I can't give away any major details yet.
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