An Interview With the Star of Freeform's 'Beyond' - Burkely Duffield

We here at Nerds That Geek are always on the lookout for awesome new television shows to watch and we have to admit, our curiosity has been piqued when it comes to Freeform's upcoming new series, Beyond, for several reasons. For starters, Freeform is distributing this show in unique fashion, with the pilot episode airing on the network before the rest of season one appears on the Freeform App for all of us to binge, and also because the story, which revolves around a young man named Holden emerging from a 12 year coma with unique powers...looks downright intriguing.  

So in order to learn more about this show, we went right to the source and had the distinct honor of sitting down with up and coming actor Burkely Duffield, who plays Holden on the show to discuss Beyond.

NTG: What got you into acting?
Burkely: I would say that I was always drawn to the dramatic aspect of the job. As a kid, I loved playing with toys and acting out with them and having that play out like a movie, and I did drama growing up. So I really stumbled into the industry when I was eleven and I didn’t really see it as a career path at first and one day I thought ‘wow, this is something I love doing and I really enjoy it and this could be what I do as a career’ and I stuck with it, put my best foot forward ever since and it’s been very cool to see it now as a career and see it blossom over the last couple of years.
 
NTG: What was it about 'Beyond' that appealed to you as an actor?
Burkely: A lot of things. It’s written so well. It’s so awesome to get a script full of sci-fi moments that I love with action and everything like that, but I also like that it has some really genuine characters that are grounded and that it features fluid dialogue and it really is a good story that we're telling and I think that’s really a merit to our creator Adam who wrote the pilot, and the show has managed to surprise me at every turn. I’ve been able to do everything I want to do as an actor, we’ve shot some cool moments, built some great relationships on screen and it’s a project that I’ve loved being a part of.  
 
NTG: What is it you love about your character, Holden?
Burkely: I like how grounded he is. I think one of the cool parts of the story is that it’s not just someone who is dishonorable and is bestowed these powers and sets out to rule the world, he’s just this regular kid who unfortunately falls into this coma that sort of messes his whole perspective up and then on top of that he’s given these abnormal abilities. So I think what makes it a lot of fun to play him on screen, is him just sort of struggling with just his normal life and getting himself back on his feet as well and sort of struggling with the rights and wrongs and how to use these abilities and just sort of getting through life and it was just a fun, grounded story to be able to act in.
 
NTG: What separates Holden from any other character you’ve played so far in your career?
Burkely: Hey, he’s got superpowers…kind of! He can move things with his mind, so that’s unusual. But while it was really cool to do all of that and some of the action stuff that I’ve dabbled in I really enjoyed being the protagonist in the story, you really get to dive deep and figure out what makes Holden tick and what he’s thinking and how he’s going to handle the circumstances and situations he’s thrown into, so it was just really cool to be able to dive in and explore a character.

NTG: What makes 'Beyond' such a unique television show?
Burkely: I think how we’re showing it is really cool. I think we’re trying to push some boundaries. Freeform is really trying to branch out and reach a new audience that is ready for something different. One that wants more action and grit and deep and rich relationships with its characters and I think we are trying to reach out and tap into something more than what you usually get on TV. I think it’s going to be pretty cool. I’d watch it! But I think I’m a little biased.
 
NTG: Are there any particular roles or characters that you’re hoping to play as your career progresses?
Burkely: You know, it’s fun in my job to be able to just take characters and form them and the places they go in your mind from project to project, and I don’t really think I have a specific character in mind that I’d like to embody. I think one of the fun parts of this job is being able to find projects that I’m interested in with characters that I’m drawn to and then really build that person, so for me I’m just taking it one step at a time and I’ll see where my path takes me.
 
NTG: What’s coming up next for you?
Burkely: Well, hopefully, ten more seasons! We’ll see! As I said before, I think it’s a fun journey to see where these projects take you and after that being able to interact with the fans of the show because we’ve spent the last year working on it, and it’s fun once it's released to take some time and go to these viewings and meet with the fans and talk with them. I mean if a project comes up and I love it, that sounds great. But for now I’m happy to interact with people, and see how this project grows because the fun part is getting to see how something you’ve poured your heart and soul into turns out in everyone’s eyes.
 
NTG: Anything else you’d like to share with people that are curious about the show?
Burkely: We’re got our two hour premiere on January 2nd on Freeform, and we’re giving people the opportunity to binge the rest of it right after that. So if you like the pilot, I think you should give us a chance, because I think you’re going to be pleasantly surprised and hopefully you’re going to end up bingeing a bit more of it.

You can also follow Burkely on his Twitter and Instagram accounts and make sure to tune into Freeform on January 2, 2017 to catch the pilot episode of 'Beyond' and download the Freeform app to enjoy the rest of the show!