In a recent exclusive interview with theTVaddict.com, Tyler Blackburn shared what his new webseries WENDY is about and how he came to be a part of the Peter Pan mythology.
Because of his work on PRETTY LITTLE LIARS (which is also produced by Alloy), when Tyler heard about the innovative webseries, he jumped at the chance to be a part of it. He was particularly drawn to the role because the Disney film Peter Pan was one of his favorite films growing up. And because Alloy produces both PRETTY LITTLE LIARS and GOSSIP GIRL, it was no surprise that they selected Tyler to be their leading man – especially if those swooning hearts from the Caleb-Hanna romance on PRETTY LITTLE LIARS are any indication! All Tyler had to do was show up, audition and get the part. He makes it sound so easy, but life for the young actor already feels a bit dream-worthy. Two plum roles within a year is a dream-come-true.
Talking about his character in the webseries, Tyler said, “Pete is representative of what Wendy wants: he’s her ‘childish adventure.’ He’s mysterious. He’s in her dreams at first and then you start to ask ‘Is Pete real or imagination?’ But, ultimately, he helps to guide Wendy to help her figure out what she wants out of life.”
Reflecting a bit about what he liked best about the character Pete, Tyler noted, “I enjoy his serenity. He’s confident and knows what’s up. He is a calming force who let’s Wendy know it is okay to dream.”
In fact, the entire WENDY webseries explores the theme of life choices. Tyler hopes that fans will not only relate to that resonating issue, but embrace it so that it helps them look at their own lives and seek out life with purpose. For young women and girls, this will undoubtedly hold a lot of appeal; plus, as Tyler noted the entire series is “entertaining and beautifully shot.” He also insightfully added, “Peter Pan is a classic, and what girl cannot relate to the question of: what do you want in life?”
Rounding out the cast, in addition to the central characters of Pete and Wendy are the characters of Fawn and Jackson, who add to the mystical adventure in Wendy’s collision of dreams and reality. Wendy has to choose which reality she wants, and they offer a tug-of-war for her heart and her future.
Sharing a bit about the behind-the-scenes aspects of the webseries, Tyler was enthusiastic about all the wonderful locations that they were able to film. As for the filming process, he happily said, “It was great! It shot fairly quickly, only 9 days, and I came on the second day. It had a high direction of quality as it was shot at the Paramour mansion and was a lot of fun! Plus, we all got along great.” In fact, that was Tyler’s favorite part of the whole experience, getting to peek behind the hallowed doors of the Paramour Mansion and filming in the amazing locales around the national park. He thought the backdrop was simply beautiful and looks forward to working there again.
Then in addition to co-starring in the webseries alongside Meaghan Martin, Tyler sings the song “Save Me” in the music video which is featured HERE.
From the beginning Tyler was aware that the role was an invitation to sing. He sang at his audition and once everything was set to go, he filmed both the webseries and music video simultaneously. He also loved the fact that it was also set at the Paramour Mansion, which added to the surreal and magical nature of tying the two works together. In the end, the entire experience was ecstatic for him. Tyler shared, “It was the first recording that I’ve done and the first time I was in a recording studio. I loved it!” In fact, he would love the opportunity to do more music for WENDY and hopes that the fans will embrace his musical side as well.
With the possibility that, if the webseries is a success, it could be green-lit to series, Tyler did not even hesitate to say that he would love to be a part of the series if it were picked-up. He shared, “Honestly, I hope it continues, since there has been talk of making into a TV series or a movie.”
Finally, WENDY’s 6 episode webseries airs Tuesdays and Thursdays on both Facebook and Youtube, courtesy of Alloy, starting September 15th and concludes October 4th. For those wondering if this is a bookended series or if a window has been left open to explore a film or TV series, Tyler said, “It’s left on a bit of a cliffhanger, nothing too big. But it can definitely continue.” After all, every girl wants the chance to escape into a world where she can follow her dreams and enjoy a bit of fantasy, and the story of Pete and Wendy may have yet another chapter to explore.
No matter where this journey leads, Tyler is grateful to have been a part of it, even for this brief moment, and appreciates the message that is woven throughout the series. He described it as, “For me, it’s pretty much follow your dreams. Don’t be afraid to dream.”
So Tyler invites you to dream along with him for a while and enjoy the adventure of WENDY. See the preview clip of WENDY below.
Tiffany Vogt is a contributing writer to TheTVAddict. She has a great love for television and firmly believes that entertainment is a world of wondrous adventures that deserves to be shared and explored – she invites you to join her. Please feel free to contact Tiffany at Tiffany_Vogt_2000@yahoo.com or follow her at on Twitter (@TVWatchtower).