“If I had to describe my style of acting, I’d say that I am quite serious and focused. I am really good at acting in more dramatic roles. For example, when I acted in The Kiss, I had to be really sad at one point but I pulled it off very easily. I am very happy in real life but for some reason, I do really well when I play serious roles in dramatic scenes with lots of emotions. Even though I am good at that, I like to do it all. From drama, to comedy, maybe even horror,” said Gilbert.
Despite excelling in dramatic roles, Gilbert is proving to be a well-rounded actor as he continues to acquire experience in his art form. In the drama genre, he has acted in various serious roles such as his roles in The Walking Man, and Hell on Wheels. For both characters, Gilbert had to remain focused and serious when he was on screen in order to sell the mood of each plot line. In addition, as he mentioned, for his role in The Kiss, Gilbert had to explore a number of different variations of sorrow. He has an aptitude for gauging the emotion of a scene and acting accordingly, which is something that most child actors take years to learn. Beyond his affinity for drama, Gilbert has tested his hand at some light-hearted, fun loving roles. In fact, when he was hired to act in several of JJ DD public servant announcements, Gilbert showcased just how versatile an actor he is.
JJ DD are public service announcements about fun ways to recycle. Each 30-second episode, produced and directed by Matt Watterworth, displays a crafty way to reuse or transform objects instead of throwing them away. Gilbert earned the lead role on four of Watterworth’s five public service announcements and was asked to play a different character for each. Each role required him to interact with the show’s token two goofy superheroes who love to promote different ways to recycle. Gilbert was ecstatic about the idea of getting to play multiple different characters for one job, and as well about the idea of creating something fun and entertaining to help address an issue as important as the environment. Knowing he could have fun while promoting the health of the planet was enticing for Gilbert and he was thrilled about the project.
Because Gilbert is used to acting in more serious roles, he loved the opportunity that the JJ DD public service announcements presented to have fun both on set and on screen. He thought that the announcements’ two main superheroes were hilarious and loved goofing around with them for each scene. He also got to dress up as each different character, which included a bear. Gilbert had never had to act as an animal for any of his other roles, and he thought it was a very unique challenge. When asked how he felt about constantly having to switch characters, Gilbert had this to say:
“It was so much fun. You have to be very focused, but you never get bored. Plus, I always had different costumes. I thought the bear costume was the coolest. They even painted my face. The other roles I played were human but still involved different clothing, fake parents, and funny situations. I loved it,” told Gilbert.
The JJ DD public service announcements aired on Shaw TV and still fill in between commercials on Shaw TV today. For a young actor, such exposure is almost unheard of and Gilbert is fortunate to know that his public service announcements are still making their mark on the world. As a producer, Watterworth couldn’t really ask for much more. He enjoyed working with Gilbert and was impressed by his ability to excel in each role he was tasked with.
“It takes a lot for a kid to change character so often. It requires a lot of focus, but he wasn’t fazed. In one of the scenes, Victor had to completely dip his hands into tomato sauce and pretend to attack his mother with it. Not all kids would have been okay with that. The entire scene could have been a flop if the kid had refused to act out the scene, but Victor did it like a champion. He was a trooper, even at such a young age. He is a great listener on set and very open minded,” noted Watterworth.
Today, Gilbert’s future as an actor looks extremely promising. His love for film and acting is only growing and he has several auditions in the works. Regardless of what he acts in or where he ends up, Gilbert is optimistic about the idea that his career will be full of new experiences and learning opportunities along the way. Keep your eyes peeled for Victor Gilbert as he makes his way to the top of the entertainment industry, one role at a time.
Check out his work in some JJ DD PSAs here.