By Jackson TOYON

On a recent Wednesday afternoon, I sat in a classroom at Crescenta Valley High School for the first time in a decade. Sitting with past and present students of the school’s drama class, we were joined by a special guest – CVHS alumnus Aidan Delbis who had accepted an invitation to speak to the school’s drama class from Career and Technical Education counselor Karen Bomar. Delbis, who is autistic, is a former member of the school’s drama group, the Falcon Players, and now an actor fresh off his first role – a major character in director Yorgos Lanthimos’ latest motion picture, “Bugonia.” I had the opportunity and the pleasure of sitting in as he answered questions from staff and students regarding his career, his time at CVHS and his role in “Bugonia.”

Question: When did you realize acting was something that you wanted to pursue?
Answer: I think the point actually [came] when [the Falcon Players] first started doing full-length shows, like ‘Elephant’s Graveyard’ – when we started doing more complex and in-depth stuff like that. I was never exactly sure if I wanted or would be able to make a long-term career out of [professional acting], but I felt confident that it was a thing I wanted to do for the time being.

Q: Can you explain the process of what was happening as you were preparing for graduation and how you got selected for this film?
A: Back in January 2024 I was in my last semester and one of my mom’s friends sent her a casting call for a part in the movie that gave a description of the sort of actor they were looking for the part. It sounded promising, so I submitted a monologue by Vincent Price that I first learned for a talent show-type of event in an earlier year. They liked it so we sent in another tape where I answered some questions, mostly regarding the subject matter of the movie like aliens and whether they exist. I kept doing stuff where I met with the cast, namely Jesse Plemons, a few times and eventually around the summer I learned that I got the part.

Q: Can you share the moment where you got the call and the feelings that you felt when you got the call that you had gotten the part?
A: There was probably some more complex feelings, but my general thought when that happened was, “Oh, cool!”

Q: What was a typical filming day like?
A: Generally, I’d wake up, sometimes earlier, sometimes later in the day, and just do my things to get ready. Then, a guy they had in a fancy car would show up at the place we were staying at and drove us out [to where we’d be filming]. We’d be given breakfast there if it was early [in the day] and then I’d get dressed and warm up and go over some of the general details and sides for the day with the access coordinator there. And then we’d just go on set and get to work.

Q: Where was the filming? Where was most of the filming done?
A: Most of it was in England near London and a couple [of] weeks worth of it also happened in Atlanta a bit later.

Q: As a working professional on a film set now, how does that compare to what you did here in your theater class? What are the biggest differences?
A: I feel like it was different in a lot of the sorts of ways you’d expect, I guess, like we did a bunch of takes on camera, rather than doing it in ‘one go’ for a show.
Q: What do you remember from your first meeting with Yorgos Lanthimos? What is he like as a director? What sort of environment does he foster? Something more rigid or one where he allows more freedom for his actors?
A: I don’t believe I had a specific meeting with Yorgos prior to the movie starting filming and I didn’t actually interact with him too often while on set. But he seemed like a pretty chill and cool guy from what I did see. And I appreciated the freedom of expression, the freedom for experimentation he allowed – and encouraged – there.

Q: Are there any acting techniques or habits that you rely on when building a character? You had to show a lot of different emotions in this [film]. What were some of the things that you practiced to show and draw those emotions out?
A: For some of the scenes that I had to get really worked up or in a more intense mood, I practiced yelling and getting myself worked up. I worked on getting into a more intense sort of mindset. I actually had my mom help me with that in the earlier stages.

Q: You practiced yelling at your mom?
A: Yeah, yelling and pushing at each other in a playful – well, maybe not playful – but a consensual way.

Q: What about the physicality of it? How did you practice for some of the physical movement?
A: There were some pretty complicated stunts and stuff throughout the movie, though most of the stuff I had to do on my own was actually pretty simple. For most of the stunts, we just did what you’d expect – some rehearsal, going over the movements – the practice was pretty straightforward.

Q: Is there anything that you wish you knew while you were in high school? What are some of the things that you learned that you wish you had known before?
A: I’m not sure how much this would have helped in high school theater – where the emotions and process are supposed to be a bit more exaggerated and emphasized anyway – but I feel like the main thing I did learn through the whole process was just to trust my own instincts as an actor and not overthink the process within the scenes so much. I definitely remember that for a lot of what I did acting-wise in high school, I felt more of a need to figure out a particular best way, I guess, of doing or delivering a lot of the acting I was doing and I’d been overthinking it.

Q: What was your favorite play to do here?
A: It was probably ‘Almost Maine’ because I think I had the most interesting and fun part in that one.

Q: Having done both live acting and film acting, is there one you would say you prefer more?
A: Not really. There are certainly interesting differences and similarities between them and I think I decently enjoy both.

Q: Are you auditioning for other movies already?
A: I’ve had a few different auditions for stuff and I’ve actually got a small role in an upcoming movie.

Shortly after the end of the event, I followed up with a student to get his impression of the interview and his thoughts about his former classmate. Jeremy Choi-Kallen is a junior and student director in the drama program. He was effusive about Aidan’s career.
“All of the community was like, ‘Did you know Aidan Delbis was in this movie? Aidan Delbis from the Falcon Players!?’ It’s really amazing. I think he is the role model for every student who’s taking a drama class at CV and I think he’s showing a great example that everyone can make their dream come true,” said Choi-Kallen. “I’m really grateful for all [that] he does and today he came to our school and talked about it. It’s great to see him back at school. I really appreciate him, and I’m looking forward to how he’ll be in the movies now – I’m excited for it!”