Hey Awkward fans, you know him as Cole. I know him as Monty. View my interview below with the talented Monty Geer.
Awkward is now back for the fifth and for what is known as the final season. You’ve had time to be away from the series as filming concluded a while back. What are your thoughts now about the overall process and about the series ending?
I’m really sad that it’s ending. It has been an incredible journey. The cast and crew were the best people to work with. A lot of our fans have grown up and gone through high school at the same time as these characters. They’ve faced the same relationship drama in their lives and I’m sure had similar high school experiences. So it’s an emotional time for them, it’s like they are graduating with these characters and are having to say goodbye.
This series had been going strong before you joined in season 4. What was it like for you when you first joined the cast later in its’ run?
It was a little intimidating because everyone was already such a close family. I definitely felt like the new kid coming to school. However, at school you don’t have the constant fear that you will get fired if you’re not funny enough. Those would be some real high pressure tests! Luckily everyone was very friendly and welcoming and I wasn’t fired from school.
There have been some talk of this not being the end for Awkward. Have you heard any rumblings regarding a sixth season or spinoff? Would you be interested for any Awkward related television?
I love Awkward and think there is plenty of room to grow. We have a lot of fans who love the show and I’m sure they would always want some more of us. A Theo and Cole spinoff would be fun. I’m sure after high school they would be up to some crazy shenanigans. Like running some grungy bar hidden in the basement of a grocery store.
What do you like/dislike about your character, Cole?
I love the creative freedom I have with him. He’s so wild and crazy that in every scene I can literally do anything I want. There’s so much fun in entering a scene by jumping over furniture or grabbing unsuspecting background extras by the legs and pulling them across a field. As far as a dislike, I probably wouldn’t want to be his friend. He’s far too angry for me and I’m sure I am too basic for him.
How will the characters and the dynamic change from 5A to 5B?
Well it takes place a year later, so a lot is different. They are no longer in high school and are trying to live real lives. That can be very difficult. Dating people changes when you are no longer sitting in class with them everyday. It’s a little odd to pass notes to your cubicle partner. Plus, people mature and go off and make whole new friends. It’s a lot harder to keep your core group of people together.
What were your experiences like in high school?
I was always the class clown. I was in the honors program and was the smallest kid in my class. So in order to not get picked on, I had to be funny. I got kicked out of class way too much for “disturbing the peace”. I would play pranks on people like pouring water in their hoodie, so when they put it on they would get soaked. The last time I did that my friend got mad and poured water all over the essay I was writing. I didn’t get the best grade for turning in a soggy paper.
When you’re not acting, what are some other things that you personally like to do?
I’m an adrenaline junkie. I love doing things that scare me. I scuba dive, rock climb, play with tarantulas, fly planes, whatever. I love going through those feelings when I get scared and start thinking “I don’t know if I should do this”, because a lot of people stop at that moment. I always dive into what scares me and I usually never regret it. I’m training myself to not let fear hold me back because to really succeed in acting and life, you need to do what scares you. I’m not fearless, I’m just comfortable feeling uncomfortable.
What’s the most awkward thing or situation you ever been involved in?
I peed my pants one time in elementary school. We were at recess and were joking around a lot. Someone said something really funny and I laughed too hard, if you know what I mean. I was also wearing sweatpants at the time because I wasn’t the most fashionable 11 year old. So to hide what I did, I immediately pretended to fall into a puddle next to me. I went to the nurse to change, and I think I had to wear some baggy basketball shorts that were meant for someone 30 pounds heavier than I was.
Did you learn anything about yourself from your work in this series?
I learned to let things go. I used to hold on and try to do the “perfect take”, but we shoot so fast I may not of gotten exactly what I wanted. That would give me a lot of stress, but now I know I’ll be fine if I am just in the moment with Cole’s thoughts. There are lots of options instead of that one “perfect” one.
What can fans expect from season 5?
I definitely think it’s the best season. All of Matty and Jenna’s dating drama has been boiling up to this point, so fans will finally get to see how they end. Plus, Theo and Cole get into even more chaos and may have some drama of their own.
Do you have any other projects that you have worked on or are currently working on?
I just finished shooting an episode of Adam Ruins Everything on truTV, which was originally a College Humor web series. I also shot a film called The Adventures of Sam Wolf, where I play a blind character. It’s a fantasy/superhero story between two brothers. It was shot in the Northern California Redwoods, so the footage looks amazing!
Thank you for time Monty, is there anything you’d like to say to your fans and our readers?
I just hope you like this season of Awkward as much as I did. It’s my favorite season and a good amount of drama happens! I talk to my fans a lot and if you want to reach out to me I’m @MontyGeer on Instagram and Twitter!