You asked and we’ve delivered! Season three of the hit Norwegian drama Rykter is out now, and in addition to our interview with Benjamin Ebbesen who plays Erik, we also chatted with Teo Tomczuk who stars as Mathias to learn more about his character, his experience on set, and his answers to all your fan questions!
Rykter, pronounced Rumors in English, is a teen drama series based on the life of Erik Nielsen, who moves to the fictional island Vesterøy to live with his mother where he tries to hide the reason why he had to move. Yet, rumors and the past always seem to catch up. The show’s global popularity has led to two successful seasons, and the third season premiered on August 19. American viewers can watch the first three seasons on YouTube. Teo’s character Mathias is a lifelong resident of Vesterøy who has to learn how to be comfortable in his own skin while also dealing with the expectations of his friends and family.
“[Mathias] wants to try new things, try meeting new people, and he is in the mindset of figuring out who he is.”
For Teo, Rykter was the first audition he ever did. Similarly to Benjamin, he told us the funny story of how he improvised much of his audition but ended up getting the perfect role as Mathias.
“The audition for Rykter was very special for me. It was the first audition I went to.”
In addition to acting, Teo is also a musician, and his newest song “Ghost” was released on Aug. 9 (Give it a listen here!). Teo told us he originally starred in musicals and theater productions and always loved to sing. He starred in many of his sister’s own music videos which is how he learned to balance a career between both music and acting.
“Music and theater and acting have combined to make me who I am and it works perfectly.”
Mathias and Erik’s relationship is so interesting to watch on screen, and it is clear how close both Teo and Benjamin are off set. Teo joked that he picked up a lot of jokes and humor from Benjamin and the two tried to get to know everyone on set of Rykter, from cast members to the crew.
“Me and [Benjamin Ebbesen] are very similar in that when we go to work and film, we want to get to know everyone as well as possible.”
Mathias changes and grows throughout the three seasons, and playing a bisexual character learning how to come to terms with his feelings and identity was extremely important for Teo. He asked a lot of questions to learn how to best play Mathias and we cannot wait to see the character development in the rest of season three.
“[Mathias] has a very beautiful story, it is very beautiful for people to see. It is an important thing to show people.”
Many of you sent in fan questions for Teo, and we couldn’t wrap up the interview without asking a few of them. From character development, to funny behind-the-scenes moments, and his favorite parts of playing Mathias, watch the rest of the interview with Teo get the inside scoop on all things Rykter.
Thank you, Teo, for Facetiming with Young Entertainment! Followhim on his Instagram at @teotomczuk. Watch the whole interview to learn more about filming season three, working with Benjamin, and stay tuned till the end for a round of rapid fire questions. While you’re there, be sure to like, comment, and subscribe to our channel for the latest news in young entertainment!
Consider this:
- Ask a lot of questions while on set. Whether it is your first production or you’re an experienced actor, learn as much as you can as every opportunity is different.
- When memorizing lines, repetition is the most important thing. Also try practicing reading them in front of a mirror, it’ll help to make you less nervous in front of a camera.
