Interview: Faly Rakotohavana Talks #BlackLivesMatter, His Role on Raven’s Home + Disney+’s ‘Secret Society of Second Born Royals’
Faly Rakotohavana started acting at a very young age and has already landed roles on Disney Channel and most recently Disney+ with his upcoming role in the sci-fi fantasy film, Secret Society of Second Born Royals. Faly stars opposite Niles Fitch who plays Disney’s first Black live-action prince and features second-born royals who are gifted with special powers that help them protect the world. Find out more about Faly’s new role and some of his favorite things.
GLITTER: How long have you been acting?
FALY: I’ve been acting for close to five years. My interest in acting began when I was around the age of 7, but I had a stuttering issue that was so bad I couldn’t even get through my first audition. After that, I didn’t pursue acting until I started musical theatre in 6th grade.
GLITTER: What would you say your big break was?
FALY: I would say my big break was definitely playing Miles on Raven’s Home. It definitely introduced me to the world of Disney Channel.
GLITTER: What can you tell us your role in the upcoming Disney + movie, Secret Society of Second Born Royals? When will it be released?
FALY: In Secret Society of Second Born Royals, I play the young prince Matteo. Matteo is a very shy and awkward character that sometimes struggles to fit in. The movie will premiere September 25th.
GLITTER: Who do you play? How like or unlike your characters are you?
FALY: I play Prince Matteo and my character is tremendously different from the rest of the cast. His anti-social behavior is definitely what makes him different. His personality is not as confident as the rest of the characters in the film.
GLITTER: How do you prepare for your roles?
FALY: A good way that I prepare for my roles is to think about who the role reminds me of. It can be a person in my life, a character from a show/movie, or a celebrity that I admire and look up to. It’s a good way for me to get a better idea of how my character might think and act.
GLITTER: What pushes and motivates you daily?
FALY: My family. They push me to be the best that I can be. They keep my head on straight and push me to build a future for myself.
GLITTER: One highlight of your career so far?
FALY: Getting to go to Canada! I love to travel, and I’ve always wanted to see the CN Tower. So, the fact that my job as an actor brought me all the way up there was really cool.
GLITTER: What is your approach to auditioning?
FALY: I like to make sure I fully understand the script and my character which also means being as off-book as you can. I feel that when I know exactly what I’m going to do in the audition room I feel less nervous and more confident in my performance.
GLITTER: Best advice you were ever given?
FALY: Life is too short to worry about what people think. People are always going to have something to say. You can either choose to listen and let it tear you down or you can ignore all their hate and work on being better at what you do.
GLITTER: What are your thoughts on the current state of our nation and the #BlackLivesMatter Movement?
FALY: I stand with Black Lives Matter and truly believe that everybody should be offered equal opportunities. People should not be put at a disadvantage in today’s society because of their skin color.
GLITTER: What can others do to show support?
FALY: Sign petitions and donate! I understand that some people are afraid to protest, or they just don’t like confrontation and that’s completely okay. But, if you truly want to support in the safety of your home, please donate! It only takes five to ten minutes to do. Also, if you are presented the opportunity, sign petitions as well! They are both acts of kindness that can really help make a difference.
GLITTER: Glitter has a Celebrity #SelfLoveCampaign, what’s self-love mean to you?
FALY: Self-love to me is knowing your worth and not allowing anyone to tell you otherwise. Don’t fall into the trap of other people’s opinions. As I previously said, everyone’s got something to say, but you are worth more than their words.
GLITTER: What would be a dream role for you?
FALY: I want to try a little bit more of an edgier role. Playing a bully or a villain would be something I’d like to try. It’s something different.
GLITTER: What’s a day in the life for you like in isolation?
FALY: A lot of movies and food! I’ve been watching movies and TV shows that I didn’t have time to watch before because of school! But now I have a lot of time! I’ve also been working on new skills and talents such as skateboarding. I just got a skateboard for my birthday, so I’ve been trying to get better at that.
GLITTER: Favorite ways to find your Zen?
FALY: MUSIC! If I’m feeling stressed or overwhelmed, I love to just sit back for a moment with my eyes closed and listen to my favorite music.
GLITTER: First place you’ll go when isolation ends?
FALY: The mall. I’m going to go see all my friends and all the people I really miss. The mall is like the hangout spot where I live so everyone is always there.
GLITTER: What are your top 5 binge-worthy shows?
FALY:
Rick and Morty
The Walking Dead
Daredevil
The Punisher
Hunters
GLITTER: Is there something about you that your fans would be surprised to know?
FALY: Most people don’t know that I was actually born in Madagascar and I lived there for about six years before I moved to the United States. My name, Faly, is a Malagasy word that means happy.
GLITTER: Sage or Palo Santo?
FALY: I’m going to be completely honest. I have never used either of those but, Sage does look interesting and I’m so down to try it.
GLITTER: Do you like Kombucha or Green Drinks?
FALY: Green drinks. That’s only because I’ve never tried Kombucha. I’ll put that on the list of things I need to try.
GLITTER: Any projects you can tell us about that you’re working on next?
FALY: Nothing that I can talk about yet. I can say that I am excited for what’s in store for me in the future and I hope you guys tag along with me.
GLITTER: How can fans follow you?
FALY:
My Instagram is @Falyyyyy_16
Twitter is @FalyRakoto1
Snapchat is @Falyyyyyyyyyy1 with 10y’s. It’s a lot of y’s, I know. •
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