Episode 314: Garfield Wilson

Garfield Wilson’s filmography is packed with some of our local industry’s best-loved and most critically acclaimed productions, including Continuum, Schmigadoon, The Man in the High Castle, Virgin River, Ivy and Bean, and Snowpiercer. His roles are often ones that require power, presence, poise, and physical acumen, and he’s using all of those qualities (and more!) as Balestro on Reginald the Vampire, which kicked off its second season on May 8. SyFy’s cult favourite dark comedy follows the adventures of a slushy store employee turned vampire and his human and formerly human friends. Reginald is portrayed by Jacob Batalon, who played Peter Parker’s best friend Ned in five MCU films and who is now leading one of the most diverse and wildly funny shows on TV. Garfield’s Balestro is the Big Bad of the new season. He’s a powerful and intimidating angel who descends from heaven to announce the eventual extinction of vampires – which, obviously, is not welcomed by Reginald the vampire, his vampire friends, and the humans who love them. In addition to his family and his work in the industry, Garfield is passionate about his activism on behalf of Trans kids. Garfield’s daughter Tru has been a Trans activist since the age of nine, giving TED Talks and advocating for the civil rights of Transgender and genderqueer people, and her proud dad has been by her side every step of the way. In this fascinating and wide-ranging conversation, Garfield talks avenging angels, slushy-loving vampires, and raising Trans kids in intolerant times. Episode sponsor: UBCP / ACTRA