Canadian actor Fionn Laird chatted about starring in the supernatural TV series “The Institute,” which premiered on July 13th on MGM+.
Margaret Mead once said: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” This quote applies to Fionn Laird.
When 12-year-old genius Luke Ellis (Joe Freeman) is kidnapped, he awakens at The Institute, a facility full of children who all got there the same way he did, and who are all possessed of unusual abilities.
In a nearby town, haunted former police officer Tim Jamieson (Ben Barnes) has come looking to start a new life, but the peace and quiet won’t last, as his story and Luke’s are destined to collide.
On shooting “The Institute,” he said, “Filming it was awesome. It feels like we made this an era ago now, so to have it released now is great. I can watch it as it comes out and I can process it. It’s pretty cool and I’m really enjoying seeing the finished work.”
On playing his character, Laird said, “I think, for me, it was just how different Nick is from what I’m used to playing and also myself.”
“I’ve played a couple religious and pious roles roles that are not necessarily anti-authoritative and Nicky is very much that, so it was fun to dive into that complete contrast to what I’ve done before,” he explained.
On the lessons learned from this show, Laird reflected, “I think it taught me that nobody is going to hold me to a higher standard that myself.”
“If I want to achieve what I have in mind for excellence, I need to push myself there. Nobody is going to make it easier for me,” he noted.
“I’m the one who needs to put the effort into making sure that I do my best work,” he added.
Regarding his future plans, Laird shared, “I’m going to be doing a feature film this September, and I want to continue working in TV, film, and theater. Also, I want to continue working in as many different places as I can.”
“I want to have a complete diverse experience when it comes to my career,” he added.
On being an actor and creative in the digital age, Laird said, “It’s interesting! It comes with its benefits and detriments. It has never been easier to be seen and get involved in the industry especially with self-tapes and Zoom interviews and auditions and the ease of access of digital media has really made that great.”
“At the same time, there is definitely a saturation of media and there’s a lot of it. I think there is an emphasis on quality over quality but there is a resurgence of physical media recently, and that is very exciting,” he noted.
“I feel like that was a great era for TV and film overall, and I’m glad that people are investing in Blu-rays and DVD players and things of that nature,” he observed.
“I’m thankful for what the digital age has allowed and offered, but also I’m glad that there’s an appreciation for the older things too,” he expressed.
For young and aspiring actors, he said, “Nobody is going to hand you success, try not to leave anything to chance. Try to make your success within your control and take advantage of everything that is within your grasp.”
“Never assume that you’re not worth something or not good enough for something or that you can’t reach something based on preconceived notions,” he said.
“You might as well just try because you’ve got nothing to lose, especially in this business. So, just bet on yourself,” he underscored.
Laird had the opportunity to work with Brad Everett Young on his Dream Loud campaign, which works on preserving art and music programs in schools.
“I was honored to work with Brad,” Laird said. “Brad is a very generous person. He is incredibly gifted, and to contribute to what he is doing with his movement is great, and a win-win for everyone involved. Brad is prepared for every look, and he has it down to a science for sure; it’s really awesome.”
“So, Dream Loud is a really cool thing that he started, and I’m really glad I got to be a part of it,” Laird added.
When asked about his career-defining moments, he responded, “I feel I haven’t reached that point yet. I feel like I’m still in a phase of self-discovery and career discovery and finding out what I am going to do.”
“There are a lot of doors open right now, and I’m trying to figure out if I can keep them all open, which would be great. ‘The Institute’ has opened so many doors, and it has been a great point in my career,” he noted.
“I’m very lucky to have a project like this under my belt, especially at this age. It is really quite a gift,” he admitted.
On the title of the current chapter of his life, Laird said, “What’s Next?”
If he were to have any superpower, it would be “to fly.” “Flight would be cool, as well as telepathy and telekinesis,” he admitted.
Regarding his definition of success, Laird remarked, “Success means doing acting as a living full-time.”
“For me, I think I’m content and fulfilled by doing this for the rest of my life, in any capacity, as a full-time job, and to be able to just have this as my lifeline would be a dream come true,” he acknowledged.
“I’m lucky to be a part of the acting industry. I’m lucky enough to be doing that now, and so I hope to just keep that going for as long as I can,” he added.
For fans and viewers, Laird stated about “The Institute,” “This is a show that keeps you going, and it’s a wild ride until the end.”
“The show really ramps up and it just never really stops building. So, tune in for the last couple of episodes, because it gets pretty crazy,” he enthused.
