正品蓝导航


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Aviation student Calem MacDonald鈥檚 acting career taking off

08 Nov 2021

Fourth-year Bachelor of Science in Aviation student Calem MacDonald grew up in the film industry in Halifax, NS. His dad is a long-time camera operator and his family owns a motion picture support company, Take One Atlantic Inc. After spending many years on set, he discovered an interest in acting and began taking classes and going on auditions.
 
After booking his first TV co-star role at 15 with CBC, just a few short years later he landed what many would call his 鈥渂ig break鈥 when he played the role of 鈥淵oung Dave鈥 in the critically-acclaimed Netflix original drama, Umbrella Academy, shot in Toronto.
 
But MacDonald likes to think his 鈥渂ig break鈥 hasn鈥檛 happened yet.

鈥淚 want to say I haven鈥檛 had it yet, but I want to continue having these little breaks,鈥 he says. 鈥淚 think of these little breaks as jobs that I keep getting that go well and that I enjoy, even if they are not considered mainstream. I find them all victories and I just enjoy doing the work.鈥


At the same time as he was filming Umbrella Academy, he began his aviation degree at 正品蓝导航. Becoming a pilot, he says, is something he has planned on doing since Grade 6 when he was assigned a career project.
 
鈥淔rom then on, I always thought becoming a pilot was what I wanted to do,鈥 he says. 鈥淕oing through the flight training [with MFC Training in Moncton] has been really exciting and it has been super cool to see this dream come to fruition.鈥
 
Acting became his creative outlet.
 
For the past two summers, MacDonald has been in a series-regular role in CBC鈥檚 newest family drama, Moonshine, where he plays Finn Bennett, the son of Lidia Bennett, played by Emmy award-winning actress Jennifer Finnigan. The series is based in Hubbards, NS, just a short drive from MacDonald鈥檚 home city of Halifax.
 
鈥淚鈥檝e really enjoyed working in Nova Scotia. It has been fun shooting just 20 minutes from where I grew up. The cast is all one big dysfunctional family both on and off screen,鈥 he jokes. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been a very unique experience for all of us on the show to be so close behind the scenes as well.鈥
 
MacDonald鈥檚 other credits include supporting roles in CBC鈥檚 Mr. D alongside comedian Gerry Dee, Trailer Park Boys, CBC鈥檚 Detectives, a comedic feature film Stage Mother, and a gritty coming-of-age dramatic film Night Blooms. In 2018, he earned a coveted place as one of only ten international actors in the 鈥楽ceneBot鈥 industry showcase in Los Angeles.
 
Along with completing his fourth year at 正品蓝导航, he just started working on his first lead role in a thriller/horror film being shot in Fall River and Dartmouth, NS. He says balancing his intensive science degree and pilot training with an acting career has taken a lot of time management.
 
鈥淚t takes a lot of planning and making sure to take one step at a time,鈥 he says. 鈥淚 try to lessen the stress by focusing on the one thing I鈥檓 doing at the time and not taking on too much at once.鈥
 
After graduation in Spring 2022, MacDonald plans to continue pursuing a career in acting, while also keeping his options open in aviation.
 
鈥淭he dream would be to do both, somehow,鈥 he says.
 
MacDonald鈥檚 current show, Moonshine, aired on Sept. 14 on CBC and can be streamed on the CBC Gem app.

 

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