Meet the Actor: Dillon Waidyatilleka

“Why’d ya tell her that?” That’s how I learned to say Dillon’s last name—Waidyatilleka. It’s pronounced with the same cadence with which I’d state that question!

We thought it would be fun to introduce you to the terrific cast from the Amazing Wonders Aviation Worship Rally DVD. So, I’ll be writing a feature on each of them every few days. Dillon plays the central character in this year’s video. He had lots of physical action to perform (such as open-ocean swimming for yards and yards). Unfortunately, in a video shoot that means he had to do those scenes over and over, and then one more time. (As Bill, our director, famously says: “Perfect! Now, let’s do it again.”) But, Dillon was a real trooper and never complained (at least not in front of us)!

It’s always fun to get acquainted with the parents of our actors. Thanks to Dillon’s mom, Cate, we had a location for rehearsal! (Big shout out to Cate!) We also got to spend time with his dad, Nandi. Dillon was the only actor who had to travel with us to a couple of locations, and we asked that his dad come along for those trips. (Little did Nandi know that we would enlist him as a grip!)

Q: What character do you play in the VBS 2012 video?

A: I play Roscoe, the teenage bully who doesn’t believe in God.  I’m the bad guy.

Q: What was the hardest part of the video shoot?
A: The hardest yet most humorous part was having to “scream like a girl” over and over again.  I knew the whole crew was stifling their laughter about my screams each time until the director yelled “cut!” and then we’d all bust out laughing. [Note from Lynne: There’s a fun shot of this in the video credits on the DVD. Be sure to take a look!)

Q: What was the best part of the video shoot?
A: The best part was getting to know the crew and cast.  I loved spending long days getting rained on in Kauai, stumbling through lava fields on the Big Island and plunging into tropical waters on Oahu with them.  I also LOVED shredding on the four-wheeler with my boy, “Go-Go”!
Q: Was this your first acting job? If not, what other jobs have you had?
A: No, I’ve done a few others including a short video drama for the Sheraton Princess Kaiulani Hotel. I’ve also done a couple of commercials (one for Campbell’s Soup when I was young) and “extra” work on TV shows like LOST.
Q: What’s your favorite part of school?

A: This year I am taking some amazing art classes (Ceramics, 3D Art) with really cool, inspiring teachers.  Those parts of the day give me an opportunity to “catch my breath” and make the hard classes bearable.

Q: What sports do you like, and do you play any?
A: I play three sports that I love:  soccer, waterpolo, and lacrosse.  I’ve been playing soccer for the majority of my life but in the last few years, added waterpolo and lacrosse.  The best part of playing school sports is playing with my friends.  I also love to surf in my free time when the waves are good.
Q: If you could go on vacation anywhere in the world, where would you go?