Character actor extraordinaire-Camden Toy

There are many instances when you are watching a film or television series that you will be entranced by a familiar face who is a consumnate professional.  This individual has honed his or her craft to such perfection that their name sometimes escapes your mind because of how effortlessly they wrap themselves in the role they have in that particular film, television or otherwise.  These actors are known as the "character actor" and a sterling example of such an actor is fan favorite, Camden Toy.

Camden Toy is a an easygoing and eloquent gentleman in person whose trademark long flowing silver hair is one of the most stiking features about this actor.  Examiner.com's Oscar Benjamin caught up with Mr. Toy at the recent WonderCon in San Francisco to discuss his career and his thoughts on the horror genre which has elevated him to status of fan favorite.

One of the most fascinating aspects of interviewing an actor is discovering how they arrived and what decisions they made to succeed in a very competitive profession.  Camden Toy recallls, "I grew up in a theatrical family.  My father had been a make-up artist and an actor.  I was very fortunate to have lived in a community where there was a summer theater.  Producers from New York would breeze into town each summer and my family befriended them.  The producers would let me starting from the third or fourth grade hang out in the theater way into my teens.  Every summer that's where I was, so I kind of grew up in the theater.  There weren't a lot of roles for my as a child, so I was mostly learning about how does a theater work, how do you do lighting, how do you rehearse, how do you make-up, how do you do costumes, how do build and take sets down!"  It is fair to say that Camden Toy's experience from his youth enabled him to receive what most perceive to be the classic theatrical training that many consider essential to be a well rounded actor.  Camden adds, "I come from the theater-there is no doubt about that!  I started studying acting when I was in the third grade.  I started studying Shakespeare in the fourth.  I did "summer stock" from when I was very young until my teens".

Why is Camden Toy a fan favorite?  Camden first made an indelible impression upon the collective minds of horror fans with his subtle and haunting performance as one of the principal "gentlemen" in an episode of "Buffy-the Vampire Slayer" entitled "Hush" on the date of December 14, 1999.  Camden Toy offers his assessement of this episode, "It was lightning in a bottle!  It was an unusual episode.  It was a total experiment.  Joss(series creator Joss Whedon) was known for his wonderful dialogue and here he is writing an episode that was almost totally silent.  I think people were nervous about it and wondering how is he going to pull this off?  Sometimes experiments work and sometimes they don't.  It worked beautifully and I am so glad he took that risk because it is a classic episode".  Camden continued his association with Joss Whedon, "I came back in season seven to play the skin eating demon called Gnaarl.  I also payed the original Übervamp for four or five episodes".

Although Camden Toy may be most well known for portraying creatures, Toy draws on his extensive experience from the theater for his work on the internet soap opera called "The Bay".  Mr. Toy adds, "The character I play on that is Igor Chambers who is this wonderful, scenery chewing psycho villain!  It is so delicious and wonderful.  Gregory J. Martin wrote this amazing, amazing character whom I have the pleasure of playing". 

An excellent way to examine the craft of the actor is to delve into his interests, especially that of an actor who has created an unforgettable character in the horror genre.  Camden Toy comments, "I grew up loving vampire movies, horror movies and I just loved the old Universal horror movies.  I loved Bela Lugosi as Dracula and Boris Karloff as the Frankenstein monster".  It is this statement that shines a light upon Camden's masterful and wonderfully three dimensional role as the sadistic, yet oddly sympathetic character of Gnaarl that recalls Karloff's monster from the Universal film, The Bride of Frankenstein.  Toy's subtle use of body language and vocal mannerisms truly create a character that will continue to be recognized as a study in terror that can be enjoyed after repeated viewings.

Camden Toy is currently filming, "Goodnight, Burbank",  but there is a project currently in pre-production which will interest fantasy and "Twilight" fans alike.  The film is called "Of Light and Darkness".  Camden Toy has been cast as Vladislov who apparently is a tyrannical wizard in the film.  Mr. Toy elaborates, "It's a really fun role.  I was just thrilled when I read the script!  I have been cast as this iconic wizard character.  The world that has been created is a magical world that juxtaposes with vampires, demons, creatures and humans".  Camden offers his theory on the possible audience appeal the film should have, "I think this film will have a wider audience.  I think certainly The Lord of the Rings audience will enjoy this.  I think the Twilight fans will enjoy this.  I think the horror fans will love this.  The beauty of the script is that it has horror elements to it that bumps up into the human world".

It was a testament to this actor that it was very difficult to end the conversation.  Camden Toy is a fascinating and talented individual whose smile and enthusiastic laughter is quite contagious.  Fans that approached him found Camden to respectful and genuinely appreciative of his fan base.  Camden Toy comments about fans, "the fans are always wonderful.  I always love the opportunity to meet, greet and talk to my fans in person.  Honestly without the fans of this genre, I wouldn't have a career.  It is a giving back-it really is!" 

http://camdentoy.com/

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0870262/

http://www.thebaytheseries.com/

http://www.oflightanddarknessseries.com/