Growing Up in Hollywood: Interview With a Former Teenage Actor

June 17, 2019 | Cat Elliott

Navigating the highs and lows of being a teenager can be challenging enough. But imagine doing it on a TV screen in real time. Clayton Snyder was 13 years old when he booked the role of teenager Ethan Craft on the Disney Channel show “Lizzie McGuire.” Snyder is still acting today, and besides “The Lizzie McGuire Movie,” he is also known for “Reunion” and “Hide in the Light.” But how did Snyder transition from teenager to adult in the acting profession and still manage to stay grounded? He took time out to talk with Casting Networks and offer a window into the world of what it’s like to grow up on TV.

Snyder attributes family, friends, and faith to keeping him level-headed amidst the pressures of acting from an early age. “I think I definitely have a lot to be thankful for in having really loving and supportive parents,” he says. He grew up in Orange County and recalls how his mom would drive him up to Hollywood during the week to film the show. “My mom was just an absolute hero for being able to take the time to drive as much as she did,” Snyder says. “We had our little tradition to warm and loosen me up where we would listen to the ‘Grease’ soundtrack or the ‘Queen Greatest Hits’ album in the car driving up, and I’d sing along to them.”

While some of Snyder’s fellow students treated him differently after he became Ethan Craft, Snyder says he could always rely on the friends he’s known as far back as preschool and with whom he’s still close to this day. “They couldn’t have cared less about any status update or upgrade that I may have had or been perceived to have had,” he recalls. “They kept me grounded.”

But balancing normal teenage life with working as an actor wasn’t always smooth sailing. His public school teachers in Orange County didn’t have much experience with students who had to miss class often for filming. Snyder remembers that, even though he completed all his assignments, “I wasn’t keeping up with everyone … I barely passed middle school, actually.”

The pressures of balancing school, acting and sports ultimately led to Snyder’s decision to take a break from acting after “Lizzie McGuire” and “The Lizzie McGuire Movie” wrapped. “I missed playing water polo so much that I decided I was going to stop [acting] and focus on school and water polo,” he says, adding that his decision came at a time when he was getting offers for other projects. “I could’ve had a very different life if I’d said yes to more acting instead of pulling out. But I was able to still have my youth.” He completed high school, graduated from Pepperdine University and played professional water polo in Europe before returning to acting.

Snyder got back into acting class in 2013, and as soon as he performed his introductory monologue, it dawned on him how much he loved the craft. “That was when I decided it was time to make the decision to go from full-time water polo to full-time acting,” he says.

Since then, the actor has completed a number of independent projects and musicals, but he’s still most recognized for his role as Ethan Craft. “It was a very fun role that gave people a lot of laughter on a really impactful show,” he notes. “So there’s a lot to be proud of there … Of course, I would love for there to be something to come along that would surpass that, but I’m not too self-conscious that that’s what I’m most known for because it’s a badge of honor.”  

Snyder’s journey from teenage actor to student athlete to professional water polo player eventually brought him back to acting as an adult. Considering how other Disney Channel stars seemingly struggled with growing up in the limelight, his ability to maintain a more grounded perspective while growing up in front of the camera comes as a breath of fresh air. There’s ample truth and wisdom in Snyder’s story that could apply to actors of any age—especially the importance of finding a good support system to alleviate the pressures of working in Hollywood. And if all else fails, the young actor reminds us that a good sing-along to “Greased Lightning” on the way to a taping or audition is a surefire way to loosen up and get in the spirit.

 
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