You may have seen her incredible talent as an actor in a long list of projects including the epic saga Twilight and her current role on CBS’s new series Seal Team, but there is so much more to the woman who comes from a small town in Michigan. In a world full of glitz, glamour and make-believe, it is important not to lose yourself. Toni Trucks is as real as it gets.
You have developed a stellar career from television to film, what attracted you to the performing arts?
Good question, I cannot really remember a time that I didn’t want to do it. I just always loved performing. There is always that kid that is singing and dancing at every family gathering. I was that kid. My father took me to a play when I was very young and it occurred to me that people performed as their job. Once I figured out that you could be an entertainer as an occupation… You didn’t have to work in an office or at a grocery store, I was sure that I never wanted to do anything else.
In doing my research I saw that you have over seventeen years of dance experience. You have shown a great level of commitment towards perfecting your craft. Having graduated from the University of Michigan, School of Music, Theatre & Dance, how has that helped you move forward with your career?
I think it was invaluable. I was studying musical theatre at the University of Michigan because I had such an appetite for all things performing. I wanted to study something that allowed me to sing, dance and act, and exercise all of those muscles. It was a small program in a large university, but it was mighty. The success rate of that program is exceptionally high with students now performing on Broadway or finding success throughout the entertainment industry.
I was trained to compete in the world professionally once I graduated. It really was a beautiful bridge. We were isolated in Michigan, getting the best education, and they took us to New York for a showcase for agents and casting directors right after we graduated. I have been lucky enough to continue to work since then.I think that the training was so great and I’m such a Michigan girl through and through. Studying at the University of Michigan is a highlight for me.
It shows. I have seen you portray characters in several projects, both television and film. I know I’m sounding real cheesy right now.
I’m the cheesiest person that will ever be in your magazine. You just be as cheesy as you want to be (laughing).
Having portrayed such a wide range of characters, what qualities do you look for when deciding whether a role works for you?
It’s a delicate balance. Acting jobs are hard to get. Performing jobs, in general, are difficult to find. You are always balancing the desire to work – period, with the desire to work on something meaningful. I do try have a discerning eye when looking at scripts, asking myself if this story important? Is this person’s perspective valuable? That’s sort of how I approach making those decisions. That being said, there are certain roles that I look back on and say that was just a job. My agents and I definitely have conversations where it’s said that this role is not going to help you or hurt you, it’s just a job. But, if we have our way, it is picking projects that are timely and relevant, that will make a splash in some way.
What was it about the character Lisa Davis on the new CBS show Seal Team that appealed to you?
I love Lisa Davis because I didn’t know a lot about the military initially so when I read the script, I wondered if this would be a learning curve where I would be inundated with a lot of military jargon and not be interested in the role. Fortunately, that wasn’t the case. When I read the script for Seal Team, I was interested in the action, but also fully interested in and excited by the characters. I was invested in all of the people by the end. I could get into the action because I care about the characters. Lisa Davis, in particular, appealed to me because I love how she’s the girl with the boys. Reading the first script, I could see that people valued her opinions. She’s smart, strong and beautiful. She shows you can be all those things at once.
She is actually my favorite character on the show. I love the episode where you got to kick some ass.
The Navy Seals portrayed on the show are the best of the best. The people who work around them often have stories that don’t get told. The support personnel around the top-tier teams are exceptional as well. I love that Lisa is an expert in her field. She would have needed to go through extra training to support a tier-one team. Her skill set has to be exceedingly high because she works in close proximity to these guys. I loved the episode that you are speaking of as well because all of the sudden she is in a situation where she has to use these skills. She’s like “I can shoot, I’m just not used to people shooting back at me.” She has to rise to the occasion.
After working on a multitude of projects on television and film, what would you say is the biggest difference between the two formats?
The length of time that you are filming differs dramatically. Like with Seal Team, for example, we are going to do twenty-two episodes. We have been filming from July and we will wrap up around the end of March, basically April. Films can take that long, or maybe a couple months, or even a few weeks. The difference is, I think, with television, I’m surprised each week when I get the script. I don’t know what’s going to happen. I read it and think what am I going to learn about Davis this week. That is always an adventure. With film, you are getting a full body of work and that does allow you a different range of motion. This is a story that I’m going to tell from beginning to end so I can fill in all of the colors of that character pretty comfortably.
You played Mary in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part II, how does it feel to a part of such a huge moment in cinematic history?
It was like an out-of-body experience to be a part of something so infused with life in that moment. All of the characters were on everyone’s mind at the time. It was exciting to be a part of this thing that will live beyond me. The biggest plus of it was that the fans of Twilight are fiercely loyal. Even before the film came out, we had this giant fan base that was so supportive, loving and encouraging every day just because we were in proximity to something they loved. I always say that with Twilight I was gifted with this great fanbase and it was my job to keep them. Every day someone will comment “Twi-love” under a picture just because you were part of this thing that they love and they continue to love you for it. I also met so many great people on that set who are my best friends to this day.
– BE’N ORIGINAL
