Adan Canto for AUGUST MAN Magazine

178 AUGUSTMAN MAY 2014

ADAN CANTO ADAN CANTO

MAY 2014 AUGUSTMAN 179

HEATING UPFROM A ROLE ON THE POPULAR TV SERIES THE FOLLOWING

TO A MUTANT ON THE HIT SUPERHERO FRANCHISE X-MEN, ADAN CANTO BURNS HIS WAY ON TO THE BIG SCREEN

PHOTOGRAPHS BY BRYAN KONG CREATIVE DIRECTOR MELVIN CHAN STYLED BY JULIET VO WORDS BY JESSICA FANG

Adan Canto

Suit, vest and shirt by GIORGIO ARMANI

OPPOSITE PAGESweater by ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA




GROWING UP, ADAN CANTO NEVER THOUGHT HE WOULD BE AN ACTOR. AN ASPIRING MUSICIAN

AND SINGER FROM MEXICO, HE FELL INTO ACTING BY CHANCE WHEN A FRIEND ENCOURAGED HIM

TO JOIN AN ACTING WORKSHOP. A FEW MEXICAN TELEVISION SPOTS, INDEPENDENT FILMS AND

THEATRE ROLES LATER AND CANTO WAS OFFERED THE ROLE THAT WOULD BOOST HIS CAREER TO HUGE PROPORTIONS IN AMERICA, A ROLE ON THE THRILLING CRIME MYSTERY SERIES, THE

FOLLOWING. JUST ONE YEAR HAS PASSED, AND THE ACTOR WILL APPEAR ALONGSIDE THE ALL-STAR ENSEMBLE CAST OF PERHAPS THE MOST ANTICIPATED SUPERHERO BLOCKBUSTER OF THE

SEASON, X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST.

ADAN CANTO

Suit and shirt by ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA




“WHEN IT COMES TO SUPERHERO FAVOURITES, I WAS ALWAYS AMUSED BY BATMAN: HIS LONELY, MYSTERIOUS WAYS AND HOW HE WAS

ABLE TO HAVE A HIGHER PERSPECTIVE ON THINGS”

ADAN CANTO

Jacket, trousers and shoes by BOTTEGA VENETA




Adan’s character, Sunspot comes marching in with perhaps the most badass power of all, the ability to absorb solar energy, where we see him combusting into flames and incinerating a monstrous Sentinel.But behind all that fiery hands on combat, Adan tells August Man

Malaysia that if he were to be blessed with superpowers, he’d much rather have something closer to that of Professor X. “It would have to involve powers of the mind; seeing through people and understanding everything,” he says. And it’s not surprising; Adan says he has always enjoyed reading philosophy and psychology, where he applied it to going in-depth with his characters. “After experiencing it, there wasn’t anything that could top the thrill of adopting someone else’s personality in mind,” he says.It only seemed fitting that Adan was picked up for the role of a Joe

Carroll “follower” with a dark past, Paul Torres, in The Following, a show about a psychotic serial killer with a cult following, Joe Carroll. For his part in the series, Adan approached his character as a vulnerable, passionate young man who is searching for a place in his life where he can feel safe. “He’s a very complex character,” Adan tells Collider, explaining that the followers are driven to do evil because of their passion and devotion. “There’s a lot of research you can do, but I mainly stuck with psychology and his upbringing and the kinds of things he lacked or that he wanted.”Adan soon took a completely different, lighter turn when he joined

the cast of Mixology, a comedy series that follows a group of men and women who meet over the course of one night. Adan plays the mysterious bartender who works at the bar the group happens to be at. Not long after his gigs on Mixology and The Following wrapped, Adan got picked up for his role as the mutant, Sunspot (a good mutant, in case you were wondering).In our interview with Adan Canto, we find out more about his role

in the latest X-Men film and a little more about the man behind the fiery fighter.

AS HE STEPS INTO THE ROLE OF COMIC BOOK MUTANT SUNSPOT, ADAN CANTO GETS FIRED UP, ALMOST LITERALLY, FOR THE ROLE. THE TRAILERS FOR X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST HAVE BEEN MORE THAN TITILLATING: NOT ONLY DO WE GET A SEQUEL TO THE SUPPOSED REBOOT OF THE FRANCHISE, 2011’S X-MEN: FIRST CLASS, THE CHARACTERS FROM THE ORIGINAL SERIES MAKE A COMEBACK IN AN EPIC CLASH OF SUPERPOWERS.

Sweater and trousers by ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA

“I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A FAN OF KEVIN BACON’S WORK. CURIOUSLY ENOUGH I HAD WATCHED ALL OF HBO’S ROME ABOUT A YEAR EARLIER AND HAD THE CHANCE TO SEE JAMES PUREFOY’S WORK AND INSTANTLY BECAME A FAN”




Shirt by GIORGIO ARMANI; Trousers by EMPORIO ARMANI

OPPOSITE PAGESuit, vest, shirt and shoes by DOLCE & GABBANA

ADAN CANTO

“I HAD ALWAYS ENJOYED READING PHILOSOPHY AND SOME PSYCHOLOGY. ACTING

WAS THE IDEAL WAY TO APPLY THAT KNOWLEDGE”




Suit, vest and shirt by DOLCE & GABBANA

ADAN CANTO

How did you get involved with X-Men: Days of Future Past?My team and I were tracking this movie down. I’ve been a fan of the franchise ever since it started back in 2000. And of course, working with Bryan Singer was something I was definitely looking forward to. I was shooting The Following in New York at the time and fortunately the stars aligned and I was able to read for it on a trip back to L.A. Thing’s moved on pretty fast after that.Tell us about your character Sunspot.Sunspot was exactly the character I would’ve wanted to play in a film like this. He’s fiery, extremely energetic and has a passion for justice. When I learnt about his past and his “burden” of absorbing solar energy, I couldn’t wait to dive into his episodes in the comic books. After doing that, it was easy to find his colours and understand his mind.How did you prepare for the role?I wanted him to be very agile, fast and lightweight. So I would go out running in the morning and either swimming or biking at night. I wanted to heighten my mind/body awareness.Were you ever a fan of comic books or superheroes before this? Did you have a favourite?When it comes to superhero favourites, I was always amused by Batman: his lonely, mysterious ways and how he was able to have a higher perspective on things̶a broader view of reality̶and then just dive right into it and work for the bigger picture and the people of Gotham, which was also his father’s life work and legacy.If you could possess any superpower in real life, what would it be?It would have to involve powers of the mind; seeing through people and understanding everything.Before this you were best known for your role in The Following. What did you learn from the experience of working on the series?I have always been a fan of Kevin Bacon’s work. Curiously enough I had watched all of HBO’s Rome about a year earlier and had the chance to see James Purefoy’s work and instantly became a fan. So when I learnt I was going to work with these two gentlemen, I felt extremely committed to be at the top of my game. I was very excited to learn from them, and of course, working with such an amazing team̶Marcos Siega, Kevin Williamson̶it was truly a blessing.So far your roles have been very diverse, from serious drama to comedy; which do you prefer?I have no favourite. Both are completely different trips, emotionally, physically and psychologically. Although I do have to say that my favourite kind of comedy is the most dramatic, the one that hits close to home, the kind that makes you feel uncomfortable yet brings light to the darkness in things.What or who inspires you in your career?An overwhelming need to understand.How did you first get into acting?I had always enjoyed reading philosophy and some psychology. Acting was the ideal way to apply that knowledge. So after experiencing it, there wasn’t anything that could top the thrill of adopting someone else’s personality in mind.What’s the most important thing to work on when preparing for a role?Personally, it depends on the role. Sometimes I tackle them inside out, sometimes outside in. But in the end I need to have a sense of congruence with my character’s thoughts, words and actions.Tell us something about yourself that fans may be surprised to hear.I grew up herding cattle on horseback every other weekend at my grandfather’s ranch.What takes up your down-time when you’re not working?Road trips, family and friends, photography and making a fool of myself when I go bowling with friends.

Empire featuring X-Men: Days of Future Past cover with Adan Canto as Sunspot




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Suit and shirt by ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA

OPPOSITE PAGEJacket and shirt by

JOHN VARVATOS

GROOMING BY CAROLA GONZALEZ/THE MAGNET AGENCY USING MURAD;

DIGITAL IMAGING SEBASTIAN BAR; PHOTOGRAPHER

ASSISTANT WILL REID; FASHION ASSISTANTS

JANEA MORETO & KIM LE; SPECIAL THANKS TO EVAN

DUNING, THE DREAM FACTORY LA STUDIO

“SUNSPOT WAS EXACTLY THE CHARACTER I WOULD’VE WANTED TO PLAY IN A FILM LIKE THIS. HE’S FIERY, EXTREMELY ENERGETIC

AND HAS A PASSION FOR JUSTICE”


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Adan Canto for AUGUST MAN Magazine