If you’re an NBA fan, chances are you’ve heard “Luka Magic”—the viral anthem that lit up the Dallas Mavericks 2022 season. The artist behind the track, Exel, quickly became a recognizable name in the NBA. But since then, he’s pivoted into acting, landing roles in Walker, Landman, several indie films, and the Amazon Prime series, BandMates.
We caught up with Exel to talk about his transition to acting, his new series, ‘BandMates,’ and his amazing rise to stardom.
First off congrats on all your success. The jump from music to acting isn’t easy, but you’re doing it. How’s that journey been?
Exel: Thank you so much, that means a lot to me. Acting has been rewarding! I’ve been very lucky both in music and acting to always be surrounded by such talented people and a great inner circle that I can learn from and be motivated by. Anything that I know came from someone showing me. As with music; acting has had huge learning curves to it. I’m still pretty green compared to most actors that I work with who are just truly incredible at what they do and I couldn’t do it without their guidance.
Let’s talk BandMates! Amazon Prime is a huge deal and the drumming scenes looked legit! Did you have prior experience behind the kit, or did you have to learn? Any funny rehearsal stories there?
Exel: Thanks! Oh, wow, yeah, I’ve been playing the drums since I can remember. I started out on the drums as a little kid and then went to the guitar, bass, keyboard, and learned to sing. All of the instruments have always been a huge passion of mine, but I think I’ve always enjoyed the drums the most. Haha, as far as rehearsals, for sure…I’m a really heavy handed drummer and it’s always been something I’ve wanted to work on. I slam on drums and cymbals way too damn hard. It looks cool and all, but it just doesn’t need to be done, haha. I kept trying really hard to hold back on slamming because it would end up peaking the recording mics too much and just totally ruin any audio the film crew was trying to get. I definitely got in trouble a few times there. Hopefully my apology was accepted because I gave it a real go at being quiet, haha.
You play the character, Chris, who is the drummer of the band and seemingly the leader. There’s a rawness to him through the series…almost like he’s carrying unspoken stories. Did you and the creators build a backstory for him beyond the script?
Exel: Chris was someone really heavy to play. Especially because he had so much emotion just packed inside of him. Chris is this presence but really so broken within. The writers did such a fantastic job with all of the characters and the actors really brought them all to life. I was lucky to get really good direction from everyone on set to tap deep into Chris’ demons. Some scenes got so heavy that I’d be mentally exhausted afterwards and just lay on the couch for a while. It was hard to shut Chris off sometimes because they just had so much depth. Chris’ backstory comes to life through the series and I think people will be shocked by some revelations about them. It was very enjoyable and wonderfully challenging.
Chris seems like the type who feels everything but says very little. Did that challenge you as an actor, or did it come naturally?
Exel: Man…Yeah, Chris had moments of being talkative, but it was always in pretty intense bursts and garnished with some kind of emotional heaviness. To your point, Chris did a lot of letting the face and body movement do the talking between those moments. It was challenging at times. I’d have to think “Okay, as a drummer, we all have to be moving and tapping at all times, so I guess I’ll be constantly bopping around and tapping my hands or drum sticks on my chest or my knee or any other part of my body.” That was tough because at the same time you’re trying to listen for queues and remember lines. You have to act natural and fluid the whole time like you’re not trying to remember what’s coming next or when it’s your turn.
How would Chris describe the rest of the band in one word — no filter?
Exel: Nincompoops.
You’re big into fitness, and it shows. How does training help you balance the pressure of acting and your creative process?
Exel: Thank you! At this point I think fitness has become such a part of my daily routine that I notice a huge difference if I don’t train for a couple of days. I do MMA, Muay Thai, boxing, and bodybuilding weekly. My days just don’t feel complete without working out or even something as small as going for a run, so I constantly make sure that I’m moving around. I think it’s all just habit now which helps me to stay focused.
So what’s next for Exel? More acting, new music, something totally unexpected?
Exel: Great question, and I wish I could also answer it and be correct, haha! I can say that I have been working on music both solo and with a good friend of mine, Raf. When will something be released in that department? Super hard to say. With the project I’m working on with my friend, Raf; we both play all the main instruments, so we switch from guitar to drums to bass to singing and writing back and forth and that’s been a really awesome dynamic to be a part of. He’s one of the most talented people that I know. I’m lucky to know the guy. He’s a prime example of someone I always learn something from. For acting? I did a spot on Landman and am being brought back out for it, which is really more than I can ask for, so that’s (hopefully) probably where you’ll see me next for acting. I’d love to start doing intense roles or horror roles, but I’m a constant student to all of this, so I have a bit more learning to do I feel. For anything unexpected? Oof…I think I have about 100 plans a day about what I’d love to do next, haha. As of now, I’m really falling in love with acting.
As we send you on your way, is there anything else you’d like to say?
Absolutely – thank you to everyone who has helped me along this journey and have supported me in any capacity. It’s something that I always think about and appreciate. Make sure to learn from everyone around you because every person you meet knows something that you don’t know. Be grateful and thankful every day. Do something good every day. Give back to your community. Stand for what you believe in.
Follow Exel on Instagram and catch him on Season 1 of “BandMates,” now streaming on Amazon Prime.
