Image caption: Artist Max Parker, a third-year Brock student studying at the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts, plays Benvolio in Timothy Scott Bogart’s new pop musical ‘Juliet & Romeo’.
Monday, May 12, 2025 | by Gillian Minaker
A new take on a Shakespeare classic has set the scene for Max Parker to take Hollywood by storm.
The third-year Brock student is ready to make his mark with moviegoers in his breakthrough role playing Benvolio in Juliet & Romeo, which premieres in theatres across Canada later this month.
The musical, from acclaimed filmmaker Timothy Scott Bogart, boasts a star-studded cast, including Rebel Wilson as Lady Capulet and Jason Isaacs as Lord Montague.
Majoring in Studies in Arts and Culture (STAC), including courses in Dramatic Arts (DART) at the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts (MIWSFPA), Parker said his studio work at Brock helped him to hone his acting skills.
“My classes helped me realize the physicality in acting to prepare me for a role like Benvolio; a character who is always worried, weary and cautious,” he said. “I would not have played the role to the best of my abilities if it hadn’t been for all my training in the arts and at Brock.”
Driven to grow as an artist, Parker was signed by his acting agent in 2022 and thrown into a world of creating audition tapes while also studying full time at the University’s downtown arts school.
An accomplished musician whose debut album, including a chart-climbing single, was followed by the 2024 release of the song “Rush,” Parker’s musical ascension has rocketed over the past few years.
Currently working on a self-written and produced project, Parker also continues to work alongside award-winning Canadian and American producers such as Derek Hoffman (Arkells), John Nathaniel (OneRepublic) and Justin Gray (Mariah Carey, Avril Lavigne), who is also a music producer alongside songwriter Evan Bogart (Beyoncé) for the film’s soundtrack.
It was a special moment when he broke the news to Associate Professor Danielle Wilson and retired Associate Professor Gyllian Raby that he had been cast in the feature film, which resulted in rescinding his role in the DART mainstage production that year.
A dedicated, straight-A student his whole life, Parker was heartbroken to let them down.
“They stared at me for a minute before erupting with joy and said, ‘you are going to act in a movie!’ I am forever grateful for their warmth and positivity, that vote of confidence will always stay with me,” he said.
Parker took key lessons with him while shooting on location in Italy, harnessing meditative and body breathwork skills from Wilson’s voice and speech class, which helped him stay grounded.
“Professor Wilson let me know she was just a phone call away, and that really shows how caring Brock is,” he said. “I felt comfortable, safe and supported to have this life-changing experience.”
Parker also drew on his studies in STAC, devouring diverse reading materials that deepened his connection to artistic creation.
“Truthfully, 75 per cent of the job in acting for film is waiting in your trailer. Breathwork, meditative exercises and reading allowed me to be ‘on’ when I was called to set,” he said.
In the film, Benvolio’s character is the peacekeeper, Romeo’s right-hand man, but anxious and cautious about the famous feuding families central to the plot. Parker relied on his practice to achieve heightened moments of emotion expressed through movement and facial expressions.
“My theatre skills gave me the foundation to make creative choices so I could channel those emotions for BenvoIio’s character,” he said.
Parker said Brock helped show him how much one can learn from others about their experiences and create lasting friendships in the process.
“Jason Isaacs, for example, was just looking for someone who would play tennis with him. I told him I’ve played since I was a kid and then taught tennis, and we ended up playing together off set. You learn quickly that human connection is what brings artists together,” he said.
Parker said believing in his abilities was his key to success, adding he “had confidence knowing my Brock family was in my corner.”
For updates on the film and behind-the-scenes moments, follow Parker on Instagram at @maxparkerofficial.
For official news and exclusive content from Juliet & Romeo, follow the film at @julietandromeomovie.
