We spoke to the recent UCL graduate starring in the new Hunger Games movie

. Max Raphael, the actor who portrays the character of Festus Creed in the latest movie, has successfully completed his four-year bachelor's program in the field of Law earlier this year.

We had a chat with Max Raphael, who graduated from UCL and is now in the cast of The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes.

Earlier this year, Max, who is 22 years old, wrapped up his studies and obtained a degree in Law. Additionally, he has acted in movies like Slaughterhouse Rulez and Black Beauty in the past.

We had a conversation with him regarding his experience as a student actor, and his involvement in the latest installment of the Hunger Games franchise.

Max says that his experience working on the Hunger Games was completely different from anything he has previously experienced.

He said that it was very surreal. From beginning to end, it was unlike any project he had ever worked on before.

I started my career in the indie film industry in the UK. I used to work with teams of around 30 to 40 people. However, on this particular project, the crew consisted of a whopping 300 individuals. This was definitely a daunting experience, but at the same time, it was incredibly enjoyable.

All of the individuals participating possess immense skill. Folks such as Jason Schwartzman and Viola Davis elevate your performance by setting high expectations - but this is not necessarily a bad thing. Moreover, I have never before connected so closely with a team. Given the amount of time spent working on the project, we have essentially become a version of a family.

There were difficulties encountered while working on the movie as Max had to reside in Germany for about six months for the shooting. This separation from home became quite challenging for him at times.

Max also mentioned that, despite the situation, being in Berlin for half a year with a group of twenty close companions was something to be grateful for, so he couldn't really voice any complaints.

He expressed, "To be honest, the most challenging aspect for me was accepting that the shoot had come to an end. We had been working on this massive project with such passion for an extended period of time, so transitioning back to normal life felt strange. During filming, the tributes had the majority of the complex technical scenes to shoot, so I didn't experience many difficulties."

Max also shared that he found it tough to keep a straight face whenever Jason Schwartzman spoke. According to Max, Jason would refer to him as 'fetus', causing everyone to break out in laughter and resulting in the need to retake the shot.

In addition to the movie, Max also had to deal with the change from being a typical college student to being featured in one of the year's most significant films.

But he mentioned: "To tell you the truth, it's not as shocking as you might anticipate."

Yeah, I mean it's definitely strange if you think about it objectively. However, during the production of the film, I was still in my last year of school. So, in a way, I think the adjustment process was not as overwhelming as it would have been if I had finished school and jumped right into it.

As I reflect on my dissertation, I can't help but wonder how on earth I was able to accomplish it. Nevertheless, it gives me a sense of pride and satisfaction, which I won't deny.

Max also shared with us how he managed to maintain a balance between his acting profession and academic pursuits at UCL.

Fortunately, I had a good timing during my university years as Covid put a halt to movie productions. This gave me the opportunity to concentrate on my personal life and give it the attention it deserved.

When we began filming, my situation changed drastically. During my time on set, I needed to remain fully concentrated on the task at hand. As a result, it became immensely challenging upon returning to school after being absent for nearly one-third of my last year.

My colleague in the movie, Ashley Liao (who is also a real-life friend of mine), was studying law at UCLA while I was pursuing my own degree there. It was helpful having her around as we could encourage each other to get back to school after filming and continue our studies.

Max has shared that his experience at UCL was unusual, despite his success in balancing his studies and work.

He characterized his time at university as "unusual" and quite different from the norm, much like the situation of many other students who began their higher education journey amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

Max reflects on his experiences and says that time has passed quickly, from facing the challenges of Covid to working tirelessly towards completing his degree. Despite initially encountering some resistance, UCL eventually supported Max's decision to leave for Berlin for a period of six months. He believes that UCL was more understanding compared to other universities.

Despite my experience at UCL being challenging, I am thankful for it. The individuals I came across assisted me in staying grounded in reality, which was crucial. The film community at UCL helped me as well, as the people who comprehend the industry from multiple angles are the ones I cherish the most from my time in university.

After completing filming for the Hunger Games, Max has already taken on a new project. He is now directing his next film and admits to feeling anxious about it. However, Max believes that the end result will be stunningly beautiful.

He will also feature in a theatrical performance the following year and subsequently move on to his next cinematic project.

At present, Max's closing statement to our audience is: "The movie has been released! Head out and see it! I feel truly satisfied with it. At the end of the day, the reason why we put in so much effort is for individuals to adore the film and value its outcome. That's all!"

The movie adaptation of The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes is currently showing in theaters.

The highlighted picture by Deelo Morgenegg is shown above.