He was Rookie of the Year in 1993, but what has the film’s star, Thomas Ian Nicholas, been up to since then?
Nicholas, who will be a guest at the Columbus Comic Con taking place on June 8 – 10, moved from acting in the American Pie film franchise to producing movies for the past 15 years, including the vampire flick Living Among Us, the parody Stealing Tom Nichols, and a movie version of the novel Handbook for Mortals.
Nicholas got into producing because of his experiences as an actor, a role which “is typically not involved in the process or the preproduction, [but] coming on board at the end for the filming of it,” said Nicholas. “It’s a lot more exciting to be involved in the beginning stages of creation. When I’m on set as an actor, I have a lot of downtime, so being in front of and behind the camera means I have a lot busier schedule, which I enjoy.”
Nicholas elaborated on his work as a producer: “I help develop the project from the ground up, form the concept, sometimes give notes to the writer, and then once it’s ready to be shot, I raise the funds and then move on to the brass tacks of production and pre-production, actually making the film. Then I go into the post production processes of editing, adding music, and distribution.”
When he’s not producing, Nicholas tours Comic Cons, where he can “meet people who enjoy my work.”
“And I still get star struck when I meet people I look up to,” he said. “If I see someone in a restaurant whose work I enjoy, I don’t want to bother them or their family, so Wizard World is like a meeting spot. I’m there to say hello and shake hands and make the experience the way that I would want it to be if I was meeting someone whose work I enjoy.”
Nicholas gave the example of recently meeting “a kid who was too young to have been alive when Rookie of the Year came out who wanted to get a picture,” which Nicholas obliged. “When he saw me later, he screamed in delight, for lack of a better phrase, and that’s such a delight. Not only do I get to create laughter and entertainment on the screen but then I can meet someone in person and have that same kind of experience. I feel very blessed.”
For a full interview with Thomas Ian Nicholas, visit crafttheshow.com.
