FAMILIAR FEEL
Albuquerque reminds actor Wil Traval of home in Perth, Australia
Wil Traval is enjoying his time in New Mexico. The Australian-born actor is filming the Netflix series “Messiah” in Albuquerque.
“I’ve been really enjoying Albuquerque,” he says. “It reminds me of Australia. I’m from Perth, and the air is dry and hot, and we’re surrounded by mountains. I feel at home here.”
Traval will also be one of the guests at Duke City Comic Con this weekend. He will host a panel at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 30, at Hotel Albuquerque.
He will speak about his roles in “Arrow” and “Marvel’s Jessica Jones.”
In “Arrow,” he played Christopher Chance/ Human Target, and in “Jessica Jones,” he plays Will Simpson.
In “Messiah,” he plays Will Matthews.
The series stars Michelle Monaghan and was created by writer and executive producer Michael Petroni.
The series is a political thriller that chronicles the world’s reaction to a man who emerges from the Middle East creating a groundswell of followers who claim he is sent from God — which causes civil havoc.
Monaghan plays Eva Geller, a U.S. intelligence officer who is pitted against Al-Masih, played by Mehdi Dehbi — an incendiary religiouspolitical figure emerging out of Syria whose influence is growing.
Tomer Sisley and Jackson Hurst also star.
The series will run for 10 episodes, and the story will be told from multiple character viewpoints, including those of a U.S. intelligence agent, a Palestinian refugee, an Israeli Shin Bet officer, and a Latino preacher and his daughter.
“The show is going really well, and we have a really great cast,” Traval says. “We’ve created this bond in the short time that we’ve been working together. The crew is also fantastic. It’s a really good city to work in.”
Traval says he was drawn to “Messiah” specifically because the show is told through different lenses.
“It’s from different perspectives, and depending on which character you are following, the story is different,” he says. “That’s what piqued my interest and gave me the yearning to be part of the show. I think giving everyone’s point of view a fair chance helps out the end result.”
Traval has been acting since he went to theater school in 2002.
“It’s been a long journey for me, and I don’t regret anything about my career,” he says.
Being a guest at comic conventions is becoming normal for Traval.
“It’s great to see people interested in the show,” he says. “There are times I get to fan boy over some of the other actors. It’s all a great community. I’m a fan and get to nerd out.”