The Blind is a story about Phil Robertson before he was a reality TV star, during the time of his life when he fell in love and started a family, but his demons threatened to tear their lives apart. It’s a true story that started a dynasty. The Blind was released in theaters in September 2023 and hit the top five at the box office, becoming Fathom Events’ highest-grossing release ever. The movie was then released on DVD and digital in November 2023 and hit the top five for overall disc sellers. The Blind was directed by Andrew Hyatt, with cast including Aron von Andrian (as Phil Robertson), Amelia Eve (as Kay Robertson), Brielle Robillard (as Kay in high school), Matthew Erick White (as Phil in high school), Connor Tillman (as Big Al), John Ales (as Paster Bill Smith), Clint James (as James Robertson), Kerry Knuppe (as Merritt Robertson), and Aaron Dalla Villa (as Si Robertson).
Actor Aaron Dalla Villa talks about his role as Si Robertson in The Blind below:
Can you talk about your experience working on the feature film The Blind and your role as Si Robertson? How did you prepare for this particular character, and what attracted you to the role?
Reuniting with one of my favorite filmmakers, Andrew Hyatt, on my first semi-biopic of a real person was a dream come true. The Robertson family is exactly who they are on TV, and they were very supportive of my process. In order to prepare for the role, I watched A LOT of Si Robertson, heavily studied his background by reading both of his books and worked with a dialect coach for the accent. I was attracted to the role because I rarely get to play grounded, wholesome people in family-focused movies.
The Blind is described as a faith-centered biopic feature film about Duck Dynasty star Phil Robertson. How did the story impact your approach to your character?
I knew the world I was playing in and the fan base for the film, so I tailored my approach for Si in order to give the fans what they wanted. A lot of my acting roles are much more secular, wacky people, so it was nice to challenge myself to play a real person.
You’ve been involved in various film, television, and theater projects. How does your experience in different mediums contribute to your approach to acting in a feature film like The Blind?
For every acting job, I rely heavily on my background as a ballet dancer. Dancers are in tune with their bodies, and adapting the right behavior to the picture medium is what film acting is all about.
How did you navigate the serious elements in The Blind, and what did you enjoy most about portraying the Si Robertson character?
I just focused on telling what was on the page. Si is known as a cooky and funny character from the Duck Dynasty series, so I wanted to show a more serious side to him that fans have not gotten to see. He is, after all, telling his sister-in-law, with two kids, to leave his brother in the 70s in the south. That’s a huge deal. Confronting his brother head-on with his own kids is some serious stuff that allowed me to bring some real depth to him.
Your involvement in voiceover work for commercials and video games adds another dimension to your career. How does the process of voice acting differ from on-screen acting, and do you find one medium more challenging or rewarding than the other?
Voice acting is completely different from on-screen acting. I would say that voice acting is much harder. In the film, you rely on behavior to tell the story through the picture medium. In voiceover, you have to put the behavior in the voice. That requires much more energy than you would think.
The Blind was released in theaters in September 2023 and on DVD and digital in November 2023. What do you hope audiences take away from the film, and what message or themes do you think will resonate with viewers?
Redemption. No matter how far you have fallen, you can always be redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ. The Blind is a good, wholesome family movie.
You have a diverse range of projects, some of which are also new, such as the feature film Hayride to Hell and your new song under the artist name Peter Da Rock. Can you share more about these?
Hayride to Hell is a horror movie with two horror icons, Bill Moseley and Kane Hodder. It is VERY different from The Blind, but it allows me to give a different audience what they want. Good ole’ bloody horror.
Peter Da Rock is my Christian music alter ego — the “Weird Al” of Christian music. Growing up in the church, I always found that the music was all about suffering, so I created this character that parodies the secular in the hopes of attracting a younger audience to the religion. Peter Da Rock uses parody, silly antics, and fun to celebrate the positive messages found in the Bible. Speaking of positive messages, Peter Da Rock also does weekly Bible chapter readings called “Perform with Peter” every Sunday on his YouTube channel. It’s a follow-along, karaoke-style format.
Finally, with your extensive experience in the industry, what advice would you give to aspiring actors, especially those looking to navigate both the traditional and digital realms of entertainment?
If you are an actor, this business is not about you until it’s about YOU. The best thing you can do for yourself is to create your own work.
Thanks to Aaron Dalla Villa for taking the time for this interview.
