From movie extra to having a VIP room, a KU student tells us his journey to the big screen.
Zlatina Georgieva and Elena Blagoeva
Move aside Kermit, there is a new man about town. He may not be green or have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, but his charm and good looks will certainly blow Miss Piggy away.
Trayan Velev, 24, a third-year KU student has landed a role in The Muppets… Again!, the sequel to the popular puppet film The Muppets.
“I got a call after less than a month”
Trayan, a drama and film studies student, applied for the role as an extra in The Muppets… Again! through Universal Extras agency in January. The job advert required Spanish actors to apply for the role. Trayan, originally from Bulgaria, said that he had Spanish heritage in order to get into the industry.
“I applied for the job although I wasn’t Spanish. Many people have told me I look it, so I went along. I got a call after less than a month. I couldn’t believe it, I grew up with The Muppets,” he said.
Trayan thought he was going to be just an extra in the crowd among 250 other people, but on the first day of filming, he was chosen to sit next to The Muppets stars, Statler and Waldorf.
Private cars and VIP rooms
“In the beginning I felt like I was one of the crowd. Then the director chose me out of 250 people to travel in a private car and stay in a VIP room. The entourage that came with us was the make-up crew that worked on Sleepy Hollow and my favourite film Finding Neverland.”
The Muppets… Again! will be directed by James Bobin, who worked on the Da Ali G Show.
More than just a performer
The talented student is also running The Birdies International Festival for a third-year in a row. Trayan founded the event in 2011 in collaboration with other colleagues, but this year the festival is expected to take a different path.
“We really wanted to encourage more people to take part in the festival by handing out more awards in order to appreciate their art,” he said.
The special guest at last year’s festival was Kevin Loader, the producer of Nowhere Boy and The History Boys. Loader was charmed and inspired by the festival’s ambition to encourage young talent. He has been a supporter of the event ever since it began in 2011.