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Chain by David Yurman

Van Crosby, the rising star from Indianapolis, gained prominence through his compelling performances in both television and film. Best known for his versatile portrayal of Mason in ABC's "Splitting Up Together," he now graces the screen with luminaries Mark Wahlberg and Michele Monaghan in Apple TV+'s high-octane thriller, "The Family Plan," premiered on December 15. Arriving in Los Angeles at the tender age of two, he transcends acting, venturing into the realms of music, gaming, and fashion. Beyond his captivating role in "Roar" and Hulu's "Dollface," his diverse talents and unwavering passion for storytelling mark him as a multifaceted force in the entertainment world, continually leaving an indelible impact on audiences.

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Tell us about your role in Apple TV+'s "The Family Plan" and what attracted you to the project?
Well to start, my character, Kyle, is a 15-year-old gamer, who is secretly a wildly popular twitch streamer, and whose parents don't quite understand how good he is. I think one of the early draws to this role was how similar I was already to Kyle, although he's probably just a little bit better at video games than I am in real life (a lot better). It was fun to be able to elevate that part of myself. Also, of course, the prospect of being able to work with someone as talented and seasoned as Mark Wahlberg (who was the only one cast when I was auditioning) definitely got me excited too.

How was the experience of working with Mark Wahlberg, Michele Monaghan, and Zoe Colletti in "The Family Plan"? Any memorable moments on set you can share?
We all had so much fun working together; Zoe and I in particular were super-fast friends, and Mark and Michelle are both so likeable it's hard to pretend not to like each other (ha-ha). I think my favorite story to tell is Michelle was so insistent on learning everyone's names, so she would make a big effort to repeat their name back to them, use it in conversation, etc. but sometimes she would still forget, so she would ask Mark, and he would give her just a random completely incorrect name on purpose to mess with her, so she would be yelling across a parking lot, or wherever we were filming, trying to get someone's attention, and they would, of course, not answer. It was funny every time, but after the first two or so times, she stopped believing him.

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"The Family Plan" is an action-packed film. How did you prepare for your role, especially in the context of the intense and suspenseful storyline?
In terms of preparing, it was pretty similar to most roles. You practice and memorize your lines and show up on time, but there was also the added gaming part, which was cool, so I spent a lot of time "preparing" by "practicing" playing video games, and by practicing, I mean, playing a game I definitely would have been playing anyways but I could call it my job.

As Mason in ABC's "Splitting Up Together," you played the eldest son in the Fischer-Hudson family. How does your role in "The Family Plan" differ, and what aspects of the character did you find most challenging?
With both projects being comedies, I think there were definitely similarities, and I was able to bring things I learned from Mason into Kyle, with comedic timing and general improvement as an actor since then, but the addition of action and the fact that it was a movie vs. a TV show made the experience something entirely new. Again, I was so similar to Kyle, I think the most challenging part was just having the confidence in myself to show up and do my best, because still being a newer actor, working with such big names, it can be kind of daunting.

"The Family Plan" premiered on December 15. How do you feel about the release, and what do you hope viewers will take away from the film?
I think my main hope for everyone watching the movie is just to have fun. Watch it with your whole family on the biggest TV you have, make it a holiday tradition, that's up to you. I think there's really something for everyone in this movie, something in every character you can relate to, and I think no matter who watches it they'll enjoy it.

You've had diverse roles in television, including "Criminal Minds," Hulu's "Dollface," and "About a Boy." How do you approach selecting projects, and what criteria do you consider when choosing roles?
Generally speaking, I love having variety in my projects, I think that's the best way to grow as an actor; the more genres and people you can work with, the more you can learn. I'm also happy to be employed (ha-ha). I think my criteria tends to be, whether it is a movie/show I personally would watch, or whether it's a movie/show that will challenge me and my skills as an actor, then I would love to be a part of it. I tend to enjoy working in comedy, just because that's what I have the most experience in, and that's what I watch most of the time, but I also love working in drama and action too. Who doesn't love a good action movie.

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Jacket by Zara
Trouser by Ami Paris
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With your background in music and guitar, did you incorporate any of your musical talents into your character in "The Family Plan"? If not, do you see opportunities for merging your love for music with your acting career in the future?
I didn't get to incorporate it into Kyle, but I would absolutely love to play a musician in a future role. it would be an excuse to sit down and force myself to practice my instrument instead of just staring at it hanging on the wall and hoping I magically get better.

Do you have any insights into the dynamics of working with such a talented cast in "The Family Plan" that you want to share? How did everyone contribute to the overall chemistry on set?
Well like I said before, Zoe and I were such fast friends, we hung out so much on and off set, it really helped us learn how to make each other laugh and how to play off of each other, so that chemistry comes through in the movie. And with the rest of the family, again, we spent so much time together it would be almost hard not to form that kind of bond. Like with the babies, by the time we were done they were so comfortable with us they would reach for us and be so excited to see us. And with Mark and Michelle, they're both so sweet we really were all able to become like a real family.

I also want to mention our wonderful director, Simon, who came to set every day with a smile on his face and he was always having a great time, and his energy trickles down to the entire crew. He gave us so much freedom to improv; there were some parts in the movie where he would just roll the camera and say "go" and let us just riff, so that also very much helped us form that chemistry.

How do you balance your interests in gaming, fashion, and music with your acting career? Do these passions ever influence the roles you choose or the way you approach your craft?
There can be so much time between projects as an actor you just have to have hobby that occupies your time when you're not auditioning or working. I spend a lot of my time playing video games, which is maybe not that productive, but it's a way to spend time with my friends; a lot of them don't live near me, and that's how we hang out. With the guitar, it's more of a personal thing; I took lessons when I was 13 or so and hated it, and then I came back to it when I was 16 or 17, took lessons for a while, but couldn't get myself to practice. A few years ago, I found a passion for music again. There's always room for improvement, but it's something I can pick up when I'm bored or upset and really just noodle around with no real objective until I'm not thinking about whatever it was I was upset about.

I think building more of an appreciation for music in the last few years has helped me appreciate art in general more, and taught me a lot about myself, namely that improvement is possible, and perseverance is what keeps you going.

"The Family Plan" has elements of suspense and action. What challenges did you face during filming, and how did you overcome them to deliver a compelling performance?
When we first started filming I had spent the last few years a little bit isolated; I graduated from high school during the COVID lockdown so I missed most of my senior year, I didn't go to college, a lot of my friends live far away so I kind of lived in a bit of a box. I wasn't great at talking, and I was kind of just overall reserved. Over the course of filming though, spending time with such outgoing people and such a wonderful crew, I came out of my shell, much like Kyle came out of his, and that really helped me make that a believable performance.

Given your past work in projects like "Roar" from Apple, how do you feel the entertainment industry is evolving, especially with the rise of streaming platforms like Apple TV+?
Ever since the initial rise of Netflix, and now all the other streamers like AppleTV+, etc., the entertainment industry has had this whole new world to fill with media. It allowed companies like Apple to join into this world and make stories of their own, and overall, I think it's been a good thing. Change is always going to happen, it's almost never predictable, and this rise of streaming platforms has given so many people an opportunity to see shows and movies they just simply would never have been able to see before. You used to have to DVR a show or even before that literally record it on a VHS tape if you wanted to watch it later, and you would have stacks and stacks of DVDs of movies and TV shows, and you'd have to sort through them by hand and sometimes the disk would be scratched and skip. Some people didn't have a way to watch a DVD. But now with streaming, we can watch it any time, and I think that's kind of a beautiful thing; you can show your kids a movie from 1985 without having to search through a box in the attic that's been collecting dust for 40 years just for the VHS tape to be unwound or damaged.

As someone who began his career in the entertainment industry at a young age, what advice would you give to aspiring actors or individuals looking to pursue a career in the field?
My advice to anyone starting out is never give up. You can't give up ever, you owe it to yourself. Acting, in particular, is a hard business to get into, and it can take literally decades. I've been doing it since I was 2 or 3, and I'm now 21. I've been fortunate to have a supportive family and I was super young, so I didn't have to worry about affording rent and food, so I was able to give it my full attention. Not everyone has that luxury or that support, and that's okay. But the biggest thing is that you cannot give up.

"The Family Plan" involves a family going on the run. How did the familial relationships portrayed in the film resonate with you, and how did you approach conveying those connections on screen?
When I was really young, I used to take a road trip across the country with my family from California to Indiana, because that's where most of my extended family lives, and we would do it in a minivan, just like the Morgans. That brought back a lot of fun memories for me. I also have siblings in real life, so having those experiences to pull from are great, because, maybe it's just me, but I can always tell when the writer or the actors don't have siblings in real life, and having that experience makes it so much more realistic to people who have siblings.

Looking ahead, are there any specific types of roles or genres you are eager to explore in your acting career, considering your diverse background in television?
I think if you're looking for something specific you're never going to get it, that seems to be how it works. I love to try new things; I am a superhero movie lover, so I think I would love to be a part of the MCU or the new DCU; I would love to explore voice acting, that's always been something I've been interested in, but I've not really had the opportunity to fulfill that. In general, though, I'm always up for anything; if it's a project that speaks to me I am more than happy to do it regardless of if it's the same genre as my last project, or the last ten of them.

Instagram: @vanrcrosby

CREW CREDITS:
PhotoBook Editor-In-Chief: Alison Hernon
PhotoBook Creative Director: Mike Ruiz + @mikeruiz.one
Photographer: Ylva Erevall
Talent: Van Crosby
Fashion Stylist: Rima Vaidila at Forward Artists
Groomer: Sonia Lee for Exclusive Artists using Karuna Skin and Balmain Hair Couture
Tearsheets by Daniel López, Art Director, PhotoBook Magazine
Interview by Kaelyn Mazyck, Contributor, PhotoBook Magazine