Prior to an appearance on AMC’s “The Walking Dead” last fall and a role in this summer’s raunchy comedy “Bad Teacher,” Adrian Kali Turner had a role in a Hollywood-Bollywood production called “My Name is Khan.” The film was one of the highest grossing Bollywood film outside of India. Turner, in a recent interview, stated the reception to the film and the overall experience was amazing. It certainly prepared him for some of the higher profile gigs that came his way afterwards.
Last summer, he filmed an episode of “The Walking Dead” playing the role of Duane Jones, the son of Morgan Jones (played by Lennie James). The protagonist of the show, Rick Grimes, runs into Morgan and Duane and tries to convince them to come with him to Atlanta to find other survivors of the zombie invasion. Morgan isn’t ready at that point to leave their home, but Rick vows to try and leave him a trail to find him when he is ready.
Turner knows he is making at least one more appearance on the show, but knows no other details.
“It’s good that I don’t know anything because that way I can’t reveal any spoilers,” he said. Although at 13 years old he is excited about nearly everything, from DC Comics and upcoming movies to a few days just hanging out with his friends and playing XBox, talking about his experience on “The Walking Dead” and “Bad Teacher” get him even more fired up.
“It was pretty intense,” Turner said about his time filming the episode “Days Gone By” on “The Walking Dead.” “Andrew Lincoln (Rick) and Lennie James (Morgan) are such amazing actors, I really had to step up my game around them.”
Turner, like most red-blooded American teens, also loves his zombies and got to see the wonders of Hollywood special effects and make-up.
“The trailer I was in was right near the zombies trailer, so I saw a lot of the before and after,” he said. “It was cool.”
He is hopeful that his character will appear in more than one episode, but truly did not know. Ultimately, he is just looking forward to filming in the area. He lives part-time in Fayetteville and did attend Peeples Elementary before his acting career took off.
While working alongside the undead is cool, working with Cameron Diaz and Jason Segel in the film “Bad Teacher” also had its merits. Turner played Shawn, one of the students in Diaz’s class and, if you haven’t seen the film, you might have seen him in one of the funnier parts of the trailer where he debates LeBron vs. Jordan with Segel’s gym teacher.
Turner has seen the movie, which is rated R, and said it was hilarious. “I knew it was going to be funny, but it was awesome.” He actually saw some of the raunchier classroom scenes for the first time when he was watching the finished product at one of the premieres, because director Jake Kasdan made sure the kids were off set during some of the more off color parts.
Turner became a big fan of Segel’s and began watching “Freaks and Geeks” after his time on “Bad Teacher.”
In addition to his work on these two high-profile projects, Turner has appeared in a sketch comedy show called OMGtv!! Live, which is available on the web, including YouTube, and “Apartment 23” a tv comedy on ABC that Turner thinks might debut in midseason.
The young actor got his start at the Actors, Models and Talent Competition (AMTC) in Orlando and he will be heading down there soon to volunteer and talk about his experiences. This fall he will start high school at the Orange County High School of the Arts, Film and Television Conservatory. He is excited to be able to pursue his passion, but it will mean he won’t be coming back to Georgia as much. He continues to audition for more roles and is also making music with a band, Boyz Crew, and doing competitive hip-hop dancing.
When asked if there was a certain role or movie he would want to be in, Turner quickly stated “ a comic book adaptation.”
“DC over Marvel, if I had a preference,” he said. “Like ‘Young Justice.’ I would cut and dye my hair and do whatever to be AquaBoy.”
As for whether LeBron will ever beat Jordan, Turner said he doesn’t watch a lot of basketball but thinks they are both awesome. At the age of 13, Turner has learned a great lesson in diplomacy.
