Wonderwall

'Melissa & Joey's' Nick Robinson: A regular teenager and just as funny

Zap2it, Tuesday, October 26, 2010, 9:28am (PDT)

By editorial@zap2it.com

As Ryder on ABC Family's "Melissa & Joey," 15-year-old Nick Robinson is quite the scene-stealer with his talent for dropping witty one-liners. That's a tough feat in a cast that includes two relative sitcom veterans like Melissa Joan Hart and Joey Lawrence, but Robinson more than holds his own -- no doubt a skill he picked up acting in theatre since he was 9-years-old. Recently picked up for a full season, "Melissa & Joey" finds Ryder and his older sister, Lennox (played by Taylor Spreitler), with their Aunt (Hart) after a scandal places their mother in prison and their father goes on the lam."Ryder is a teenager just like me," Robinson tells Zap2it. "Just trying to figure everything out and you know he was put in this situation that he had no control over. I think that sometimes he kind of puts up this façade to kind of hide his real emotions and I think any teen can kind of relate to Ryder and everything he's going through."With six other siblings ranging in age from five-years-old to 22, Robinson still lives with his family in Seattle (when he's not shooting in Los Angeles) and he tells us he doesn't get the star treatment at home."It's a full house, never a dull moment," he says. "It's just go, go, go all the time. I'm expected to help out just like everyone else."Don't look now, but we think this young scene-stealer is someone you should keep an eye on.Get to know Nick Robinson:Which actor do you look up to?Leonardo DiCaprio. I just think he's a phenomenal actor and I really admire his work. I'd love to stay in this business and have a career like that.What are your favorite shows (other than your own, of course)?"Modern Family," "The Office," and "30 Rock." What did you think about "Modern Family" winning the Emmy over "Glee"?I thought it was great. I mean, I think there's sharper writing on "Modern Family," than on "Glee." Even though it has great dance numbers I feel like "Modern Family" was the better choice.What's playing on your iPod at the moment?That's tough, I'm kind of an oldies guy. I don't really have a lot of hip-hop and all of that, so I have a lot of John Lennon. That's one that I really like and The Clash, the Rolling Stones, groups that I think are kind of timeless.Where do you see yourself in five years?I'd like to start trying different fields of work. I don't want to be stuck in just comedy and I'd be interested to try to break into the movie business because it's so much different than television. So, I'd love to do a movie.The mid-season finale of "Melissa & Joey" airs Tuesday, Oct. 26 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC Family.Follow Zap2it and TheRealJethro on Twitter and Zap2it on Facebook for the latest celebrity news and buzz.Photo credit: ABC Family