Maceo Smedley Dishes on Marvel’s Cloak and Dagger, His Love of Sports, and More!
If you aren’t already a fan of Maceo Smedley, we have a feeling that’s about to change! At just 11 years old, Maceo has landed some seriously impressive roles in WGN America’s Underground, a series about the Underground Railroad, NBC’s medical drama, The Night Shift, and Noelle, an original Christmas film from Disney that hits theaters later this year.
(Photo Credit: Bobby Quillard)
His latest endeavor is his most exciting yet, he’s officially a part of the Marvel Universe! He’ll be playing Young Cloak in Freeform’s new Marvel series, Cloak and Dagger. In the series, Maceo takes on the role of Young Cloak, appearing in the flashback scenes that showcase how Tyrone Johnson became who he is today. Like most Freeform series, the show promises to be twisty, exciting, and action-packed!
We were so excited to chat with Maceo and get the scoop on his new series. Get to know him as he chats about Cloak and Dagger, his favorite superheroes, and more!
Get to Know Maceo Smedley:
On Cloak and Dagger:
Cloak and Dagger combines everything you’d expect from a superhero series, action, excitement, and surprises with a unique perspective that we rarely see in superhero stories – the complications of teenage life, romance, and drama. According to Freeform, Tyrone Johnson, aka Cloak and Tandy Bowen, aka Dagger are “two teenagers from very different backgrounds, who find themselves burdened and awakened to newly acquired superpowers which are mysteriously linked to one another. Tandy can emit light daggers, and Tyrone has the ability to engulf others in darkness. They quickly learn they are better together than apart, but their feelings for each other make their already complicated world even more challenging.”
It sounds pretty awesome, but what can fans expect from the show? According to Maceo, “Everything is pretty connected. When something happens on the show, it makes you think about everything that happened before it. Fans will do a lot of thinking, it’s a really great show that fans will love to watch. It’s AWESOME!”
(Photo Credit: Bobby Quillard)
Maceo plays the young version of Tyrone, giving viewers a glimpse of his childhood upbringing and the events that helped shape who he is today. “Everything that happens while he’s a kid affects who he becomes when he’s older. He knows what danger is because of how he grew up, and he knows he can handle anything that comes his way.”, Maceo shared.
Since Cloak and Dagger is a superhero story, you can count on there being lots of stunts and action-packed scenes. Maceo even got to perform some stunts of his own, which he says was both exciting and scary. “I had two stunts, they were both in the same scene. In one part of the scene, I had to jump off this big dock and fall onto a big pillow (name?) below. For the other stunt, which was a little more scary, I jumped off a high dive into about 14 feet of water. The dock stunt I was cool with because there was something there to catch me, but the high dive one I felt a little skeptical about until they told me there were people down there ready to swim over and help me if I needed it.”
We definitely can’t wait to see it all come together in the two-hour series premiere on June 7th!
His Passions and Hobbies:
Being 11 years old, Maceo Smedley enjoys a lot of the same things as any kid his age. He’s very active and loves rooting for the Oakland Raiders, spending time with his family, and playing sports. “I like football and basketball, but I’ll play pretty much any sport. If someone asks me to play, I’ll try it even if I’ve never played before.” He also loves riding go-karts and doing karate. When we asked Maceo the 3 things he can’t live without, he said “My parents, food, and acting!”. His favorite foods are hot dogs, spaghetti, and pizza, and is adventurous when it comes to his pizza toppings. “I’ll eat pretty much any toppings, but I like cheese and pepperoni best. I’ve never tried pineapple on a pizza, but I’m pretty sure I’d like it.”
Maceo is also a bit of a sneakerhead, but at the moment, he’s not chasing anything in particular. “I have a lot of shoes. I like to go to the shoe store and see what colorways are there and pick them out that way.” He has a few Jordans, Nike, and Steph Curry sneakers in his collection, which he’s hoping to grow even more.
Heroes, Super Powers, and the Marvel Family:
Being chosen for a role in the Marvel Universe is something that lots of actors dream of, but only a select few ever get to see that dream become a reality. Maceo is one of the lucky ones, and he’s humbled to be a part of it. “It’s a dream come true. I loved Marvel as a kid and still do now. I was hoping to be in a Marvel movie one day. It was a milestone I was hoping to achieve, and it came true!”
Since he’s starring in a superhero series, we were curious which heroes he likes best. “I really like Iron Man and Black Panther.“, says Maceo. If he could have any powers or abilities, he’d choose something fire based, as fire powers have always fascinated him.
(Photo Credit: Bobby Quillard)
Influences and Dreams:
Even though he’s already landed one of his dream roles, there is so much he’s hoping to accomplish. “I’ve always wanted to be in a kids cartoon, and I’d love to be in even more Marvel stuff.”, he shared. Maceo is passionate about acting and is hoping to continue following this path for as long as he can. When we asked who has influenced him most in his life and career so far, he said “Definitely my parents. We are super close and like to watch movies together, race go-karts, and go to jumping parks!”
Advice for Aspiring Young Actors:
Maceo shared his advice for other kids who dream of acting. He says “It’s fun, but not always easy. It’s a lot of fun, but it’s hard work. You need to adapt to your character. Put yourself in a quiet room, get to know your script and character, and see if there’s any way you can make your character more engaging or authentic.”
Now that you know everything there is to know about Maceo Smedley, check out our interview with Ripley Sobo and Kobi Frumer from Marvel’s The Punisher.
