Local outgoing 8th grade Canyon Ridge Middle School theatre student lands a speaking role in Richard Linklater’s latest animated movie, “Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood”. 

Linklater’s latest animated movie takes the audience through life back in 1969 with the Apollo mission to the moon, starring Jack Black, Zachary Levi, Glen Powell, and local student Alex Fink. 

Fink landed a speaking role in Linklater’s adolescence animation. 

His mom, Denice Fink, spoke about the process of getting there. Alex auditioned in late 2019/early 2020 going through several rounds of audition and callbacks, before landing the part in early February of 2020.

“When we received the information on the open casting call, Alex thought it would be good to gain some audition experience, and he kept getting called back. It was then that we realized that he might actually be offered a role,” Denice shared.

The movie was shot on a green screen at Troublemaker Studios in Austin,  produced by Linklater’s Detour FilmProductions and Submarine, and then released on Netflix. The filming finished up in early to mid March 2020, just before everything shut down due to COVID. 

“Linklater shot the movie shortly before the start of the pandemic and has been slowly assembling it this whole time. He spoke by phone from his home on the outskirts of Austin, recalling the unusual production process and how it emerged from his “Boyhood” experience”according to Eric Kohn from Indiewire, a film industry and review website.

”Alex had a great time auditioning, which included table readings with Linklater, being on set and filming, as well as the wrap party,” Denice said. 

The movie premiered at South by Southwest on March 13, 2022 at the Paramount Theatre and was released on Netflix on April 1, 2022. The movie has also been shown on the International Space Station.

Alex first discovered his love for acting at a summer camp several years ago, then was a part of the teen theatre company ZACH Theatre–taking acting and improv classes. Alex has also been in the advanced theatre classes at CRMS for the past two school years, starring in school public productions and UIL One Act Play competitions. 

“He has also participated in a teen film intensive at the Austin School of Film,” his mom shared. 

Much like the movie Alex landed a role in, he is now looking towards the future of his acting career. 

“Alex is looking forward to being a part of the Theatre Company at Vandegrift High School,” where they can see his name in the credits.