Alex Grech on ‘Juliet & Romeo,’ the Power of Physical Performance and Redefining Shakespeare for a New Generation
In sixth grade, my music teacher asked me to lip sync during a school concert because my voice was so deep it stood out too much… That moment actually created a mental block for me… A solid 90% of my vocal training work at NYU was about overcoming that discomfort… You can’t let someone else’s perception of your performance define your path.
I had the pleasure of talking with Alex Grech. Alex is an Australian actor and stunt performer whose career has begun to gain international momentum with his breakout role in the upcoming feature film Juliet & Romeo, a modern musical reimagining of the Shakespearean tragedy. Raised in Melbourne and trained in New York, Grech brings a background rooted in classical theatre, physical performance, and a wide-ranging set of life experiences to his work on screen.
Born in Sydney and raised in Melbourne, Grech entered the world of acting at the age of six, initially following in the footsteps of his older brother. He joined the Victorian Youth Theatre, performing in productions for over a decade. Throughout his school years, Grech continued to develop his craft in school plays, including productions of The Lion King, Legally Blonde, and Beauty and the Beast. His early interest in theatre, however, was balanced with a strong connection to the outdoors and an active lifestyle, fostered in part by his time in Timbertop — a year-long program in the Victorian high country that emphasized self-reliance, physical endurance, and immersive outdoor living.
After high school, Grech took a detour from acting. He worked as a paralegal, laborer, and bartender while saving money for a backpacking trip that took him through more than a dozen countries, including India, Switzerland, and Hungary. During that period of travel and self-reflection, he auditioned for the acting program at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, not expecting to gain admission but viewing it as an opportunity for growth. He was accepted and moved to New York in 2020, enrolling in Tisch’s Experimental Theatre Wing. He graduated in 2024.
Grech’s first major screen role is in Juliet & Romeo, set for release in U.S. cinemas on May 9, 2025. The film features a cast that includes Rebel Wilson, Jason Isaacs, and Rupert Everett, and offers a stylized, musical retelling of Shakespeare’s original. Grech plays Tomasso, a new, original character introduced in the adaptation, portrayed as Romeo’s younger cousin who idolizes Mercutio and seeks to assert himself within the Montague family. The role involved months of physical training in Verona, Italy, where Grech not only played Tomasso but also worked as the stunt double for Romeo, stepping in after the lead actor sustained a minor injury. His ability to handle both dramatic scenes and fight choreography added complexity to his performance and led to a larger role than initially envisioned.
While acting remains his central pursuit, Grech’s background in physical performance is substantial. A former competitive athlete in soccer, rugby union, and water polo, he also trained in gymnastics and martial arts, including Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and Krav Maga. His current fitness routine includes climbing, calisthenics, weightlifting, swimming, and horseback riding — skills that have proved useful in both stage and screen roles.
Grech identifies physicality as a key entry point into character work. He views stunt work not as a separate discipline but as a natural extension of acting, helping him more fully inhabit the roles he plays. Despite his appreciation for stunt work, he considers himself an actor first and notes that he may shift away from more intensive stunts as he gets older, favoring work that continues to explore emotional and psychological depth.
Outside of performance, Grech is active in a range of advocacy efforts. He supports environmental causes and frequently uses his platform to raise awareness about wilderness preservation. A self-described environmentalist, he spends time hiking and camping and speaks about the importance of protecting natural spaces for future generations. He also volunteers with community-run theatres in New York City that serve underrepresented groups, advocating for the power of theatre to address social issues and support emerging artists.
Grech has spoken publicly about his interest in neurological and medical research, specifically regarding conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. These concerns are personal, shaped by the impact of these illnesses on his loved ones. He advocates for a more nuanced public understanding of mental and neurological health and encourages open discussion about emotional wellbeing and psychological complexity.
In interviews, Grech often reflects on moments of growth through vulnerability. He has discussed the long-term impact of early experiences with performance anxiety, such as being asked to lip-sync in a school concert due to his unusually deep voice. These experiences, he says, helped shape his approach to vocal performance and his broader understanding of authenticity and confidence in acting.
As for the future, Grech is focused on continuing to build a career that bridges screen and stage, acting and action, narrative and advocacy. He is currently based in New York City, where he continues to audition, develop new projects, and train. While Juliet & Romeo may mark his formal arrival on the international scene, Grech appears intent on carving a path defined as much by discipline and purpose as by visibility.
Yitzi: Alex, it’s awesome to meet you. Before we dive in deep, our readers would love to learn about your personal origin story. Can you share a story from your childhood and how you grew up?
Alex: Absolutely. I was born in Sydney, Australia, but I don’t really have a lot of memory of living there. I was only there for a very brief period when I was very young, and then my family moved back to Melbourne, which is where my parents and the rest of my immediate family are all located — and still are to this day.
I grew up in and around Melbourne and traveled quite a lot with my family, as both my grandparents are from Southern Europe. My dad’s side is Maltese and my mom’s side is Italian, so a nice big Mediterranean family.
I grew up in Melbourne, and family was always very important to me. I began doing theater because my older brother started doing it. He was about eight, I was six, and we started with a company called the Victorian Youth Theater — Victoria being the state in Australia we lived in.
We performed with the Victorian Youth Theater, which did two shows a year. My brother stopped doing it before I did, but I think I was with them for 10 or 11 years. That was fantastic, and I kept doing it through high school.
I spent a lot of time outdoors. That was a big part of my upbringing — spending time in the bush. In grade nine, I did a program called Timbertop, where you’re sent to the Victorian high country and live out there for a year. You’re in huts built by previous students, living in a militaristic-style dorm. That was actually the first place I wrote my own one-man show as part of a Red Nose Night event we did for everyone there.
I continued doing theater throughout high school. After graduating, I got into a course in Melbourne. I was studying criminology and interested in a legal career path. But I decided that before I committed to anything, I wanted to take some time, travel the world, and test myself a bit to figure out what I really wanted.
I worked as a laborer, a bartender, and a paralegal, and saved up enough money to do an 11-month trip around the world, visiting about 13 countries. During that time, I auditioned at NYU Tisch School of the Arts for their acting program. I didn’t really expect to get in — I just thought it would be great audition experience, and I could bring what I learned back to Australia to audition at some of the reputable schools there.
Before I even finished the trip, I found out I got into NYU. That pretty much decided what the next step would be. I went back to Australia, started working again to save money. Then, of course, COVID hit, which delayed things a bit. But I eventually got over here and started at NYU Tisch in 2020. I graduated from the performing arts program in May 2024, and I’ve been working and living in New York City ever since.
Yitzi: That’s an amazing story, and you’re an amazing storyteller. You probably have some amazing stories from your career as an actor, as well as from that incredible backpacking trip. Can you share one or two stories from your professional life that stand out in your mind?
Alex: Yeah, that’s a good one. Let me think for a moment and pick my favorites.
One of my all-time favorite moments was from working on the recent film Juliet and Romeo, coming out May 9th. I did a lot of stunt work on this project and worked very closely with a lot of the youth cast — Romeo, Juliet, and the Montague boys. We had a fantastic relationship, and the dynamic was really friendly and approachable.
I’d been so focused on all of that, I’d kind of forgotten that I had some big scenes with actors I’d looked up to my whole life, like Sir Derek Jacobi and Jason Isaacs. One of the early days of shooting, I had a big scene with Derek Jacobi. He was working on a scene with Jason Isaacs just before we were meant to go in.
We were shooting on location in these 1300s, 1400s castles in Northern Italy in the middle of winter. It was really cold, and we couldn’t exactly have a green room if we were filming in a dungeon. So it was just the three of us — huddled in blankets, sitting around a heater while they were changing lenses and setting up.
I was just struck with awe that I was even there, doing this work. I was listening to Jason and Derek trade stories about their favorite stage productions. They were joking about how lovely Daniel Craig is to work with in romantic scenes — both of them had done productions like Angels in America, where there’s male-on-male intimacy, and they were laughing about how easy Daniel is to act with in those moments.
I was just sitting there thinking, “Oh my god, I’ve got two of my icons in front of me, casually discussing a third icon.” I still struggle to process the reality of that situation. Then it was my turn to hop up and step into the scene with them, which was incredible.
That’s definitely one of my favorite stories. They were so casual, but for me, it was an immensely memorable moment.
Yitzi: It’s been said that sometimes our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Do you have a story about a humorous mistake you made when you first started acting and the lesson you learned from it?
Alex: I actually have two answers to that question. One of them isn’t strictly about acting, but more about performing and owning your authenticity, for lack of a better phrase. I think it’s a pretty funny story.
When I was in sixth grade, we all had to sing a song for our parents at the end of the year to celebrate finishing primary school. It was this sweet, sentimental moment. My music teacher, who was leading the group, pulled me aside at one point and said, “Alex, I need you to lip sync.” She explained that my voice was so deep it stood out from all the other students and they didn’t have anyone who could match my bass.
I was like, “Okay, cool.” It hurt just a little bit — deep down. That moment actually created a bit of a mental block for me in how I approached singing and how I felt about my own voice. It took a long time to move past that. Honestly, a solid 90% of my vocal training work at NYU was about overcoming that internalized discomfort, that feeling of being out of place or disconnected from my own voice.
The takeaway from that is that you can’t let someone else’s subjective perception of your performance define your path. Just because it doesn’t fit for them doesn’t mean your audience isn’t out there. There’s always an avenue that’s perfectly suited for you. So don’t ever let a single comment stop you from pursuing something that makes you happy and fulfilled.
That story isn’t specifically about acting, though. On the acting side, when I first came to New York, there was this period where I kept getting cast as villains in plays. I think it was partly because of the Australian accent and partly because of my very physical style of performance and my comfort with stunt work. While I was enjoying it, I was also trying to understand why I was getting typecast that way.
The lesson there was recognizing that this was a different audience than the one I was used to in Australia. The cultural context was different, and I needed to adjust certain aspects of my performance to appear more gentle or relatable to an American audience. That was a valuable insight.
Yitzi: Thank you. Moving forward, do you feel like you’d rather pursue acting roles more than stunt roles?
Alex: I’ve always been an actor first and foremost. I absolutely love stunt work, and I’m very fortunate that at this stage of my life, I’m young and physically fit enough to do a lot of it. But I don’t imagine intense stunt work will be a lifelong pursuit.
I do hope to couple the two. Physicality is essential to me. It’s one of my key ways into a character — embodying that physical presence and feeling comfortable in the expectation that you should be able to perform the kind of physical challenges your character faces.
Obviously, within reason. I’m not suggesting that if you play Superman, you should be able to bounce bullets off your chest. But there is a level of expected movement and physicality. Acting is a very physical form, and stunt work is just an extension of that.
Yitzi: You have so much impressive work. Could you tell us about the exciting new films coming out and the projects you’re currently working on?
Alex: Yeah, the most pressing one is Juliet and Romeo, which is coming out this Friday, May 9th. I’m immensely excited for audiences to dip a toe into this brand-new, original, expansive world. That’s definitely the project I’m most excited about. I’ve put a lot of time and effort into it, along with hundreds of others, to help bring this world to life.
I’m exceptionally proud of the work that’s gone into it and how it all came out. It looks incredible. The set design and art production were led by Dante Freddy, and the film was written and directed by Tim Bogart, who was a fantastic leader for the team. The music, written by his brother Evan Bogart, is amazing. The way they worked together to create this original soundtrack that seamlessly bleeds into the rest of the world really adds a layered, introspective quality to the story. It gives insight into the characters and the dynamic of the city they live in — the city that shaped them and their lives.
What’s really incredible is how the film approaches Shakespeare’s iambic pentameter in such a fresh way. It shows the utility of that poetic form — not just as a stylistic choice but as a powerful tool for translating internal thoughts to the audience without having to go through a lot of traditional back-and-forth dialogue.
So, on many levels, this film is exciting, and I’m really glad people will finally be able to experience it.
Yitzi: As you know, the Romeo and Juliet story has remarkably transcended centuries and cultures. What do you think it is about this story in particular that makes it so timeless?
Alex: One of the slogans for Juliet and Romeo is “Love never dies,” and I think that perfectly captures the answer. This story keeps coming back in different forms for a reason. Even Shakespeare’s version was based on an epic poem written a few hundred years earlier. He focused on the story of these two lovers because he found that part the most compelling — for whatever reason, that idea just resonates.
I think we, as audiences, love watching love. We love the passion. We love to see how far people are willing to go for love. What’s unique about this retelling is that love isn’t the only focus. Every character in this world is deep and complex, and their lives are interconnected with each other and the city of Verona, which itself plays a big role.
The story is set in a changing moment in time, and that becomes the catalyst for everything that unfolds. Romeo and Juliet are caught between their passion and their ambition for a life together, and their responsibilities to their families. They’re expected to lead their families through a very difficult time in the city’s history.
So they have all this familial responsibility placed on their shoulders, and that creates tension when they have to choose between the family that raised them and the love that might define them. I think that’s a powerful new message we haven’t really seen in many of the previous retellings.
Yitzi: What are the lessons you think modern society can take from the themes and motifs of Juliet and Romeo?
Alex: Great question. I think one of the most important takeaways will be for younger audiences, especially those who haven’t had much exposure to Shakespeare. These days, Shakespeare — at least in its traditional sense — can feel intimidating. I’ve had a fair amount of classical training and have worked with some very traditional Shakespearean acting teachers, and they really emphasize the importance of verse, of maintaining the integrity of the iambic pentameter.
But that level of formality can scare off a lot of people. It’s completely understandable. In today’s world, you’re often trying to adapt something written in five acts into two, and that can involve a lot of trimming and altering the language just to keep the story coherent. I understand why that feels overwhelming.
I think Juliet and Romeo offers a great introduction to Shakespearean material with a more contemporary mindset. It shows that this language and style can still be accessible and meaningful when reimagined in a modern context.
Another really important message is hinted at in the title reversal — Juliet and Romeo instead of Romeo and Juliet. In this version, the characters are aged up slightly into a more ambiguous young adult group. It’s no longer the young adult Romeo and the barely-not-a-child Juliet, which was a product of the era in which Shakespeare was writing.
Here, Juliet is a much more empowered, well-defined, and well-rounded character. She has ambition and agency. That’s an important message for young audiences — it’s not just about being swept away by love, but about making a conscious, consensual decision to build a relationship and choose love as an act of will. I think that’s powerful.
Yitzi: How would you compare and contrast your personal character, Alex, with the character you play — Tomasso?
Alex: That’s a really interesting question. Tomasso is an original character created for this feature film musical. You won’t find him in Shakespeare’s version. That was a really exciting creative direction.
Originally, I auditioned for Mercutio, and during a conversation with Tim, our writer-director, he mentioned this other Montague cousin, Tomasso. He described him as a little more war-like, and said the role would require a lot more physicality. I was like, “That sounds perfect. I’d love that.”
That role actually started much smaller than it ended up being. I think I needed to prove myself and earn my stripes during the rehearsal process and in the early days on set. As I did that, the role kept growing. I got more stunts, more scenes.
At one point, Romeo — Jamie, the actor playing him — injured his ankle during training. They were worried his physicality might be lost in the stunt sequences, so I stepped in as his stunt double. I worked closely with him to make sure his version of Romeo still came through in the action scenes.
So in that sense, I think Tomasso and I share a lot. I’m someone who’s happy to put my body on the line for things I care about. I’d like to think I’m loyal and determined, and those qualities transferred well into the character.
I don’t think I’m nearly as conflicted as Tomasso is about his place in the world or his relationship with things like faith — whether that’s faith in family values or faith in the church.
Yitzi: This is our signature question, the centerpiece of the interview. So Alex, you’ve been blessed with a lot of success and you’ve surely learned a lot along the way. Can you share five things you’ve learned that you wish you knew when you first started acting?
Alex: Okay. Well, I started acting when I was six, so I think the first thing I’d tell six-year-old me is: you’re lactose intolerant — stop drinking milk.
No, in all seriousness, I think the first real piece of advice would be: don’t be afraid of discipline. Lean into it. It’s your best friend and your greatest weapon.
Second, it’s okay for things to not feel okay. That’s a lesson that took me some time to internalize.
Third, actors are a superstitious bunch. It’s okay to have your own little rituals, but it’s also important to respect other people’s space and process. I’m a chronic overthinker, like many actors are, and sometimes that serves me. But especially on a big set or in a large stage production, there are a million moving parts. And as an actor, while your job may not be easy, it’s often the simplest in terms of directive: step into a scene and fill it with life.
That can be incredibly complex emotionally, but it’s not as logistically complicated as what the cinematographer or the assistant director might be managing. I’m not a logistical person. I try my best to keep my life organized, but I have huge respect for people who have plans for their plans. My dad is like that — he literally has a planning day just to figure out how he’s going to structure the rest of his planning. I can’t do that. So, I’d remind myself to respect how many cogs it takes to keep the machine of theater and film running and to find my place within that.
Fourth, I’d say — even though I was aware of this when I got serious about acting — you really don’t grasp how much of a long haul this career is until you’re fully immersed in it. You can prepare yourself mentally, but the reality is, even if you know it’s going to be hard, it’ll still be harder than you thought. And that’s okay. It’s okay to be surprised by how tough it is.
And lastly, I’d go back to six-year-old me and say: start doing stand-up immediately so you can get used to how much the flops hurt. Because they do hurt — but they teach you fast, and they teach you well.
Yitzi: This is our final aspirational question. So Alex, because of your great work and the platform that you’ve built, you’re a person of enormous influence. If you could put out an idea, spread an idea, or inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be?
Alex: I think there are two answers I’d like to give. I think the arts in general have a huge potential to be the vehicle for spreading a lot of these messages. That’s kind of why I feel so passionately about the arts. I think they have the ability to spread a message or information through a story that can otherwise be hard to translate across cultural lines.
I think the two ideas or fields I’d love to see become more present in our day-to-day life are both about general understanding and open perspective. The first is the environment, and the second is mental health — neurological health, wellness, and well-being.
The environment, to me, is about a perception of and a commitment to maintaining such an essential part of what gives life to the planet. I don’t think that’s a particularly wild notion, but for some reason, it seems like a very hard thing for people to wrap their heads around.
I’m very fortunate to have grown up with a strong connection to the outdoors. It’s one of my safe spaces, one of my comfort zones. I try to go on a three- or four-day solo hike as often as I can, at least once or twice a year. If I can go more, even better. I really believe that giving people positive, connective experiences with wild spaces is essential to developing yourself in a holistic sense. It just doesn’t make sense not to try and take care of those spaces. Whether that means using less power, going green however you can, or even just getting out to your local national or state parks and not littering — just enjoying the space the way it’s meant to be enjoyed.
That would be the first target. Alongside that is mental and neurological health and the perceptions we have around that. There’s a long history of a very categorical, medicalized approach to mental health, where we say, “If you have this symptom, then you have this condition,” like how high blood pressure might indicate a heart issue. And that makes sense. Unfortunately, the brain is more complicated than the heart, as we’ve come to understand.
Now, I’m an actor, not a medical professional. I’m not saying don’t trust your doctors. That’s not the message here. But I think the average person — people like you and me who aren’t neurologists — should be more aware of just how little we understand about the brain, our own or anyone else’s. No one should claim to be an authority on how someone else’s brain works.
We get caught up in trying to define mental complexities using traditional definitions because it’s easier. Humans like putting things into neat little categories. And wouldn’t it be convenient if the world actually worked like that? But I think it’s really important to recognize that people are rich and complex — possibly beyond your initial comprehension.
Yitzi: How can our readers watch Juliet and Romeo? How can they continue to follow your work? How can they support you in any possible way?
Alex: Please go to the theaters this weekend. Take your family. Friday, May 9th, it’s in Regal Cinemas and theaters around the country. You can buy tickets already. It’s a great thing to do for Mother’s Day if you haven’t planned anything. And even if you have, it’s only two hours in the cinema. Could be worse. Go, enjoy yourself, soak up a bit of music.
Because this is an independent film, getting people into cinemas and showing love to the indie film community is one of the best things people can do. Not just to support me and my career, but the careers of hundreds of thousands — if not millions — of creatives around the country who rely on the independent film industry to get original work out. That’s incredibly important to me and close to my heart.
So yes, please go support in cinemas. You can also follow me on Instagram at alexgrech22. Apparently, there are a lot of Alex Grechs out there, but alexgrech22 on Instagram is me. And of course, IMDb — anything like that. Please feel free to reach out. I love chatting with people.
This has been fantastic, man. Thank you so much.
Yitzi: Alex, it’s so nice to meet you. Wishing you continued success and good health. I hope we can do this again next year.
Alex: That sounds fabulous. Thank you very much. Appreciate it.
Alex Grech on ‘Juliet & Romeo,’ the Power of Physical Performance and Redefining Shakespeare for a… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.