Toronto’s Robbie Amell stars in the offbeat sports comedy Racewalkers, arriving in Canadian theatres July 10. Born and raised in North York, Amell is best-known for his stint at TV’s The Flash and as Nathan Brown in the Prime Video series Upload.
Amell also trained with Olympic bronze medallist Evan Dunfee and Canada’s national race walking coach, an experience he says revealed just how technically demanding the sport is despite its comedic reputation.
Tell me your first reaction when you read the script for Racewalkers.
It really reminded me of movies I grew up on — Happy Gilmore and Cool Runnings — but also had a bit of Ted Lasso in it, while still feeling very original. It was just one of those things where I thought, “This is great. This is everything I love about a sports comedy.”
What made this film feel like such perfect material for an offbeat comedy like this?
It’s a bit like Ted Lasso — that really funny, offbeat comedy where suddenly you’re getting emotional because they sneak in that heartfelt side so well. That’s what this felt like. And for me, it was also just a chance to work with guys I think are super talented and will have long careers. My role was fun too. I got to be kind of the Shooter McGavin of the race walking world.
Did you do any race walking training? Just curious how hard it is compared to how it looks.
It’s wild. We had the coach of the Canadian national team come out to work with Kevin and me, and we also got in touch with Evan Dunfee, Canada’s Olympic bronze medallist in race walking. He came to Toronto, worked as a background actor in the movie and trained all our race walkers. He was amazing: super patient, no ego about it and very aware that the sport can look a bit funny but also incredibly serious about how difficult it is. Once you try it, it’s extremely hard.
What are you hoping audiences take away from the film, beyond laughs?
It’s a feel-good escape movie, and I really recommend seeing it in a group. It’s just more fun that way — everyone reacting together makes it better.
Your debut, Cheaper by the Dozen 2, was shot in Muskoka. What do you recall about that experience?
It was shot at Stony Lake, and my mom’s best friend had a cottage there, so I actually knew the lake really well. It was one of those strange coincidences. Even other locations were places my mom grew up visiting. It all felt very serendipitous. It was also just an amazing experience. One day I’d be on a water trampoline, another day on a Jet Ski. I didn’t realize how good I had it.
How did Toronto shape you, and what was it like moving to L.A.?
I grew up in North York. My mom raised my sister and me, and she’s one of the kindest people I know. I grew up playing hockey, went to school in North York and originally thought I’d go into sports medicine or kinesiology. Then I booked Cheaper by the Dozen 2 before Grade 11, and everything changed. I stayed on a friend’s couch in San Diego, drove to L.A. for auditions and tried it for about a year before running out of money and coming back to Toronto.
Where are you living now?
After I moved back, I booked American Pie Presents: Beta House, met my wife and made enough to go back to L.A. again. Eventually my wife and I moved back to Toronto when we had our son. I reconnected with friends, got back into hockey, coached his team. I love being here. I hate the winters now — I definitely got soft after 15 years in L.A. — but I’m proud to be Canadian and happy to raise my family here.