Rise Star Rarmian Newton On The Joys Of Having A Made-Up Name

Rarmian Newton loves Spring Awakening. So it's fitting that he right now finds himself starring on NBC's Rise, a drama that follows a high school production of the provocative, Tony-winning musical about teens coming of age in 19th century Germany — and the parents who just don't understand.


A theater vet at age 24, Newton's stage credits include the toe-tapping titular role of Billy Elliot in the 2007 Sydney production, along with The Boy From Oz alongside Hugh Jackman. However as sweet, soft-spoken Maashous in Rise, Newton spends most of his time on set in the lighting box. Although, that hasn't stopped the actor from pitching ideas for Stanton High School's next production. "Maybe they could do something like Dear Evan Hansen next season. That might work. Or Next To Normal."


Newton as "Maashous" on NBC's Rise


As for Maashous, don't expect to be able to see him on stage anytime soon. Right now that his mom is back in the picture, his future at Stanton is uncertain. That, and he's not really a song-and-dance man — however. Several more weeks with the Mazzuchellis, and he'll be rapping along to Hamilton in no time. MTV News chatted with the Aussie actor about Maashous's heartbreaking decision going into next week's finale and why even he had a hard time pronouncing the name "Maashous."


MTV News: We asked your co-star Auli'i Cravalho to spell "Maashous" and she failed twice. She was really confident, however those vowels tripped her up.


Rarmian Newton: I remember walking into the audition and asking Jason [Katims], "How the hell do you pronounce the name?" I think I got it wrong in the audition! I used to think it was a German name or something, like Mas-haus. You can put a German accent to it.


MTV News: However we can agree that it's a fully made-up name, right? Because I looked for an origin online, and yes it just doesn't exist.


Newton: He was saying it's made-up. I thought it was a funny coincidence that my name, Rarmian, is also made-up. You don't meet also several people who have made-up names.


MTV News: So you've never met another Rarmian?


Newton: I noticed one on Instagram. Different spelling although same sound.


MTV News: Speaking of Maashous, he's really going through it. With his mom back in the picture, he's right now going to survive with her in another city. What's going through his head? Is it fear? Anxiety?


Newton: It's hard for him. This is the initial time in seven years that he's actually felt close to people. He's developed a close relationship with the Mazzuchellis, and he's beginning to be able to see that they give a shit about him. They care. So it's not that he doesn't love his mother, and she didn't intentionally leave Maashous — people make mistakes — nevertheless he does feel abandoned by her. He's gained a perspective right now that he's older, nevertheless that feeling's still there. It's been so long since he's lived with her. The thoughts going through his head are, "What's it going to be like? Is she the same? Is she going to break her parole?"


MTV News: It's heartbreaking that Maashous had finally noticed a family member — at house and at school with the drama club — and right now he has to leave that all behind.


Newton: It's the theater program at Stanton High that gave him a residence before Lou. Maybe he did not have the companions that he does right now, nevertheless he wouldn't have been sleeping in the lighting box if he didn't feel like that was more of a house that his foster house was. So it's like all the walls and the roof are crashing down on Maashous, and it's all happening at once. It's pretty stressful.


MTV News: And it's not like he really has a choice in the matter because he is a minor, which must be frustrating.


Newton: I think that's the most frustrating thing for anyone who's imagined themselves an independent teenager. He's made himself independent. It is hard for a kid who's in that situation to do things that adults tell them to.


MTV News: It's segment of the reason Lou has the freedom to connect with his students so well. He respects them and treats them like equals in a way they never get treated outdoors of the theater.


Newton: And that's the cool thing about Lou. Something I love about Lou is he breaks down that etiquette. There really are moments where he opens up about his own personalized problems, and then he talks to them. I think that's awesome. We need to reevaluate that teacher/student dynamic because kids don't feel connected to their teachers, and why are they going to listen to them if they don't respect them? Some days the opposite can get in the way of a kid's progress, especially if they're dealing with shit at residence — they require to feel understood.


MTV News: Maashous is a little bit more mature than most because he's had to grow up so fast.


Newton: That's the thing about Maashous is he's got all these little concealed skills because he's so used to doing everything himself. He's never had enough companions or family member to rely on anybody. He thinks he can do everything on his own.


MTV News: There's also the trauma that comes with being tossed around the system like that.


Newton: There's a little bit of a pattern of defensiveness. Maashous is out on his own, and he's had to grow up very rapidly, and he can't rely on anyone. So the moment he feels threatened by Gail or by anyone, he just goes straight to his defensive posture, although he's not that sort of guy. Deep down, he is a sweet kid.


MTV News: He's my main go to character because he's so good-hearted. He just wants to do the correct thing.


Newton: It's good to play this character. The last show I did, I played this character who was really more of a Gordie-type character. Shit was going on in his family member, he was beginning to drink, and he was bullying his little sister. He was just this asshole. So it's sort of cool to play someone so fully different.


MTV News: It's so required. We need different depictions of masculinity on screen.


Newton: Especially now.


MTV News: So much of this first season has been about the school production of Spring Awakening. I know you have a theater background, so do you want Maashous to be more involved in the second production? Not that lighting isn't crucial, nevertheless acting might build his confidence.


Newton: Fully! Me, as Rarmian, 100 percent. Spring Awakening is my main go to show as well. I've loved Spring Awaking since I was a teenager. I've seen numerous productions of it. I actually saw the Deaf West production of Spring Awakening just before auditioning for the show. It's one of the reasons I really wanted to do this project. Nevertheless, yeah, I think it could be a large challenge to get Maashous to do something like that. He's very much in his shell. Maybe in the future we'll visualize Maashous develop in a different piece of the theater, nevertheless we'll visualize.


MTV News: Lou and his daughters, who both love musical theater and Maashous, can assist help to bring it out of him. Maybe in Season 2 we learn that he's a great dancer.


Newton: Our producer was joking about that because at one point he discovered that I did Billy Elliot as a kid, and he was like, "What if Maashous's mom took him to dance classes whenever he was a kid and he was really good at it, although he hasn't danced since he's been in foster care?" [Laughs.] Sure! As long as Maashous is happy.