Please consider downloading the latest version of Internet Explorer
to experience this site as intended.
Skip to content

In Review

NOW ON NETFLIXA Big Screen Debut First-year student Maddy Wary shares screen time with Ben Affleck. Interview by Jim Mandelaro
actor (Photo: J. Adam Fenster)

Maddy Wary ’22: From Movies to Mathematics

Current claim to fame: Plays the daughter of Ben Affleck’s character in the Netflix movie Triple Frontier

Majors: Brain and cognitive sciences, mathematics

Hometown: Kailua, Hawaii, on the island of Oahu

Why Rochester? “The open curriculum is the main reason. I have a wide range of interests, so having the freedom to mix and match my courses was really important.”

Favorite class: “Every single one of them!”

Dream roles: Thor or Loki, the Norse gods who are regulars in the Marvel cinematic universe.

Many students work or go on vacation the summer before they start college.

Maddy Wary ’22 made a movie.

The mathematics and brain and cognitive sciences double major from Kailua, Hawaii, filmed scenes for the action thriller Triple Frontier, which debuted on Netflix and had screenings in limited theaters across the country in March. She plays Tess Davis, the daughter of Ben Affleck’s character, Tom (Redfly) Davis.

Part of Triple Frontier was filmed in Hawaii. Wary’s mother, Tina, had signed her daughter up with a Honolulu-based talent agency, and Maddy was selected over a handful of other teenaged girls for the part. It was her film debut.

What was your acting experience before Triple Frontier?

I was in a commercial when I was young for one of the restaurants my dad owns, and I was a KidCaster for a local news station.

What was the audition process like?

The first audition was only 25 minutes, and 15 of those were just me waiting to be called in. I just had to play a teenager, which was easy for me. I absolutely freaked out when the casting director called to tell me I got the part. I was at school and just started jumping up and down in the middle of campus.

How long was production?

The movie took a couple of years, although I only worked for about four weeks. It’s a lot of sitting around and waiting. One day, it took 12 hours to film me walking from the house and getting into the car.

What do your friends and classmates think?

When I got to college, whenever I told someone I was in a movie, they wouldn’t believe me. A couple of days later, I’d get a frantic text along the lines of, “I looked up the movie. You weren’t kidding, you’re actually in it!! I saw you in the trailer!’ ”

Did you know much about Ben Affleck and his work?

I really only knew him from Good Will Hunting and that he had played Batman. He’s very polite and well-spoken, and you can tell he’s a professional.

Do you have the acting bug?

Of course! I’m constantly acting. Every chance I get to become a different person with my friends, I’ll do it. You get to see the world through a different perspective, and that’s the greatest feeling in the world.

What else do you like to do?

I love reading. If I could have a vacation and just read all day, I’d be in heaven. I also love Harry Potter. Whenever it rains on the weekend, I marathon-watch Harry Potter movies. I love playing guitar, ukulele, and piano, and being outdoors—to go on a hike, go to the beach, surf, or snowboard.

What interests you about your two majors?

With BCS, I first became obsessed with it when I was in sixth grade and watched a 60 Minutes episode on studies involving dreams. That got me hooked on the brain, and how it functions during sleep. And ever since I can remember, math has been my favorite subject in school. I love problem solving.

What’s the best thing about being at Rochester?

Joining Club Tennis. Without it, I don’t know where I would be. I love everyone on the team, and they’re the reason why I feel at home here.

What do you like best about living in Rochester?

I love how I can be in the elevator with a complete stranger and feel comfortable making small talk. I love how I can take the Amtrak over to Buffalo or Toronto for the weekend. Rochester makes me feel like there are so many opportunities.

What are your career goals?

I hope to one day discover something, teach others, help others, and maybe start my own business. There are endless opportunities out there, and I’m excited to see where my life takes me.