We interviewed the Vanderbilt singer who starred in Pitch Perfect 2

If you are a Vanderbilt student, you’ve definitely heard of the Melodores. If you’re living under a rock, the Melodores are an all male a cappella group on campus that rival any other. I recently had the opportunity to chat with Ted Moock, a 2015 Vandy grad, who has had a very unique experience with the singing team.

Ted is not your average Vandy student. His graduation day coincided with the LA red carpet premier of the feature film Pitch Perfect 2, in which Ted starred as a Treblemaker. So while all of you other Vanderbilt grads were sipping champagne and eating strawberries with Zeppos, Ted was speeding to the airport in order to make it to the premiere, ditching the cap and gown for a suit during his layover in Dallas.

Obviously, not many a Vandy student have had the opportunity to star in a major motion picture (or win a TV talent competition, that is) so I talked with Ted to fill you in on the entire experience. PSA: Anna Kendrick is really as cool as we all imagine her to be.

Graduation and Pitch Perfect 2 premier. Not a bad day.

OK, first of all…is Fat Amy really as hilarious in person as she is in the movie?

Rebel Wilson is extremely funny and witty, but she is very professional about it. She is so great at coming up with comedic lines on the spot, but this role is also her job, so she was very serious and professional about it.

One day I got to sit next to her during hair and makeup, and she was writing her own lines into the script. She’s awesome.

Ted + celebs. Casual

How about Anna Kendrick?

Anna is sarcastic, hilarious, and so fun. What is so great about her is that she is just so real. The first time I met her was at dinner at the Melting Pot in Baton Rouge.

She brought her boyfriend, and the whole time she was very normal and very real, but also just so dry and so funny.

How did you get your part in Pitch Perfect 2?

It’s actually a crazy story. There is a video of the Melodores performing “Sweater Weather,” which we did in 2013, and my uncle in Dallas forwarded it along to one of his friends that does freelance movies in LA. He forwarded it to one of his other friends who happened to be personal friends with Elizabeth Banks and her husband, who produced the movie.

Then, during finals week in 2014, I got a call that I got an audition. I had to tell my professors and rearrange my finals schedule, but it was well worth it! I flew to Baton Rouge, Louisiana for the audition. Just one week later, I got another call that I had gotten a part as one of the Treblemakers.

You know you’ve made it when you have your own trailer

How did your experience on a movie set influence your singing career?

It was an incredible experience that was so impactful. It really put me in a world that I have always dreamed of being in. I felt like a sponge: I wanted to absorb as much as I could during the five weeks I was in Baton Rouge filming. During the singing scenes, it all felt very natural for me since I am used to doing a cappella performances.

I realized that if I kept doing movies, I would want them to incorporate music. Overall, the entire experience just gave me a huge confidence boost in terms of my singing career and really proved that this is something I could do.

Did your Melodore team members treat you differently after you became a movie star?

It’s funny because people I didn’t know before the movie treated me differently once the movie came out. It was weird having people know me and know who I was when I didn’t know them back. But my teammates and friends sort of just gave me crap and made fun of me – in a funny way, don’t worry.

The whole experience was filled with encouragement and excitement.

Anchoring down with Vandy alum and VUFB quarterback Jordan Rodgers on set

Any funny stories you can share about the whole filming process?

My favorite scene to film was the riff off scene with all of the different a cappella teams. It took one week to film, but it was too much fun.

The Green Bay Packers tweeted a video of themselves singing a cappella to the producers, so they were brought in to be a part of the scene which was so cool, since I watch these guys on the NFL. There was never any alcohol on set, but they got the players so hammered for the scene so they would be loose during filming.

I remember walking past a trailer and just seeing these huge football players absolutely wasted and singing a cappella, it was hilarious.

The Trebelmakers with the Green Bay Packers

Somewhat switching gears, what was it like to then be featured on a talent competition TV show, The Sing Off?

It was a wild experience. We filmed for ten days over Thanksgiving break, so we missed half a week of school. We all flew to LA, and had to be driven literally everywhere in a big van together.

They had handlers for each team and so basically we were their responsibility, so we had to go everywhere together. It was a great bonding experience. We rehearsed so much, so all of our days were very structured and scheduled. Some of us would meet with producers to film packages for the show, others would practice vocals. All of our dances were choreographed by professionals, so we would have dance practices at the studio.

All of the showbiz stuff was great. But getting to be there with the guys was the best, and we also developed friendships with all of the other groups we competed with which was so cool.

Ted front and center during a performance on The Sing Off

How did your big win on The Sing Off impact your team overall?

Since our win, we have definitely had a lot of amazing opportunities afforded to us. The Melodores got to perform at the White House, and they’re going to Europe for spring break this year. There was also just a lot more awareness and public knowledge about who we are on campus.

There was definitely a big bump in all of our Instagram followers. But we really focus on the brotherhood aspect of our team, and that was definitely strengthened by the entire experience. I wouldn’t have wanted to win with anyone else.

The Melodores celebrate their big win

What has being a Melodore meant to you? What does it take?

Like I mentioned before, we are a brotherhood. I didn’t even want to rush a fraternity initially because these were already my brothers. We are such a tight knit group, and we do a lot together – we practice, we study, we hang out. I am so thankful for having the opportunity to be a part of this group.

It takes a lot of dedication and talent to be a Melodore, but ultimately you must have a love and passion for music, and making music with 12 guys who will become your best friends. It’s all about the passion and the drive. We love this, so we want to be the best that we can be.

Throwback pic of Ted and his fellow Melodores

And finally, what are you doing now in Nashville? What doors has being a Melodore opened for you?

Connections are what open doors, and I was lucky enough to make a lot of connections doing Pitch Perfect 2. It’s all about who you know, so I need to keep up with everyone I know in order to stay on their radar. Being a Melodore and being in Pitch Perfect 2 really legitimizes me as an actor and a singer, and it’s great to have on a resume.

Right now, I’m working at a radio station called Lightning 100. I wanted to take a year to stay in Nashville, a city I already know, in order to get my feet wet and understand the music industry here first. In the future, I think I’ll move to LA so I can hopefully pursue a singing and acting career. But first I want to grow and plant roots in Nashville.

Any last tips for all of us still here at Vandy?

I majored in HOD with a corporate strategy minor. That degree has definitely been beneficial in terms of knowing how to work with other people, but ultimately, you need to do what you are passionate about and that is what will open doors for you. A lot of time at Vandy is spent worrying about your next job, your next internship, the next thing you can put on your resume.

What I’ve learned is that you just need to do what you love. Don’t do things just so you can put them on your resume, otherwise you won’t be happy. Ditch what is expected and do what motivates and inspires you and know that everything will work out. It’s very hard to battle that, trust me, but that’s the biggest message I want to send.