Shondo Blades On Entering ABC’s The QuestPosted by Wilson Morales
August 6, 2014
Currently airing on Thursdays on ABC is their unscripted fantasy series “The Quest,” a reality show that literally takes contestants and audiences to an amazing, imaginative realm, where the ogres are advancing in the woods, the dragons are stirring, agents of a dark lord are infiltrating the keep, and the only thing that stands between peace and chaos are 12 very unlikely heroes.
From the producers of “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, paired with the producers of “The Amazing Race,” “The Quest” is a fully immersive experience. In and around this castle, our fantasy realm comes to life with state-of-the art projections, animatronics, prosthetics, real-time motion capture and art direction. The narrative and mythology of “The Quest” is deep and fully imagined, and it was designed to incorporate seamlessly with the unexpected actions and decisions of our contestants where fantasy comes alive as it never has before in this genre-bending series.
Among the contestants is Shondo Blades, a Mixed Martial Artist from Houston, TX yearning to become the next action star.
In speaking with Blackfilm.com, Blades talks about joining The Quest to help fulfill his dream.
For those who didn’t the first episode, how would you best describe the show?
Shondo Blades: The Quest is basically The Game of Thrones and Survivor on a crash course collision for each other.
How do you figure into the show?
SB: I’m a Paladin, a warrior who fell into the fantasy kingdom called Everealm. I’m there to help save the land. That’s basically what my character is on the show.
Coming in from the MMA world, what was the attraction to doing this?
SB: Basically, my whole life I’ve grown up thinking I was a superhero, and the thing that I did was go watch movies and then go try to do them. But the difference between me and other people is that they might play a video game or something else, but I was blessed enough that in my profession, I saw what someone did in a movie and I could do that in real life. That’s where my stuff stems from. I always thought I was a hero and in mixed martial arts, I was able to display that and I was also able to do that on the show.
Were you approached to join the show or did you audition for it?
SB: I went to an audition but the guys that was looking for people were doing another show that they wanted me on called ‘Fight Master.’ That’s on Spike TV, but they told me about this other show that they were doing and they thought I would be good to go out for that and so I did. It was amazing when I went out for it.
With so many reality series on TV and some similar to The Quest, what do you think will attract an audience to see this show on Thursdays?
SB: This is the first time where the reality element and scripted element are blended together. Usually, it’s one or the other, but you actually have a storyline and a plot to follow from week to week. Everything feeds into the next week but you have the reality elements that’s taking place at the same time so that you can react to how you would do things if in the same situation. That’s what is going to make people watch. Actually human reaction, reality based but along with scripted element and it will tie into each episode week to week.
Whether you win or not, what are your goals afterwards?
SB: My goal is to be the next action star. That’s why I do all of this. That’s why MMA was a natural progression. That’s what I wanted to do since I was younger. It just took me a while to be able to go through the channels to be able to get it done. I went into the MMA world because I thought that would validate me if I did act in a movie. My thing is when I watch an action movie, I wonder if the (lead) guy is doing his scenes for real. I love all these guys that are acting in an action movies but there’s always that question. With me, all you have to do is turn on the tape on Shondo. So, I’m trying to take this to the next level and become the next action star.
When you look at Randy Couture and Ronda Rousey, who come from the MMA world and will next be seen in ‘The Expendables 3,’ do they serve as an inspiration for you?
SB: Of course, it’s an inspiration to see people do that because they are actual warriors and they are doing what they have done in real life on the screen. They are able to do it better and they are validated because we have seen Randy Couture beat the crap out of people in real life. I love watching people who have done this in the arena and now doing it on the big screen.
What’s the best thing you’ve done on The Quest?
SB: Probably the medieval training. If you’re a fighter, you’ll love the warrior stuff and things like that. With the medieval training we got involved with horseback riding, archery, and yielding a sword, and it was just awesome. That whole warrior atmosphere was a dope experience.
When you’re not fighting or on TV, what keeps you humbled?
SB: I just want to get one percent better. I never look at everything that I’m doing. I just look at getting better and better at my craft everyday. Getting betting at being a walking, talking superhero.
