INTERVIEW: Aaron Bray goes to new heights on ‘Pushing the Line’
Photo: Pushing the Line features the adventures of slackliner Aaron Bray. Photo courtesy of Discovery / Provided by press rep with permission.
Pushing the Line, the new reality series from discovery+, follows an adventurous activity that to many people would be a terrible nightmare. The subject of the show is the art of slacklining, which finds participants walking on a 1-inch rope sometimes several hundred feet above the ground. The series tracks not only their death-defying time on the rope, but also their life before and after they ascend to new heights.
Some of the personalities on the series include Spencer Seabrooke, Andy Lewis and Mia Nobel, and audiences can expect to see challenges in and around Moab, Utah, plus some scenes in the Colorado Rockies.
Recently Hollywood Soapbox exchanged emails with Aaron Bray, a slackliner who is featured on Pushing the Line. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.
First off, could you describe the difference between slackline, trickline and highline?
Absolutely, the difference is just the prefix. They’re all under the umbrella of slacklining. It’s all down to the way the line is set and the elements. For example, a waterline is over water. A highline is high in the air. A trick line describes the line — it’s tight and designed to do tricks. We put all these terms in front to categorize what the slackline is, the conditions or how the specific line is behaving.
When did you first get into this sport?
I started in 2016 around the summer when I saw someone doing it at the park.
What’s going through your mind when you’re up on the line?
I’m mostly just trying to remain calm! And I’m figuring out what my body needs to do. I need to remain in the zone and stay focused on the flow state.
What do your family members and friends think of this sport?
They think it’s crazy but cool at the same time.
What’s the motivation for you to get up on the line? Is it a competitive spirit? Personal drive?
For me, it’s more about the personal drive. Every time I get out there, I’m trying to better myself. There is a lot of personal drive behind what I do for everything in my life.
Is the sport as dangerous as it looks?
No, it’s not as dangerous as it looks, if you do it safely.
Do you watch yourself on TV, or would you prefer not to?
I’ve been going back and forth on this one. I’ve been watching it more — just out of the curiosity. But I could also just as easily not.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Pushing the Line is now streaming on discovery+, the new streaming network from Discovery. Click here for more information.
