Noah Beck is stepping into the world of acting with his debut role in the new Tubi teen romance Sidelined: The QB and Me. The 23-year-old former soccer player and TikTok sensation stars as Drayton, a popular high school quarterback, alongside Siena Agudong, who plays his love interest, Dallas. The film, directed by Justin Wu, is based on the Wattpad young adult novel The QB Bad Boy and Me by Tay Marley.
Beck, who has built a massive following on social media over the past few years, is now venturing into a new creative space. In an interview, Beck shared his excitement about transitioning from TikTok to acting, noting that he has always wanted to explore this path.
“For the longest time, when the idea of acting floated in my head, I was like, ‘I want to do this.’ And I liked the idea of starting from scratch, not really knowing much about the space,” Beck said to Variety. “I was constantly seeking something more and wanting to do something creatively that felt bigger than me and collaborative. And I think acting and the industry and movies, it does just that.”
Beck’s rise to fame began on TikTok about four years ago. With 32.9 million followers and 2.5 billion likes, as well as 8 million followers on Instagram, Beck has become one of the platform’s biggest stars. His relatable content and engaging personality have resonated with millions of fans, but now he’s ready to broaden his horizons.
In fact, Beck first mentioned his desire to transition into acting during an interview at the 2023 GQ Men of the Year party in Los Angeles. “I think my next big goal is to go from a small screen to a big screen,” Beck told People at the time.
Since then, Beck has worked hard to prepare for his new role. He took acting classes and started reading scripts, eager to challenge himself and move beyond his social media fame. “I felt like I was hitting this thing with social media where I was like, ‘Where do I go from here? What’s the next thing you do?’” Beck explained. “And I was like, ‘Why not? If the opportunity presents itself, why would I not try and say yes to everything that comes my way?'”
However, Beck isn’t ready to leave social media behind just yet. Despite his acting aspirations, he emphasized that TikTok will always be a part of his life. “I don’t ever want to neglect TikTok, because it has truly made me who I am, as a person, one, but two, career-wise, I wouldn’t be here without TikTok,” he said. “I do owe a lot of my success to that, and I have fun with it. It’s not really a job, you know what I mean? It is a part of life that yes, it does pay the bills, it’s been very kind to me, but I think I still have fun with it. As long as I’m still having fun with it, I will continue to post on it and be active and in the meantime, continue to hopefully make movies, if they’ll have me.”
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Though Beck is excited about his acting debut, he understands that entering the public spotlight in a new way will come with its share of challenges. He acknowledged that some people will criticize his foray into acting. “People can be cruel and nasty for no reason,” he said. “I don’t think I have a bone in my body that wants to be problematic. Peace has been my mantra for the past few years, honestly. I am a much happier person when I have good morals, when I do things that make me feel good and make others around me feel good. So I know these things that are being said online, if it becomes toxic or whatnot, they don’t affect me personally because…they don’t know me.”
Despite potential online negativity, Beck is proud of his work in Sidelined and is grateful for the experience. “With this movie coming out, there will be people who have something to say, but I’m proud of the project and I am so happy with everything that went into it,” he shared.
A highlight of Beck’s experience on Sidelined has been working with James Van Der Beek, who plays his father in the film. Van Der Beek, known for his role on Dawson’s Creek, made headlines in early November when he revealed that he had been diagnosed with colorectal cancer. Beck was deeply moved by the news and reached out to Van Der Beek immediately. “It was gut-wrenching,” Beck said. “I immediately sent him a text and I was like, ‘I don’t have many words, but you know that I’m here for you.’”
Van Der Beek, who attended the premiere of Sidelined in Los Angeles shortly after his diagnosis, surprised Beck by making the trip. “When I first saw him, I got goosebumps because him making the trip was amazing,” Beck recalled. “And him sitting through the whole movie and just, again, sharing a moment with him after was pretty amazing.”
As Beck continues to explore new creative avenues, his fans are eager to see how he balances his TikTok career with his new acting endeavors. For now, though, Sidelined: The QB and Me marks an exciting step forward in Beck’s career as he continues to chase his dreams in the entertainment industry.
The film, which also stars Agudong and features a range of young talent, is available for streaming on Tubi.
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