Wrapped - The Offer

Got the opportunity to work with an old friend from class in a lil number somewhere between Ozark and Breaking Bad. Not a bad way to spend a night.

Wrapped - Countdown

Here’s my parallel universe clone as imagined by AI in a show I just wrapped with some of the most delightful people to be around.

I got to dip my toe in this thriller as a biker goon and play make-em-ups with people I’ve long admired on TV and film. Everyone in the green room were people I had seen before who gave me the feeling that ‘oh I remember them in a lot of different things, all of them great performances’.

One of the days was a big group scene, so it turned out to be a long day - but was made so much easier by being surrounded by positive attitudes. You forget how much fun it is to work hard and get to that sweet sweet ‘martini shot’ of the day. Makes you respect how hard being a regular on a set is, whether it be cast or crew, because they’re doing this day after day - pumping out the hits.

My son asked me how my job playing a ‘tough guy’ was at my acting work. Very fun, little dude, very fun.

New Favorite - Mr. In Between

This show falls into the fantasy of ‘older guy who is still a badass’. I fully acknowledge this is a feature of this entertainment that draws me in, being squarely advancing towards middle age (depending on what metric we use here), and yet I enjoy it anyway.

I usually internally chuckle at these shows/movies and how ridiculous they are in fulfilling the protection fantasy of older dudes who are righteously violent. I can’t fully invest in the reality of a story if it seems to be fulfilling these fantasies, but I do enjoy them all the same. It’s entertaining, but at a distance. A couple of examples are ‘Nobody’ and the later movies of the series ‘The Equalizer’ - I have no problem with enjoying the entertainment of these, but I’m just bemused by the amount of violence these older gentlemen are capable of inflicting because they’re just THAT GOOD at it. It’s fun, I get it, beware old men in the trade of violence because there’s a reason they’re still alive and all that.

At what point do they stop due to the invulnerable enemy of entropy? Why not see a movie of a badass in a walker slamming people about? Would love to see that dark comedy.

I digress, again - no beef with this genre. I just want to celebrate this show, because the violence within it seems plausible. This fellow Ray here has a sharp instinct for when to use violence, he employs it quickly/usually pre-emptively, he gains the upper hand through tactics (experience), and it ends quickly. He also endures injuries that remain for the entire episode, if not through multiple episodes. He loses things dear to him that he can’t get back. The episodes with his disabled brother are heartbreaking, tackling the pains of a debilitating condition from the POV of the person going through it. Their storyline was incredibly moving and possibly the best part of it.

There’s also a great teen/dad dynamic going on, a few oddball friends that are fun, and a great deal of comedy, often peppered with sage perspectives on how the world works. Also - accents. Good on ya if you watch it.

Wrapped - Reel Scenes

With a stagnation in new shows (from negotiations with the IATSE, and a more conservative approach to production) comes another break I’ve decided to make what can.

Fortunately, life with kids is an embarrassment of riches as far as things to do, and moments to behold. I’ve very much enjoyed spending time with the two little ones.

But still, duty calls from time to time - this time in the form of other actors needing scene partners for their reels. Just wrapped two shoots, one with Relentless Filmworks, and the other with I Look Like Myself, two great reel production companies in LA that will shoot and edit scenes that belong in a variety of genres and mediums.

Check em out if you’re in the market for such a thing. I might even be your scene partner if you’re looking for a farmer, or a high fashion thug skimming his boss, or a lovelorn widower.

What's Up - New Manager

I have joined up with a new manager at Aegis Talent.

Aside from having an amazing person in my corner, their company’s name implies that I will be heading into battle with either a ‘shield of Jupiter’ or ‘mantle of Zeus’. It’s a breastplate or shield of majesty, possibly made of goatskin or covered by it. Adorning myself with a kingly god’s boon can likely only be a good thing.

This was made by AI, and I’m wondering what this great role is that AI thinks I’m bound to play. Looks pretty rad.

Now Playing - NCIS

The season finale of NCIS is now streaming!

STREAM IT ALREADY

I play a Russian inmate with a penchant for violence. Typecasting I guess.

You can catch glimpses of my stunt double here and there in the big fight scene. Here is Nick Epper and I being twins on set:

Gotta do this spiderman meme shot w/ your stunt double. It’s in my contract.

Here’s this guy who kept kicking my ass:

Here is my Russian prison gang (Themo and Chris):

Super fun shoot. Most fun I’ve had on a TV set. Great crew. Talented actors. Stoked for people to watch it.

We look VERY friendly here. I assure you our onscreen relationship is very contentious.

Now Playing - The Company You Keep

Very fashion, very eyes wide shut, very enigmatic doorman.

Check it out streaming on the Hulu and the ABC and wherever else you can find this show.

Here’s one of said places -

This was the first time I’ve heard an apple box* be requested for me. It was later decided that I was indeed tall enough for the desired effect.

Very grateful to hop up to Malibu to shoot this fun scene.

*apple box - a wooden box of standard size that serves to raise one actor or crewperson to a higher position (not an official definition)

Wrapped - NCIS

Finished shooting the season finale on this long running cornerstone of procedural drama. Very honored to have taken part. Much of the crew on this show has been together since JAG, and that translates…one of the crew members described it as having the spirit of an indie film crew on a network show, and I think that’s pretty apt.

Had the absolute pleasure to work opposite Wilmer Valderrama, Themo Melikidze, and Chris Petrovski, the dp Billy Webb, and director Diana Valentine. All the rest of the crew (Avery/Wyatt/Nick/Elion/Aaron/Carrie/Rich/Karen/Jose/Kurt/errybody) were incredibly welcoming, professional, and all the other things you hope for.

Oh man, also was really stoked to have worked with stunt coordinator Diamond Farnsworth, and my first stunt double - Nick Eppers! I realize how much I miss the choreography of combat. It was also magic to see someone else turned into a clone of myself.

Very excited to see how it all turns out.

Wrapped - The Company You Keep

Finished up a shoot on a show led by this very talented, humble, and hard working dude.

Have been a fan of Milo’s since Heroes, and am grateful to have worked with him. It’s clear he’s using his extensive experience to helm an extremely efficient set. When every single person seems content, that’s a signal that leadership is on the right track.

Very excited to see what comes of this show, and for my appearance as an enigmatic gatekeeper.

What's Up - The Rule of Booking Pt. 3

The Rule of Booking Pt. III - it’s not hard to book, and it never was. It’s fun.

You cannot game the rules of booking. You can’t pretend it’s not hard if it is.

But if there’s any pattern it’s this - you’re busy working on so many different things (creative work included), which creates a state of mind that’s too busy to obsess over your work. You have just enough time to do the work necessary, so you do it, and then share it.

It’s a small relief that it doesn’t need to be hard. But still - you work hard so that it’s not hard. Many of life’s truths are a paradox.

Now Playing - Law and Order

For me on TV with these folks - Check out the episode ‘Benefit of the Doubt’, now streaming on NBC’s site and Peacock:

https://www.nbc.com/law-and-order

These two fine gentlemen were extremely welcoming and so easy to work with. I know that’s not a given, and I appreciate all they did to make my job way easier.

Another thing that made it easier was that the director was this guy - Carl Weathers.

Directors who are actors have a shorthand that makes it very easy to understand what you need to do to make the scene work. Each setup required a few sage words from this dude, resulting in a couple takes each go.

Overall the amazing machine that is this show was somewhat demanding, but so is my teacher (Amy Lyndon), so it didn’t feel like a stretch, just more work.

Practice how you’re gonna play.

Wrapped - Law and Order

Still reeling from an early morning shoot on Law and Order.

I got the opportunity to work with Jeffrey Donovan, Mehcad Brooks, and Carl Weathers using the writing of Peter Blauner to tell a lil crime story.

Each set up only took 2 takes, maybe 3, so it seemed to just whip by. Probably went so smoothly because the director and leads on that show are very supportive of the artists coming in, so I’m very grateful for the experience.

What's Up - The Rule of Booking pt. 2

The Rule of Booking Pt. II - when you leave town for an extended period of time, you will book a Network TV job in another town for an extended period of time.

You cannot game the Rule of Booking Pt. II. The logistics must be so complex to pull this feat off in a short amount of planning time that your brain will be too fried to be excited about the job. It must cost you and your family a small amount of sanity at least. You will have time later to be grateful.

New Favorite - Succession

I’m very late to the party here.

The metaphor/simile game of these writers is razor sharp.

The acting showcases a feast of talent. So much to love from every single person on this show.

With that consistency, I would imagine the whole damn team on this show are just the best at what they do.

Every element is masterful.

When afterward you talk about the characters as if they’re real people, it may be a good indicator the show is a masterpiece.

Wrapped - Reel w/Relentless Filmworks

In the beforetimes, I met with a reel production company and was about to shoot this thing here. Exactly one year later we made it happen.

The goal was/is to get an accurate representation of where my work is now in different genres of TV/film. I’m very excited to see how it turned out.

If anything, it was a very fun exercise in realizing a vision.

Upcoming Shows - Butcher Holler

‘A descent into the male psyche-in-crisis. A linguistic immersive experience entirely lit by headlamps.’

Come join me in the darkness as me and four other dudes sling out Appalachian slang as we spiral into madness.

I’m jumping into the fun for three of the seven performances - 6/14, 6/15, and 6/18

Get yet tix here - https://www.hollywoodfringe.org/projects/5921

See you in the cold dark ground.

For Sale - Again on Amazon

It's Groundhog Day again, so I'm happy to relay that Again is now out for general distribution on Amazon. I couldn't be happier with the life this film had in festivals, and that now anyone can see it if they so desire.

If you feel like getting super meta and watch it today, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR.

Just click on my stupid face above to link to the Amazon page.

Press - Again

Since Again premiered at Tribeca Film Festival, it's received some "fire" reviews, that I'm sure you'll agree are "lit".

Dream Cage   Vulture Hound   London Tree 

Movies Move Me  One Film Fan  Corriente Latina

I couldn't be prouder of this short. It was literally made by a group of friends and funded by their friends and family. Nearly all of the other shorts in our small section were funded by film councils from entire countries, which means this small group of friends went up against entire countries.

Out of over 4,000 films submitted, only 57 were chosen to screen at Tribeca. An even smaller number (20) was chosen for competition. So we were among the 0.5% in the mix.

I'm honored, I'm floored, I'm "wilding out" over this and all the kind things various blogs and website are saying about our short.

Thanks Tribeca, for honoring us with your selection and for being such gracious hosts! I have to particularly thank the young gentleman named Ben, who was our talk back moderator, who made me blush many times by carrying on about film, including a lengthy praise of the acting.

Stop it (keep going).

Upcoming Screenings - Again

What's up, NYC! Tickets for our screenings of Again at Tribeca Film Festival are available.

Grab them HERE before they sell out!

Our screening dates and times are:

• 4/20 @ 7:00PM at Regal Cinemas Battery Park (102 North End Ave.)
• 4/24 @ 9:00PM at Regal Cinemas Battery Park (102 North End Ave.)
• 4/26 @ 6:45PM at Regal Cinemas Battery Park (102 North End Ave.)
• 4/29 @ 6:30PM at Cinepolis Chelsea (260 W. 23rd St.)

Hope to see you there!

Again at Tribeca Film Festival!!!

'Again' is premiering at Tribeca Film Festival. Can't wait to celebrate the work of our project and others. SO. EXCITED.

From the intuitive wizardry of director Alexis Jacknow, to the intricate emotion of my co-star Aubrey Dollar, to the gut punching sweetness of the script by my wife Bekah Brunstetter, to the inventive eye of DP Rick Diaz, to the effete swiftness of producers Stephanie Hall Marin and Tyler Evans, I think we've got something worth watching.

If you want to support this film, please go here - https://www.seedandspark.com/fund/again#wishlist