PILOT BUNCH TALKS LITTLE BROTHER
"Love comes out in a messy way"
Daniel John
In 'Little Brother', one family's world is turned upside-down by the unexpected return of the dad's eccentric little brother. A film built around family, what made you want to join this one, and what family did you actually end up finding on set, on and off camera?
The reason I joined 'Little Brother' was because it was a truly heartwarming story, and it gave me the chance to work with absolute legends of the industry. Going onto any set is always exciting and nerve-racking at first, but with this one, I really did come away with a little family. Working with my more experienced co-stars, Eric André, John Cena, and Michelle Monaghan, I got to learn from them and pick up little bits of wisdom they've gathered throughout their careers. But honestly, two of my favorite connections from this project were my co-stars Bryce Gheisar and Sophia Bunnell. We clicked immediately, and the entire time we were in New York, we were hanging out. It was an absolute dream. I'm incredibly grateful for both of them and their friendship.
Playing Shane Landy and navigating his place in the family as both a son and an older brother, how did you want the audience to see him?
Originally, my idea of Shane was that he really was a pretty rough older brother. But I realized it all came from a place of wanting to be better, to impress his father, and to be just as strong as he was. Unfortunately, that meant picking on his younger brother, Corey, to make himself feel bigger. The funny thing is, he truly does love his little brother, and that's actually part of why he picks on him so much. Along with wanting to impress his father, he also wants to toughen Corey up. I hope audiences see that beneath all the teasing, Shane is just a kid trying to figure out where he fits in his family.
Director Matt Spicer brought elements of his own relationship with his brother into the film. Is that something you could do in your character work as well, bringing something from your own life into Shane?
Yeah, that's something that really helped me on this project. I am the oldest sibling, so I definitely understand the sometimes violent and chaotic relationship between brothers. You love each other more than anything, but there are definitely times when you're at each other's throats. It's never out of hate or malice, it's usually just love coming out in a messy way. Sometimes roughhousing and punching each other around is how you show that love, and I think that's really how Shane navigates through life.
You started out in children's theatre at nine, in a third-grade production of 'The Lion King'. As I understand it, your parents introduced you to the theatre-stage not so much for the spotlight, but as a space for you to come into yourself?
I was an extremely energetic kid, always in your face, grabbing attention, and performing every chance I got. My parents saw that and figured they should put me into something where I could channel all of that energy before it became more harmful than helpful, so they put me in theatre. That's where I learned social skills, spatial awareness, and ultimately found the love of my life, my purpose. So yeah, I'd definitely say it was their way of helping me come into myself.
What do you figure having had a personal connection and exploration of acting before actually entering the industry gave you?
To be honest, there's really no difference between a professional and non-professional setting when it comes to the craft. Whether you're doing a show at your local regional theatre or performing in the biggest Broadway-production of all time, there should always be that same sense of professionalism. In terms of the work itself, there was never really a difference for me. The only differences that arise are the ones you create in your own mind. I've been performing since I was nine, and when I stepped into the professional industry, the same things were still required of me. A lot of people think that because you're not working professionally, the craft somehow changes. But the truth is, the work stays the same no matter where you're doing it. If you respect the work, the work will respect you back.
Acting is also a craft that often continues beyond the time spent on set, what do you do to reset and recharge?
Acting isn't just what happens when you get to set. The work is happening every day off set too, the auditions, the callbacks, the memorization you have to rush to get done the night before. All of that is part of being an actor. And that's the part people don't always see. So when you ask what I do to rest and recharge, if I'm being honest, being on set is actually what recharges me. Outside of that, I love cooking, skateboarding, playing music, and just spending time with the people I love most.
Comedy has been declared to be “back” in recent years, so often that maybe we can argue it is. What comedies, new and old, always get a laugh out of you?
Comedy is a really interesting subject. I think our current world hasn't been especially kind to it, and that's a shame. Comedy definitely took a hit, but I think it's slowly starting to find its footing again. A lot of that comes from the fact that people are so quick to be at each other's throats. Too often, everyone is looking for a reason to call someone out instead of just enjoying the joke. Some of my all-time favorite comedies are 'Mrs. Doubtfire', 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off' and 'Road Trip'. Those movies never fail to make me laugh.
