When you have to meet a person for an interview (whether he’s an actor or a director or an influential personality in the world of fashion or beauty) you never know what to expect. Before meeting Brett Dier, however, I knew one thing: he seemed like an extremely fun person, with an incredible sense of humor and he had given life to Michael Cordero (now literally resurrected) in one of my favorite TV series of all time: “Jane the Virgin.”
We met him in LA, specifically in Venice Beach, and when we showed up, one of the first things he asked me was if the interviews we had done in those days had gone well and if everyone had been kind to us (which it was, luckily). This made me understand that the interview with him was going to be something different: it was one of the nicest chats that I’ve had in my work so far.
He is not full of himself, he has a dark sense of humor, which is so natural that one can’t help but laugh, he has an enviable mantra of life and he’s interested in others, genuinely. During the interview he also asked me questions, wondering which was the last series I had seen, how I was and the last film we, the guys of the team, had seen.
A quiet chat on the beach, sitting on the sand, with only the sound of the ocean in the background (and that of seagulls, airplanes, and wind), if we don’t count the coming of a baby Husky that he thought was a seagull and that, quoting him, made him “shit his pants.”
But the best thing perhaps was to let him be “completely” himself: a showman who showed us a wonderful backflip, who played with anything around him and thanked us for “letting him do it,” free.
In fact, freedom is one of the things we talked about in the interview. Freedom of being yourself, to improvise and to believe in yourself. In fact, one of the most important things is “not taking yourself too seriously” and “remembering how we were when we were kids.” And Brett, of course, reminded that to us. (Thank you).
_______________
What kind of stories do you dream to tell?
_______________
That’s a good question. I really just want to entertain people in my whole life, that’s my goal, to bring joy to people and to make people feel things, so if there is a story that is either really really funny or really really sad… as long as it’s making somebody feel something, that’s what I want to do.
_______________
The best comedian of the moment for you? And the best of all time?
_______________
Oh, wow! Best Comedian… I think the best comedian actor is Jim Carrey because he is in a league of his own, he is so original.
_______________
Your sense of humor sometimes reminds me of him…
_______________
Really? Thank you! He is amazing. I really like Ricky Gervais too, I think he is pretty funny, and he is actually a good actor too, dramatically. I’ve seen him have really good moments and stuff. And I like Steve Carell, him and Jim Carrey as actors: those are my favorites.
“I really just want to entertain people in my whole life, that’s my goal, to bring joy to people and to make people feel things…”
_______________
What do you look for in a script when you read it?
_______________
I personally want to feel entertained when I read something, you know, if it’s a comedy I want to do something that hasn’t really been done, because there are a lot of stories about college kids getting drunk, and that’s overplayed, so I want to do comedies that are really original and I really want to look at a script and think “Oh, I have never done that before” or “that hasn’t been done.” That’s the kind of thing I want to do.
_______________
How do you like to interact with the Director while filming?
_______________
I want to be in an honest relationship, I don’t want to feel like the director has to beat around the bush with me. I just love honesty, like if I suck… just tell me if I suck! So, I can then figure out what’s going on and then I can make it better. I just want a good communication… and hopefully, we are on the same page. I also like freedom a lot. I think it is really important for me, just as an actor, that I have my own freedom and don’t have to stick to the lines and not be able to improvise, I like being able to improvise and be free.
_______________
What was the project in which you felt the freest?
_______________
Well, I just did that movie that went to SXSW Film Festival, “The New Romantic.” I felt really free. And I also did this French movie called “Genèse” that’s not out yet, that was really free too. It was a lot of fun.
The Freedom Backflip by Brett
1…
2…
…3!
_______________
And about “The New Romantic,” what can you tell us about it?
_______________
It’s a kind of a dark comedy and I play this cynical guy, you can tell he’s got a little bit of depression but he is really charming at the same time. In the end, he and the girl end up together. Not to ruin anything, but.. that happens! [laughs] And I liked the script a lot, it was really sweet.
_______________
How did you approach this new character?
_______________
I read a lot of Bukowski, have you heard of this guy? He is a poet. So, my character plays a writer so I had to read a lot of poetry and stuff, like George Orwell and Bukowski. I read thousands of tons of Bukowski. And I noticed, because Bukowski has a very dark vision, he is very depressed, his writing is very jaded and cynical and intense, and actually reading that many poems it actually made me feel that way, it was weird, like I was starting feeling depressed. But he is a great, great poet! Just I won’t read him again.
_______________
Do you think “The New Romantic” could be a true mirror of relationships nowadays?
_______________
Yes, I think so. I think it was realistic, that’s why I also liked the script because it was very grounded and realistic, it wasn’t over the top, it wasn’t like “Oh, that wouldn’t happen.” It felt really real, that’s why I liked the script too.
_______________
And how was the mood with the cast?
_______________
Oh, they were great. We all got along, there was no fights or anything, so that’s good. But I get along with everyone, I’ve actually haven’t had an experience that has been bad in my career, even now that I have been doing it for 12 years, so that’s pretty good.
“…I also liked the script because it was very grounded and realistic.”
________________
About “Jane the Virgin,” do you miss it?
________________
I do, I do miss it a lot. They are my family, I feel them really close to me. I love that show. Have you seen it?
Yes!
You have?
Yes, all of it!
Really? Sweet.
I cried…
You cried?! When I crocked? Yes, it was a sad day. I cried too, it was sad for everyone. It was also killing my character in a way, I felt really close to Michael at that point, I played him for 3 years so he started to become a part of me in a way.
________________
Maybe I’m wrong, but in the end, when you decided to leave the police and try with other jobs, I really saw a lot of your comedic sense of humor…
________________
Yes, I think the writers did that for me a little bit because I really wanted to do something crazy because Michael is a very straight guy, he is very serious, he is like the serious person of the show, even Rafael if you like, these are the two serious guys. While Rogelio is the funny one. It was actually hard for me to play serious all the time because we shoot that show 8 months of the year, 8 months straight, it’s a long time. So, being serious for me was really, really difficult after a while. So, I’m glad they let me be funny for a second in the show.
“…being serious for me was really, really difficult after a while. So, I’m glad they let me be funny for a second in the show.”
_______________
The best piece of advice you have ever received in your career.
_______________
That’s a good question, I wish I could answer that articulately… is articulately even a word? See?! I don’t know how to speak!
Best piece of advice? I don’t know, that’s a tough one. My opinion about acting changes all the time. If I were to say something right now about acting or life, it would be probably different in a year, because I think my ideas change too much. But I recently really got into meditation, in spirituality and that kind of stuff, so my life advice is to stay present and always witness your ego, don’t be a part of the thoughts that go on in your head, just allowed them to be, to surrender to the present moment. It’s the best life advice I can possibly give, because by doing that it actually changes my life. Recently I’ve just got into Eckhart Tolle. Have you heard of him? He is a spiritual guru, he is amazing, you have to look into him, he changed my life in a lot of things. So, the whole concept is staying present, staying in the now and just surrender to life, that’s what I would say, because a lot of beautiful things happen when you do that.
_______________
I also love one of your favorite quote: “Remember how you saw life as a kid. That was the right way.” And “do not take yourself too seriously.”
_______________
I agree, that too. Do you remember how freeing it was to be a kid? We were not walking around worrying about what people think of us. As a kid, we were just free, and we were playing and it was all fun. I think that is a really important thing to remember. Yeah, so live your life, remember how it was your life as a kid.
_______________
It really helped me. Every time I am too worried about something I think of that: “I don’t have to take myself too seriously.” I have to remember it, I keep saying it.
_______________
Oh, that’s good, that makes me really happy. This is what I believe honestly to my core, I believe that we are here on earth just to experience life, and there is nothing else that needs to offend us or make us sad or make us some sadder or feel anxiety. We are just here to witness everything. The second you start attaching yourself to things, and someone calls you a name and you go all upset, that’s when your inner pieces are going to sly. You are here to experience life and to enjoy it. It’s all we have, really.
“You are here to experience life and to enjoy it. It’s all we have, really.”
_______________
What was for you one of the hardest parts of your job? Have you ever had a difficult moment to overcome?
_______________
Acting is a very hard industry to begin with, it’s really hard to get work. I think the hardest thing is second-guessing myself, so not believing in myself. There are moments in the past where I’ve really… I was thinking what is going to happen to me, am I ever going to get a job that is going to bring me to the next level? I have been acting for 12 years coming from Canada, so it was really hard for me to get over here in the States, in America, it is really hard to make it when you are Canadian, over here. There is a lot of self-doubts and I think getting over the self-doubt is one of the hardest things, and just to believe in yourself.
_______________
What’s next for you? What are your upcoming projects?
_______________
I’ve just done a pilot for CBS, called “History Of Them,” which I am really excited for. It’s from the creators of “How I Met Your Mother,” have you heard of that show?
Yeah, I saw it all twice!
Oh, you did it? Oh, awesome dude! It’s from the same people that did that, it’s going to be really funny. So I hope we get picked up, and if we get picked up and if it goes, it’s going to be on CBS. I really hope it does. It’s a sit-com so there is a live studio audience, it’s really fun.
“I think the hardest thing is second-guessing myself, so not believing in myself.”
_______________
What’s acting to you?
_______________
I think it’s a mixture of a couple of things. I think that acting to me is emoting what I’m going through in my life, I like to bring myself to things and to make people feel things, to help people escape, whatever the problems they are going through, just watch something. I think it’s important in life to have that kind of escape, just leave your problems at home and watch like “Jane the Virgin” or “How I Met Your Mother.” Acting to me is also showing people what humanity is, show people what humans are. This is what I want! I want an alien to come from space to go and pick-up a TV show, and watch it and go “Oh, so this is what humans are like?” That will be fun! Also, image what shows are on other planets, I wonder if aliens have television, I wonder what they are watching. Come here and share!
_______________
What’s the last series you have binge-watched?
_______________
“Friends”! It’s the best. It’s honestly the best show I have ever seen. I’ve just finished the last episode of “Friends” two days ago actually, we have watched 246 episodes, me and my girlfriend Haley, yes I know, I have no life… but I cried at the end, I felt like these people were my friends, I really like these people, so weird. I had such an emotional time, best show ever. I’ve just seen it, I’m late, I’m late to the game. But you should watch it, it’s amazing.
_______________
The last movie you have seen you really loved?
_______________
The last movie I saw that I actually really liked… Have you heard of “Brad’s Status”? It is a Ben Stiller’s movie. It was just really randomly a good movie. I haven’t heard about it very much, but it’s was just on, I just saw it “Oh, a new Best Stiller movie” and it was surprisingly really good, I liked it a lot. He is such a good actor. He is so good, he is so good at playing awkward. Have you seen “Meet the Parents”?
Yeah, of course!
Those are best, I love those. What about you, what’s the last show you have you seen lately?
I think it was “Seven Seconds,” I really liked it. But one of my absolute favorites is “True Detective.”
Oh, yes! Have you seen “Fargo”? That’s a good one! And “Breaking Bad”? That’s the best.
“I think it’s important in life to have that kind of escape, just leave your problems at home…”
He really liked my shoes.
_____
Photos and Video by Johnny Carrano.
Grooming by Michelle Harvey at Opus Beauty using Kevin Murphy and CHANEL Palette Essentielle.
Loved reading this. It’s funny because every time I read Brett’s parts my brain would automatically read it in michaels voice haha !
Such a well rounded and grounded man !! God I wish we were like bffs, you’d be like fancy water , you would make the quality of my life 100372902 times better haha !