Meet Tyler Hansen | Actor / Writer / Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tyler Hansen and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tyler, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
I’m from Eden, NC, which is a very small, southern town. I grew up an only child (well, I’m still an only child), but had an annoyingly big imagination. I can’t pinpoint exactly when I knew I wanted to be an actor, but my mom says when I was 3 or 4 I turned to her after watching a movie and simply said “I want to do that.” And it hasn’t changed since.

Fridays were my favorite day of the week — not because it meant no school for two days… but because it meant “Blockbuster.” Every Friday my mom would pick me up from school and take me to Blockbuster where I would spend hours (not kidding) finding the perfect movies to watch over the weekend. Some I’d watch over an over. Going to the movie theater was also the reward system my mom implemented… I didn’t need an allowance.

To this day I buy the physical copies of movies because it’s the closest I feel to renting videos when I was a kid. I still take myself on dates to the movie theater. And I’ve made film my life.

Long story short: I was a lonely kid with big dreams in a small town and now I’m a big kid with big dreams… in a big town with so many others who also have those same big dreams..

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I moved to Los Angeles after graduating with my BFA in Acting from Elon University. As most people, I thought I was going to hit it big very quickly — I mean, I had an agent, some casting directors already knew me, and I had a decent theater resume. I was bound to get discovered immediately…

… We all know where that story typically leads. The entertainment industry is far harder than a sheltered, small town boy could’ve expected. I worked 5 jobs, I was taking acting classes and casting director workshops, I was making meals on granola bars to save money for my next headshot session. I was grinding. Hard.

I quickly found my way back into theatre and – in addition to my Elon network I moved here with – that’s how I found my tribe and my first steps towards my film and TV success. I lucked out with [most of] the theatre experiences I had in that the companies were reputable enough to bring in industry professionals who have the power to help you land that role. But I quickly learned how much luck comes into play as well. Even though I had these elite Hollywood power-holders in my court, I still wasn’t booking. What that taught me is that having that tribe is far more important than one might think. I’m grateful for those that cheered me on and were also there to pick me up when every fall started to hurt more and more.

I later produced a play that I also starred in, and that’s when the creative bug really got me. It felt good to finally hold some power in my career. I then started thinking about the web series I had co-created/written/starred in in college and how much fun that was. I had always been a fan of writing, so I thought that I should really start leaning into that creative side and take more control of my voice as an artist.

This journey led me to meeting and working with some of my idols who’ve created and/or worked on films and TV shows that have greatly inspired me. Once I started getting super clear on how I wanted my career to look and what ways I wanted to challenge myself and grow as an artist… that’s when things finally started clicking.

CUT TO: Now. Now I have a series in development with a production company I admire. I have a short I wrote and starred in in post-production. And I’m about to start filming a feature that I wrote and will direct.

If there’s one thing I would say to those pursing a similar path as me: stop throwing spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks. Get crystal clear on what you want and go for it 120%. And be a good human.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
We would have to start with grabbing a Blueberry Iced Coffee from Priscilla’s Coffee in Burbank. I used to work there and I still love the environment and know most of the regulars. Since we’re in the area, a tour of Warner Brothers would have to be next. I’ve been in Los Angeles 8 years and I still find so much joy in that tour.

Now that the morning is ending, it’s time for lunch. Aroma Coffee & Tea Company in Studio City would follow the tour. I would recommend the Cobb Salad because it’s the best salad in LA, but would totally get it if the Crab Cake Sandwich were on special that day. And since we’re treating ourselves: we’ve got to share a slice of cake.

Now would be a good time to hit the 405 and head towards Santa Monica. I mean, you have to check out the pier, Third Street promenade, and the Venice boardwalk and canals. We’d then grab dinner and a margarita at Mercado.

Since it’s a weeklong trip, other musts would be: hiking Griffith to see the Hollywood sign and the Bronson Cave, The Griffith Observatory, Grand Central Market, Dodgers game (depending on time of year), catching a movie at the New Beverly Cinema, eating at Casa Vega, Hollywood Farmer’s Market, people watching at some swanky WeHo bar, driving Mulholland at night, Pointe Dume in Malibu, and a show at the Hollywood Bowl if anything good is playing! I’d also insist we take a two-day trip out to Joshua Tree.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
First and foremost I have to give a huge shoutout to my family. Never have they tried to convince me to choose a stable career path. They’ve always been the most supportive people in my life and continue to lift me up when I need that extra push to keep going. And secondly, my LA family. It’s underestimated how important it is to find your tribe in a big city. I consider myself one lucky guy to have such a big, supportive, stable, loving, and inspiring group of friends and creatives. There’s so many to shoutout specifically, but to name a few who’ve been major supporters in my life and career: Amanda Richards, Bert V Royal, Chad Villella, Jake Deptula, Eileen O’Farrell and Sam Retzky.

Instagram: @deartylerhansen

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tyler-hansen-alverson-b7a64534/

Twitter: @deartylerhansen

Image Credits
Stephanie Girard