Meet Brett Gaffney | Actor and Host of “A Word Before We Leave”

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

Hi Brett, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Risk has always been something that i’ve measured time against more than financial investment. Growing up, I can from a lower-class neighborhood in the suburbs outside of Kansas City. My family didn’t have much, but my parents ensured and did everything in their power to provide for my two siblings and I. When I graduated college with my BA in Fine and Performing Arts from the University of Nebraska, I had a few options on what was next in my journey. I could move back home, save up money before I found my next city and calling, or I could move to a middle market, like Chicago or Austin, as many of my co-horts were at the time of graduation, or I could take a huge leap of faith and move to Los Angeles, and pursue my dreams of being an actor, and a podcaster. I ended up choosing possibly the biggest risk, by going to Los Angeles, in the short-term. That risk though, I knew, would in the long-term, have a sort of compounding interest effect. The sooner I could be in LA, and the longer I could stick it out, the more opportunities would fall into my lap. Instead of hopping from city to city, I decided to dive right in to the unfamiliar, the risky, the dangerous choice, and I haven’t looked back since. This has shaped how I approach auditions, interviews, and putting myself out into the world every single day. Sometimes that comes in forms of work, and sometimes its just a tik tok or a podcast episode. Regardless, I know that Brett Gaffney 10 years from now will look back with gratitude for the risk I took at moving here.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Ever since I was a young boy, Movies have been an art form that I have deeply attached too. My dad took me to see the original Spider-Man with Tobey Maguire, directed by Sam Raimi, and that movie made me feel like I could do anything. By the end of it, I asked dad how I could be just like Peter Parker, and he said that Peter Parker wasn’t even a real person, just an actor pretending to be Spider-man. The logic was simple-enough, and I told my dad right then and there, that I was going to have to be an Actor then. Every major and minor decision I have made since that point has been leading me on the creative life of being a leading man, a working actor, and a true storyteller. My art truly is the art of storytelling, and my medium comes in many forms, with the most prominent ones being Acting, Podcasting, and Filmmaking. Being that I am 24, and only 3 years into my professional journey as an actor, and really only 2 years into the creation and evolution of my podcast, “A Word Before We Leave”, I would say that no, it is not easy. There definitely are moments where the universe aligns and sends smiles my way, and that in it of itself can feel effortless, but being a creative professional might be one of the hardest jobs someone could ever do. I moved to LA essentially 7 months before the actors and writers strike, and only 2 years after the pandemic. It can be existentially exhausting existing in the space of uncertainty, but I always knew that the start of the journey would be the hardest. The pendulum swings both ways, and my time to shine in the spotlight will come, but for now, The work must get done. Its the slow periods where I really take initiative and say ‘Well, I’m only 24, The only true obligations I have are to pay my rent and student loans, but everything beyond that, is time for me to invest into my creativity. To explore what I want my life to be a look like.” and in that space is where some of my best work comes from. It’s where the ideas feel more vulnerable, and the execution of it more precise. “A word before we leave” tries to capture the essence of change within this world, and how we as humans, fundamentally need to find ways to listen to each other more. If we want to change the world, the first thing we must change is ourselves. The Podcast is a means to help our listener and our interviewee understand that their story matters just as much as a celebrity or doctor, just as must as first responders, and teachers. Everyone has their own purpose on this planet, and I just want to give a platform to the voices that may not feel like they have been heard.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Even though I have only truly been in Los Angeles for about a Year and Two Thirds, my immediate spot if the Los Angeles City Market. The culture, food, ambiance, and controlled chaos of it all really feels like the mission of Los Angeles. On one hand, that downtown location and the hustle and bustle of tourists and working folks all melding together to get a bite to eat, can be overwhelming. Once you sit down though, and you get to truly taste and eat your selection of food amongst the noise, it almost feels as if the world goes peacefully quiet. The company you bring with you matters just as much as your food choice, but I have always found a real sense of worth while eating there. There’s also the classics- Griffith Park, hiking up to the observatory. Bike rides from Will Rodgers to Venice and back along the coastline, The Grove AMC ( Heartbreak really does feel good in a place like this) movie theater, plus a quick bite at the Farmers Market in Mid-City, or going to leos taco truck in echo park right off of Glendale Blvd and then walking under the 101 to see the swan boats. LA is magical in the sense that every day really can feel like a brand new day if you let it.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to personally dedicate my this interview to one the most special and important ladies in my life, which happens to be my Grandma, Anne Schulte. My grandma truly has been more than an arm of support, but also one of my biggest fans along the way. Not only has she always inspired me to pursue my dreams and passions above and beyond anything else, she also treats me and my creative endeavors with a great deal of respect, specifically from when I was just a young middle-schooler trying out for school plays back in Olathe Kansas. I know and love all of my family for their support and encouragement, but the wisdom my Grandma has passed onto me from her life will forever motivate and inspire me to Keep Going!

Website: https://www.brettgaffneyforever.com

Instagram: @brett.gaffney , @awordbeforeweleave

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brett-gaffney-1a261824a/

Youtube: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brett-gaffney-1a261824a/

Other: https://open.spotify.com/show/5QfYH9pmkYr515b9aN4KDV?si=ac9fc3ece3854233

(link to the audio version of the podcast)

Image Credits
Headshot by Jackson Davis Photography

Black And White Photo provided by Lizzie Bromley