Meet Brian Norris: Actor & Acting Coach

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

Hi Brian, what role has risk played in your life or career?
My teachers and mentors have always taught me that if you’re going to live a creative life, you have to embrace risk. It’s inherently baked into what we do. It’s a profession with no guarantees or safety nets. And it’s not just the big picture, it’s how artists and creatives live day to day. If you choose the job of an artist, you need to live the LIFE of an artist. Your job is to reflect and teach us about the world, so you better be living actively. Meeting people, seeking out new experiences, pushing your comfort zone, falling in love, getting your heart broken, traveling, exposing yourself to as much culture as possible… we expect all of these things from our artists. The risks you take create the path for you down the way. Personally I can see this throughout my life and career. From the obvious career risks like choosing where to study or to invest in voiceover without knowing if it would work out (it did, it’s been the most lucrative part of my career) to the more personal ones like travelling alone around the world or reaching out to artists and casting I’d like to work with.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I think my work is an interesting combination of head and heart. I was raised in a very left brained environment that focused on education, achievement, hyper-verbal communication, and practicality. But my nature is right-brained. I’m sensitive. I feel and intuit a lot. Mixing those two wasn’t always easy, but now that I have a better grasp of myself and how I function, I think I’m uniquely able to let brainy characters have a rich and full emotional life that rounds them out and *hopefully* surprising depth. I’m happy to share that I just wrapped an exciting feature called THE BLUEPRINT that should be coming out in 2022, and am about to start work on something I’m sadly not allowed to talk about… yet.

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?
Okay, let’s do this. First we’re going on a hike, either to above the Hollywood Sign or Franklin Canyon if they want something a little easier. Then lunch at Sugarfish for the best sushi in the city. That night we’d see a movie, probably at The Vista but the best would be at the Cinerama Dome (assuming someone buys it!) before heading downtown for a bar crawl starting on the rooftop at Perch. The next day we’d head to Malibu and spend the day at the beach.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d like to shout out John Rosenfeld and the entire John Rosenfeld Studios family. John is my mentor and that studio is my heart and community. It’s where I learn, teach, and coach. Without his support and the incredible emotional and artistic infrastructure that studio provides, I don’t think I would have my feet underneath me enough to pursue this career fully. I’m grateful for John and JRS everyday.

Instagram: @TheBrianNorris

Twitter: @TheGingerMr

Image Credits
Pool photo and bathtub photo by Jerry Sandoval