411 Mania Interview
April 3rd, 2010Posted in Articles/Interviews | Comments (0)Bryan Greenberg has been a steady TV presence since 2003, with three seasons on One Tree Hill followed by lead roles in Unscripted and October Road. He’s also appeared on the big screen in Prime, Noble Son, Bride Wars, and The Good Guy. Currently he stars in HBO’s How to Make It in American, which airs its season finale Sunday at 10 pm.
Al Norton: Are you aware that you have the coolest theme song on TV right now?
Bryan Greenberg: I know. “I need a dollar, a dollar, a dollar is what I need (singing).” I heard it a couple of weeks before we premiered. They were playing around with a bunch of different songs and I went into the studio to check it out and I was like, “oh my God.” I remember thinking that whoever this guy was – and it turned out to be Aloe Blacc – he just had his career made.
It’s so good, and the way they do the credits, with the pictures and the slow mo, it sucks you in right away.
Al Norton: How did the show come to you?
Bryan Greenberg: I knew the creator socially, I play basketball with Ian Edelman. I didn’t even know he was a writer, we just connected on the court; we were undefeated when we played together and he told me he liked my work in Prime. I thought he was a nice guy plus we had a friend in common. A couple of months later I was reading the trades and saw “Ian Edelman has a pilot with HBO” and I thought, “I need to read this article.”
I called my agents and read the script and really responded to the New York world he had written in the show because it was very much like the New York that I knew and lived in. I saw down with Julian Farino, Steve Levinson, and Rob Weiss and we talked about where the show was going and what they wanted to do. They were trying to create a movement for this generation, to really show what it’s like for some people right now, with the economy being what it is, and I just got it.
I did a chemistry read with Victor Rasuk, who plays Cam, and we hit it off right away, and now we’re good.
Al Norton: Do you know guys like Ben and Cam?
Bryan Greenberg: Oh, totally. I know a bunch of guys like this. New York is a very expensive city and people end up doing a lot of different things to pursue their dreams. I know a lot of artists, DJ’s who are also designing bags and also working in sound studio, doing anything they can to get by.
I wasn’t as familiar with the clothing world as much. I’m aware of it peripherally, through the film industry, but I talked to a lot of people. I talked with people from Mark Ecko’s company when I was researching the role. It’s really interesting. He told me, “my jeans are no different than anyone else’s. It’s the hustle that convinces you to buy them.”
Al Norton: How much do you think filming
everything on location in New York adds to the show?
Bryan Greenberg: Oh man. I feel like New York is a character in the show. You couldn’t make this show anywhere else. We do three moves a day, on location, and we’ve shot in every borough in New York. It’s great. We’ve hit the hot spots. When we filmed at the club all my friends wanted me to visit with them because they were there already, because that’s where all the girls were.
There’s a lot of walking and talking. Those aren’t extras a lot of the time; those are real New Yorkers out on the street. We shoot with long lenses so people can’t tell we’re doing a TV show. The authenticity is a huge part of the show. A lot of times we’ll be doing a scene and a real person will come up and ask us how much the leather jackets are and we’ll say, “listen, we’re doing a TV show right now. You have to keep moving. (laughing)”
Al Norton: One of the first episodes you two were sitting in the window of a pizza place and I thought there is no way filming that on a sound stage would work.
Bryan Greenberg: Totally real. I eat at that pizza place. I know these places. We’re shooting a lot in my old neighborhood in Alphabet City. This is not one of those New York shows shot on a back lot in LA. It’s also not a cleaned up version of New York. This is New York down and dirty, where people are honking and yelling and bumping into you. You can smell it, taste it, feel it.
Al Norton: Is Luis Guzman as cool as one would think?
Bryan Greenberg: Cooler. He’s an amazing guy. We talk once a week; we have about a one hour conversation on the phone every week. He calls and we just bullshit (laughing). He lives on a farm in Vermont, which you’d never think. He’s just living his life.
He’s a great actor, one of those guys that you can’t not like. If you do, there’s something wrong with you. Everyone loves him and he has the ability to make anything he says funny.
Al Norton: You’re first big TV role was on One Tree Hill and since there are some rumors this will be the last season, I was wondering what you’d say if Mark Schwahn called to ask you to come back for a series finale.
Bryan Greenberg: I haven’t heard anything about it. I am very thankful for the time I had on the show but for me it was a long time ago. I am totally thankful for the experience and the fans it brought me but my whole thing is to keep moving forward and keep challenging myself, keep changing it up.
Al Norton: Do you think Unscripted (Greenberg’s one season pseudo-reality show on HBO) was ahead of its time?
Bryan Greenberg: Definitely. The show was one of the coolest things I’ve ever worked on. Even now people who watch the show don’t know how to take it. It was before shows like The Hills or these hybrid reality-scripted shows ever happened. Nobody knew what to make of it; was it real, was it not real? The truth of it is that it was all plotted out and then completely improved. Everything was storylined, we used some real sets and some fake sets. We used our real names, which made it confusing, but we were all playing characters; I was a dumber, more naïve version of myself, constantly falling upwards.
We created storylines around our work; I had a guest spot on One Tree Hill so we made that a part of it. Or they would book me on Life With Bonnie, or put me on ER as an extra.
Al Norton: I think there was an episode where you did an episode of either Smallville or Supernatural and then got upset when you got edited out.
Bryan Greenberg: Right, and I never did an episode of Supernatural. That’s all (George) Clooney and (Steven) Soderberg (creators and executive producers of Unscripted). They were ahead of their time with the show, for sure.
Al Norton: Do you think having to do that level of improve made you a better actor?
Bryan Greenberg: 100%. I learned so much working with George, who is a great director and actor. To be around him and get advice from one of the greatest, to work with Frank Langella…It was also just being in the fire. I was shooting Prime and Unscripted at the same time, literally at the same time. I would be shooting a scene for Prime, they’d yell cut, and then there would be another mike and I’d be shooting a scene for Unscripted where I was pretending I was still drunk from the night before. I was shooting two high profile projects with incredible people at the same time; it was an intense high point of my career.
Al Norton: That must be pretty heady, to go from working with on a movie Meryl Streep and Uma Thurman to your starring role in a TV series with Clooney and Soderberg.
Bryan Greenberg: And Clooney was on the set of Prime, too. I was juggling five balls at once. It was a lot to deal with. It didn’t really hit me until about a year later and I was just like, “holy shit, I can’t believe I did that (laughing).” It was great.
Al Norton: You’ve been at this for some time now, so how do you learn how to not be too effected by reviews, good or bad?
Bryan Greenberg: That’s a good question. You just really embrace the good ones and the bad ones you just say, “they’re idiots, they don’t know what they’re talking about (laughing?” Not really. I know everyone says they don’t read reviews but I think it’s fascinating to see what people think about it. Ultimately critics are paid to critique, so they’re going to be a lot of haters out there who pull everything apart. Look at a show like Seinfeld, which was trashed and had awful ratings at first and then becomes one of the greatest shows in history.
There’s too much emphasis put on reviews; people write shows off off of 26 minutes of filming, and that’s not what TV is. TV grows over seasons. It’s not a movie; you set things up and see where they go. That’s the beauty of working in television, it changes.
The greatest thing to do right now is go on Twitter; people will tell you what they think of your show. They’re not paid critics, they’re not jaded, they’re real people.
Al Norton: Is it hard for you to balance your acting with your music? (Greenberg has an album of original material and has toured with Gavin Degraw).
Bryan Greenberg: Sometimes. I’ve had to cancel tours because of scheduling. The hardest part is that music is planned out months in advance and film and TV happen very quickly. Things happen spur of the moment more acting and it’s hard to plan your year.
Music is great as a balance. You are going from someone else’s project where you are saying their words and then going off and writing and performing music that is your own personal form of expression. I need both to make each one feel like a creative outlet and not like a job.
Don’t miss the season finale of How To Make It In America, Sunday at 10 pm on HBO
(Source)
Interview with Hoop Magazine
April 1st, 2010Bryan Greenberg, the star of the hot new HBO original series How to Make It in America, might have the sport of basketball to thank for his latest success. He met the show’s creator/producer/writer Ian Edelman on the court. Although a wrist injury is currently keeping Greenberg on the sidelines, he is anxious to get back in the action. In the meantime, please give him some courtside tickets to the Los Angles Clippers. He loves to root for the underdog.
You met the creator of How to Make It in America playing basketball.
We have a mutual friend. We were invited to play ball in Hollywood. We were playing and he said, “I’m a big fan of yours from Prime (a movie in which Greenberg co-starred with Uma Thurman and Meryl Streep).” I said, “Oh cool.” I had no idea he was a writer. We ended up being on the same team. It’s funny, because we kind of look alike. We had the exact same ball game. We both play in the paint. We have that kind of scrappy game. We would both run to the exact same place on the court. It was a little weird. We were undefeated that day, so we had instant chemistry.
Then a couple of months later I read in the trades that he sold a script to HBO, so I asked my agent to read it. Did some reads and here we are.
Your show seems to be a big hit with NBA players.
I’d love to know who’s watching it because I’m a huge NBA fan.
What do you think draws them to it?
We speak to that sneaker culture. Basketball is heavy into that. It’s definitely a street-minded show. A lot of basketball comes from the playground and that world. My character, we get into the clubs because I play ball with this bouncer. This show stays on that street, that hustle. It can speak to a lot of people who came from that world. These characters are definitely on the grind trying to pay the rent.
Did you grow up playing basketball?
I never played in high school. I got into it late. I didn’t start playing until I was about 14 years old. In high school I tried out for the freshman basketball team, but I had no idea how to play, so I couldn’t even figure out the five-man weave. I didn’t make the cut.
I’m one of those people who play outside. I play pick-up games constantly. I’ve played in leagues, but I always do it for fun. I never really played it competitively, but it’s one of the sports I constantly do. I play in LA a lot. I’ve got a regular game.
Have you played in the Entertainment League when you are living in Los Angeles?
I get invited, but a lot of my jobs I shoot on location so I’m never around.
You were born in Nebraska. There’s some great college basketball there. Did you follow that as a little kid?
I saw Creighton games. Then I moved to St. Louis. St. Louis isn’t really a basketball town. They had the Hawks (the franchise now in Atlanta called St. Louis home from 1957-68). Growing up the closest town to us that had an NBA team was Chicago and Jordan was playing. Basically, everyone in St. Louis was a Jordan fan and a Bulls fan.
I know it’s March Madness, but I’m not one of those people who get into college basketball more than NBA. I like the NBA better. I’ve always been an NBA guy.
In addition to the Bulls and Jordan, who were the teams and players you liked growing up?
Growing up, I really liked Charlotte when they had Muggsy Bogues, Larry Johnson and Alonzo Mourning. I loved them for some reason. I always love the Knicks even in these tough times. I live in LA, but I like Clippers. I like the underdogs.
It’s great to hear from a Clippers fan.
They always have really good young talent. Every year it’s a new year. You’re like, “OK, they’ve got Blake Griffin. It’s going to be the year.” Then he gets injured in the preseason. They have a tough go at it. We have Baron Davis, Chris Kaman. There’s some talent there. I’d like to see what happens with the Knicks next year, really.
So it’s the Knicks and the Clippers?
And LeBron. I love him.
What’s the difference between New York basketball fans and Los Angeles basketball fans?
I feel the basketball fans in LA are kind of spoiled because the Lakers are a dynasty and they have been for so long. I think the Clippers fans are like Knicks fans because they stick with them no matter what. The Lakers are like the Yankees. Of course, you like the Yankees, it’s the best team. They’ve got all the best players. It’s easy.
What is the energy like doing a TV show in New York?
It’s great. We’re shooting completely on location. We’re capturing the city and the characters in it. Like no other movie or show I’ve ever been a part of or ever seen. New York is very much a character in the show. We’re working on like three locations a day. We use real people who are walking on the streets. We get them in the shots. It’s not a cleaned up version of New York. This is a real down and dirty version of New York.
HBO has created such amazing original series. How is this experience different than previous TV and movie experiences?
This is my second time working on HBO. I did a show called Unscripted five years ago. That show was a totally different experience. It was all improv. What I love about working at HBO is that they do what they want to do. That’s why the shows are so quality because they’re not answering to advertisers and what not. They’re making decisions not based on ratings, but based on quality and what they think works for them. That’s why they’ve been able to pump out such original and great programming.
You got to share the movie screen with Uma Thurman. Could Uma hold her own on a basketball court?
She’s definitely got the arms and the height. If you saw Kill Bill you know she’s got some athleticism.
Last question, please forgive me, but what’s it like to play Meryl Streep’s son?
It was amazing. During shooting she really took me under her wing. I got a chance to be around one of the greats. She was very generous with her time and knowledge. Just being in her presence you learn so much.
(Source)
Posted in Articles/Interviews, How to Make it in America | Comments (0)Bryan Greenberg, Living the American Dream
March 30th, 2010He’s played every role from “the good guy”, “the boy-toy” to most recently, “the hustler”. Meet Bryan Greenberg, one of Swide’s favourite stars currently sizzling the small screen.
Many of you may recognize our much-buzzed about TV star, Bryan Greenberg from his reoccurring role in teen drama, “One Tree Hill” as hard-working father, Jake Jagielski. Since leaving the show in 2006, Greenberg’s really started to take off.Greenberg really started to catch the attention of movie lovers when he starred in his first leading role in 2005 film, “Prime”. Greenberg played the young boy-toy of an older woman played by Uma Thurman, who also happened to be the patient of his therapist mother (Meryl Streep). As a new actor, starring alongside such talented A-list actresses would’ve seem daunting, but suprisingly Greenberg didn’t let that affect his performance.
“Prime”
“Nobody knows who I am, so I had nothing to lose really. When you got Uma and Meryl, the pressures off me. It’s my first leading role in a major film, so I have nowhere to go really but up.”
“The Good Guy”In “The Good Guy”, moviegoers got to experience the stark reality of living in the Big Apple. Greenberg stars as Daniel, a socially awkward guy stuck in the middle of the hustle and bustle of New York’s Wall Street. Daniel discovers how tough the world of Wall Street can be and unlike others, doesn’t try to drastically alter himself to accommodate his surroundings.
To Greenberg’s surprise, he’s found himself playing yet again another struggling New Yorker, this time changing the backdrop from Wall Street to Downtown’s Lower East Side in HBO series,”How to make it America”. Being called the “eastcoast Entourage”, “How to make it in America” follows two enterprising Brooklyn twenty-somethings as they hustle their way through New York City with one goal in mind: achieve the American Dream. Ben Epstein, played by Greenberg, attempts to make a name for himself in New York’s competitive fashion scene. Greenberg’s character uses both his street knowledge and connections to realize his ambitions and dreams.
HBO-”How to make it in America”
“The show is definitely all about New York City, so we shot it all on location. The last four or five jobs I’ve done have been in the city. I live in LA, but it’s great to keep working in New York. The Good Guy is a totally differently looking New York than How To Make It portrays. The Good Guy is all about Wall Street and that culture, which How To Make It touches on but How To Make It also is downtown, lower east side loft parties, cool clubs, Brooklyn and that world.”
“It’s the American dream to go out there and make your own way. You make your own rules, you make own money, and you make your own worth. And sometimes people get stepped on, those who are too nice.”
No stranger to the “hustle”, Greenberg has also been trying to make a name for himself as a singer/songwriter playing gigs and even having his music featured on respected tv shows. Greenberg also recently performed with HBO co-star and Kanye West protégé, Kid Cudi, and expects to release an album this year. Clearly, Greenberg’s talents see no boundaries, but if he had to pick between acting and music, which would he choose?
I like them both (acting and music). That way neither one feels like a job. When I’m working on a movie, I’m in my trailer playing guitar. And then on the road, I read scripts and think of…it just keeps both fires burning. I kind of need both. They help. I become a better actor. After I step on a stage in front of like 500 people when it’s just me, a microphone and my guitar, you don’t get as nervous walking into a room in front of 3 or 4 people and to do a scene or to walk on a set.”
With all his recent success, could Greenberg soon become one of those “Hollywood types” self-consumed and obsessed with fame? We were overcome with glee to find out the scruffy, laid-back guy we fell for in “Prime” has no desire to become uber-famous.
“I’m not really concerned about fame, or all the things that come along with being an actor. It’s all just a side product of the work and that is the important thing. What it’s all about. I think that has gotten me thus far and hopefully will sustain me throughout my life is just concentrating on the work, because that is what is important to me.” Humbel and cute, reason enough to fall in love with him.
(Source)
Posted in Articles/Interviews | Comments (1)Bryan Greenberg knows How to Make It in NYC America
March 17th, 2010Posted in Articles/Interviews, How to Make it in America | Comments (0)NEW YORK — There’s something in Ben Epstein’s jeans. The clothing hustler dreams of starting his own denim line in HBO’s How to Make It in America (Sunday, 10 p.m. ET/PT). But he hits plenty of snags. Bryan Greenberg, 31, who plays Ben, can relate to being an up-and-comer in the Big Apple. The actor talks with USA TODAY.
Q: You shoot here on location. Does this series show the New York you know, and is that why it appealed to you?A: It was a lifestyle show that depicted the New York that I knew. It was very now and current, especially with what’s going on with the recession and the way people are hustling. New York City is what the show is about. It’s not about, do they make the jeans? People aren’t watching the show to see if we make the jeans.
Q: Ben is truly a hustler, except he’s trying to break into the fashion business. Are you?
A: I’m even more driven than Ben because I started so young. I knew when I was a kid that I wanted to be an actor. I just went for it.
Q: Does shooting the show take you back to when you were starting out?
A: It takes me back to when I first finished (New York University) and I was struggling. I was trying to pay my rent. And there’s the way he deals with his breakup. I’m very much in my head. Ben can beat himself a little too much, more than I do. I can relate to his need to be somewhere else than where he’s at in life.
Q: You seem to be so New York, yet you live in L.A. Any plans to come back to the East Coast?
A: When I shoot here, I stay here. I’m dying to move back. The only reason I left is because I couldn’t afford to live here and there weren’t enough work opportunities. My dream is to come back to New York. This is where I feel most like myself, even though I’m from the Midwest. I always play New Yorkers, and I’m from Nebraska.
Q: So, does Ben become the denim king of Manhattan this season?
A: We definitely don’t make it this season. There’s some twists and turns with the clothing line. Our dream gets adjusted. I think he might meet a new girl. It’s complicated. He has trouble at work. There’s a lot of ups and downs.
Q: Do you have VIP access to all of Manhattan’s coolest restaurants now?
A: (Laughs) I’m shooting at all the cool locations I couldn’t get into. I went to Freeman’s three times before, and it was always a two-hour wait. I never ate there until we shot there.
Q: Ben is in a romantic quagmire of sorts on the show. What’s your relationship status?
A: Ah, the personal questions. I don’t want to get into it. I’m single, but I don’t get too far into it. If you talk about your personal life to the press, you can’t be mad at them when they start talking about you, because you invited them in. I have no interest in being famous for the sake of being famous. We’re not sitting here because I sleep with celebrities
(Source)
The Bonnie Hunt Show
March 16th, 2010While I was away earlier this month Bryan was a guest on The Bonnie Hunt Show. I now have caps and a clip to share with you! 
My thanks to Brianne for the caps and clip.
TV Appearances: 2010: The Bonnie Hunt Show
AP Interview – How to Make It In America
February 23rd, 2010Bryan Greenberg on How to Make it in New York City
February 21st, 2010Posted in Articles/Interviews, How to Make it in America | Comments (0)NYU grad Bryan Greenberg, 31, has worked his way up from bit parts on TV shows to star in the Wall Street movie “The Good Guy.” But his sexiest role is playing an up-and-coming fashion designer in HBO’s hot new show “How to Make It in America” – so he’s our go-to guy for pointers on making it in New York City.
1. Make sure the deli guy knows you.
Once the guy at the deli below your apartment starts knowing your sandwich before you’ve even ordered it, then you’re no longer a stranger in New York City. That’s a major accomplishment.
2. Know what you want to do.
I’ve been kind of fortunate to know that I always wanted to be an actor and a musician. So I never really strayed from that because I was like, “All right, that’s what I came here to do.”
3. Put yourself out there.
When it comes to making money, you can’t stick with one thing. Sure, I was an actor, but I was also working as a mortgage broker, a waiter, a caterer, a bartender. You’ve got to move around and be shifty and hustle. I was hustling on all ends and going to school at the same time — and auditioning. I didn’t do a whole lot of sleeping.
4. But don’t have a plan B.
If you give yourself an out, you’ll take it. The acting world is so competitive that I knew if I gave myself some sort of backup plan I would never follow through. I would take it because there’s so much rejection and hardship. You’ve just got to convince yourself to go for it if you want to succeed.
5. Find a roommate.
After NYU, I had loans to pay off and rent to pay. It was all about raising funds, getting a roommate, and then getting your girlfriend to move in. It was three people in a small, converted two-bedroom in the East Village, but that’s what we could afford.
6. Work hard, get lucky.
Success doesn’t just happen. I worked really hard to get where I am today. At the same time, I’ve been fortunate to be presented with opportunities. But I wouldn’t say that’s complete luck, because that would discredit all the years of studying and working and going for it.
7. Fall down, get back up.
I remember auditioning during the final round of a Broadway show. I actually got to go on the stage and the bright lights were hitting me on the face. I was ready and all of a sudden I had an out-of-body experience and I was just watching myself audition and screwing it all up. I just tucked my tail between my legs and walked out of there. It was pouring outside and I walked like all the way down to the East Village from Times Square. The whole time, I was thinking, “What am I doing?” That was my lowest point, but I just picked myself back up the next day and started looking for more auditions.
8. Take advantage of New York City.
I feel like there’s a rhythm to the city that doesn’t exist anywhere else in the world. Fall into that rhythm and things just happen. I love running into people on the street and just seeing crazy interactions between strangers. As an artist, you’ve got to be a sponge and there’s no better place to be a sponge than in New York. There are so many crazy stories that unfold every day that you’ll see just by walking the streets.
(Source)
Bryan Greenberg (The Good Guy)
February 19th, 2010For the most part, Wall Street has been glorified as the destination for the elite, a place where multi-million dollar deals and lunches at Masa happen before the closing bells chime. In the new film, by first time director Julio DePietro and former investment banker, The Good Guy takes a raw and honest look at life on Wall Street for young twenty-something Manhattanites.
The Good Guy examines the relationships of Beth (Alexis Bledel), her boyfriend Tommy (Scott Porter), and their new friend Daniel (Bryan Greenberg). The film goes beyond being about a torrid love triangle; it observes the life of a young adult working and living in Manhattan. Like any relationship, these characters are dealt endearingly beautiful moments that are soon forgotten by betrayal and dishonesty.
Trapped in a NYC blizzard, PopStar spoke with Bryan Greenberg over the phone about his role as Daniel, the newbie to the Wall Street world. Greenberg, who is currently starring in the hit HBO show How to Make It in America, was thrilled to talk about the role in this film. Nursing a broken wrist, the musician/actor jumps into the interview and talks about his unique character study of Daniel for this role.
For many of us, Bryan Greenberg caught our attention as Jake Jagielski, the hardworking young father on One Tree Hill. When Greenberg left the show in 2006, many fans held on hoping that Jake and Peyton reunite, but sadly that never happened. The good news for fans was that in 2007, Greenberg was starring on another primetime hit October Road alongside That 70′s Show (TV) star Laura Prepon. After a two season run, the show ended and Greenberg moved to the big screen, starring in 20th Century Fox’s Bride Wars as the onscreen brother of Kate Hudson and husband of Anne Hathaway.
Greenberg is back on the big screen, playing Daniel, a young guy who has left the army and moved to NYC to begin his life in the film The Good Guy. Upon meeting Tommy (Scott Porter), the high-powered Wall Street consultant, Daniel quickly gets sucked into the world of power and greed. Enter Beth, played by Alexis Bledel. Beth is Tommy’s girlfriend, but has a strong connection with Daniel, but the question is, how strong? Last week, PopStar spoke with Bryan about life on location in NYC, similarities between him and his introverted character and Bryan even provided very good reasons on why you should get out and go see The Good Guy!
In the upcoming film, The Good Guy, you play Daniel, the newcomer to the fast-paced, high-flying Wall Street scene. Can you tell us a little bit more about Daniel?
He is very serious in the beginning and you are not sure if he has an angle or not. He is one of those too good to be true characters; he has a strong moral compass but is very awkward socially. He is an introverted guy who would rather spend his night reading a Jane Austen novel instead of being out on the town mixing it with Wall Street characters. He is old school.
Sounds all good, something has to go wrong; can you give us a sneak peek into Daniel’s life as a Wall Street maven?
Daniel gets emerged into the Wall Street world and is taken in by his boss Tommy who is trying to groom him into being a better salesman. That entails taking out clients, picking up girls, and embracing the whole lifestyle. Daniel is having a tough time adjusting. He meets Tommy’s girlfriend Beth who is played by Alexis Bledel and they have a connection. I would say it causes some problems.
Do you see any similarities between you and your character Daniel?
Not really. I think that Daniel is much more of a character than I have played in the past. I am a lot more outgoing, I am a social guy and Daniel is very uncomfortable in his own skin.
You guys shot the film on location in New York City; can you give us a look behind the scenes of what happens while on set?
We shot this over a year and half ago. I remember how smooth it was and what a pleasure it was to be at work every day. We were always on time, and it was easy. Everyone hung out together, it is such a cool young cast, and everyone was always going out and having fun. I usually do that when filming, I like to be on location, get to know the cast and everything.
However on this one, I felt that I had to remove myself from that. I didn’t want anyone to get too comfortable and didn’t want anyone to get too comfortable with me because I didn’t think it would work for the character. So I stayed uptown on the Upper West Side and didn’t really participate socially with everyone else.
That was the first time I had done that, so it wasn’t like a blast [laugh] for me ’cause I was in character the whole time. I remember it was a pleasure to work on the movie and Julio [DePietro] was a great director. For a first time director, I think he did a great job.
The name of the film is The Good Guy; would you consider yourself a good guy?
Yeah, I consider myself a good guy. I come from a good family and I try to be honest and treat people with respect. It is not really for me to say, anyone who says that they are a good guy probably isn’t or has an angle; you have to ask other people. Everyone thinks they are a good guy, s**t, I bet Hitler thought he was a good guy.
We heard some exciting news that in 2010, you were going to have a new album coming out, tell us more!
I was supposed to be in the studio in January. I have all these new songs but I broke my wrist, and everything got delayed. I don’t know when it will happen, but I am itching to get back into the studio once my wrist heals up.
Sorry to hear that, how did you break it?
I was mountain biking in Puerto Rico.
Message to the fans.
It is important now more than ever to support indie film makers because it is a dying bread and there are a lot of talented voices that need to be heard. This movie gives viewers a cool look at the Wall Street culture and the love life in New York City.
Posted in Articles/Interviews, The Good Guy | Comments (0)Usually every character I have played has an arch and what I found really interesting about this role was it didn’t. This one made me think a lot as a viewer because the character doesn’t change; however, as an audience member, your perspective changes. This movie is all about perception and how you feel about the characters in this world. I thought that was a really interesting journey to go on as an audience member.
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Bryan Greenberg Tries to be ‘The Good Guy’
February 18th, 2010
Bryan Greenberg laughs ruefully at the question of who’s the better kisser: Alexis Bledel or Uma Thurman?But he’s one of the few actors around who can answer it, so it needs to be brought up.
“Don’t make me choose,” he pleads by telephone from a Los Angeles press day for the film “The Good Guy,” the film in which his character poaches Bledel from his best friend, which opens in limited release Friday (2/19/10).
He chuckles again and says, “What a tough life I live. I guess it’s a perk of the job. No, really, it’s cool but it’s weird. It’s not as glamorous as you think it would be. It’s a job. It’s technical. People touching you up with makeup, watching: It’s awkward.”
He pauses, then adds cheerfully, “I’ve had worse jobs.”
Such as? “I was a bartender. I worked at Chik-Fil-A. I was a mortgage banker’s assistant.”
None of which prepared him for “The Good Guy,” in which he plays a straight-arrow tech guy at a Wall Street firm in training to be a stockbroker. He did research for the role with writer-director Julio DiPietro, a former stock trader, who took him to watch deals being made.
“I knew nothing about Wall Street,” says Greenberg, 31. “It was a cool look at a whole culture. I was fascinated by how they talk on the phone: They’ve got two phones, one at each ear, with mute buttons, and they’re having multiple conversations and doing deals and playing with a golf club at the same time. And they’re jacked up on Red Bull.
“What they were saying was like a foreign language; Julio had to interpret the jargon for me. It was like I was looking at another species, watching how they physically acted. I couldn’t understand what they were talking about. It’s a very convoluted industry if you don’t know what you’re doing.”
Which, he added, explains a lot about the financial crisis that shook the country in late 2008: “We shot this pre-meltdown. Just seeing the life these guys live, the value system they have, it’s no wonder why we are where we are. There are some good people, but there’s a lot of greed involved. It’s one of those things where there are too many people in the industry and not enough commodities to go around. That’s what brought us here.”
Greenberg’s character, Daniel, is the antithesis of the Wall Street hard-chargers: a guy with a moral code who is uncomfortable with the idea of getting over on anyone, whether it’s a customer on the line or a woman in a bar. It’s the first Boy Scout-type that Greenberg has played.
“My character doesn’t vibe with that culture,” he says. “He’s a socially awkward character. He’d rather read a Jane Austen novel than go out to a club. He’s old school, for sure. I’m definitely not that much of a straight arrow. That was what attracted me to the part. I haven’t played a role like this.”
Daniel is also a military veteran, an avionics engineer and pilot, something else Greenberg barely considered for himself: “I thought about the military for a quick second when I was 15. I was in Israel and participated in an Israeli boot camp and thought about joining up. That went away a month later. No way was I joining the Israeli army.”
Born in Omaha and reared in St. Louis, Greenberg moved to Manhattan to go to New York University, working odd jobs and the occasional bit part after graduation, before moving to Los Angeles to pursue his acting career.
He got his break in “The Perfect Score,” a 2004 teen comedy that led to the role opposite Thurman in “Prime” (with Meryl Streep playing his psychiatrist mother), as well as a regular role on the TV series, “One Tree Hill.” Since then he’s moved back and forth between TV (“October Road,” “Unscripted”) and films (“Nobel Son,” “Bride Wars”), working regularly enough not to have to hold a day job.
“I feel like every job is my big break,” he says. “Was it the Pizza Hut commercial I did in college? ‘Unscripted’ was a big break. Then doing ‘Prime’ with Meryl Streep – that was my first romantic leading-man role. It’s hard to pinpoint a moment but I guess I’d say ‘Perfect Score.’ I haven’t had another job outside acting since then.”
Since making “The Good Guy,” he’s launched a new TV series: “How to Make It in America,” which had its debut on HBO his past weekend and which, he hopes, has a longer run than “October Road,” which lasted a single season on ABC.
“HBO is different,” Greenberg says. “’October Road’ was an awesome project. It didn’t do well critically, but millions of people watched it. Being on ABC is a totally different beast than HBO. HBO isn’t ratings-based. This is all about word of mouth. HBO doesn’t have to answer to advertisers. If people are talking about it, it’s a success. It’s not so cutthroat as network TV. I love HBO.”
He’s already finished filming the first season of “How to Make It” episodes and so is at loose ends for the moment. But he feels no desperation to find another job.
“I’m at a place in my career where I don’t need to work all the time,” he says. “Rather than work for the sake of working, I’d rather be doing good projects.”
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Posted in Articles/Interviews, The Good Guy | Comments (0)The Good Guy Interview
February 15th, 2010Posted in Articles/Interviews, The Good Guy | Comments (0)In The Good Guy Brian Greenberg literally plays the good guy. After taking a position at a financial firm on Wall Street, Daniel is forced to transition from a sweet and awkward bookworm into a curt selling powerhouse. His good guy image may not be appropriate for the financial industry, but it does catch the attention of a young woman named Beth. The problem is, she happens to be the girlfriend of Daniel’s mentor, Tommy.
It’s a good thing Greenberg has an appreciation for learning new things, because right after wrapping production on The Good Guy, he had to gear up for his brand new HBO show, How to Make It in America. Greenberg’s character isn’t very business savvy in this project either. He plays Cam, one half of an enterprise team trying to make it in the New York fashion scene.
His characters may not be at the top of their games on Wall Street or on the runway, but Greenberg is as an actor. And now, more than ever, he’s getting the chance to show us what he’s really capable of.
How’d you get involved in this project?
They approached me with the script and it was kind of an easy movie. They were shooting for five weeks in New York and I responded to the material and I really liked the producers, Belladonna, they did Transamerica and A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints. I had a conversation with Julio, the director, and I decided this is a different character than something I’ve played in the past and why not? Let’s go for it! It was actually one of the smoothest movies I’ve ever been a part of. I’ve been on some big budget movies and people take their time, you don’t make the day. This was like, you don’t have time to mess around and you’ve just got to go for it. There were no hiccups in shooting this movie at all.Did you know anything about trading when you took the role?
No, I didn’t know anything and that’s another reason I wanted to do it. Julio [DePietro] is very well versed in that world from his past and so he took us down to Wall Street and brought us on the trading floor and showed us these guys and how they interact and how they work the phones and what these sales mean. I read the script and was like, ‘I don’t understand the dialogue at all.’ [Laughs] I don’t even know what they’re talking about! I went to art school. That’s one of the cool things about being an actor; you get to take on all of these different hats and learn these different professions and play the character. I was really excited to be immersed in this world for a summer.You got to ring the New York Stock Exchange bell recently, right?
Yeah! I just rang it on Monday and the Dow plummeted the worst in three months.know the film was made quite a long time ago. Do you think moviegoers will still be willing to accept these upscale young professionals in the middle of a recession?
Even though [the move] would [take place] pre-recession, I think the timing couldn’t be better because it kind of examines the Wall Street culture. Tommy is this guy who’s greedy and wants more and that’s kind of the reason why we’re in a recession right now, because of guys like that. I think we kind of lucked out with that shot of him at the end looking at the New York Stock Exchange through his window and that scene hits home a lot harder now than it would before the market crashed. So I actually think the opposite.What was your experience working with a first time writer/director?
I had a great time working with Julio, I’ve got to say. He’s obviously very talented because he wrote the script, so he knew what he wanted, but he had amazing poise to know how much he doesn’t know. He didn’t try to overcompensate. He didn’t have any ego in the process. If he didn’t know something about a lens or whatever, he trusted his DP or he trusted his actor about a moment. He really trusted me with Daniel and I took some risks with it and he went with me and he guided me along that process. It was a true pleasure. I’m really really impressed with what he did with his first movie.Did he let you adlib at all?
Definitely, that’s the biggest part of my work. I always find it difficult when directors restrain me from that process. It’s not like I’m tying to rewrite. Obviously I liked the script, that’s why I did it. I like to keep things fresh, change it up and I always do it the way it’s written, but then I do a couple my own way. That’s just how I work. It keeps me on my toes and the other actors on their toes. He was cool enough to go with that and a lot of writer/directors are so worried about their words and their idea of how the movie should be instead of addressing the moment that’s really happening and sometimes the words don’t always match up to that. That’s why I like to do improv and he was cool enough to go with it.How was it working with the rest of the cast? It seems like a fun young group, so I bet it was a blast.
You know what? I love everybody working on this, but this is the first time I sort of removed myself from everybody while shooting. I didn’t want anyone to feel too comfortable around me or me feel too comfortable around them because my character is so socially awkward. I stayed at a totally different hotel. I kind of just removed myself and I wanted it to be weird when I was shooting. It’s the first time I’ve ever done that. It sucked because I really liked everybody! [Laughs] I wanted to hang out, but I just thought that I needed a distance for my character to work.Did you ever get frustrated with the character and wish you could just shake some sense into him?
He was a lot of fun to play because even the wardrobe – wearing the New Balance sneakers with the woven belt tucked in, with the Sidekick on the belt – yeah, you want to shake that guy and I think it lends a lot of comedic moments in the movie because Scott Porter’s character, Tommy, he’s like, ‘What are you doing?’ I’m a mess. Daniel’s a mess!Do you have better game with the girls than he does?
[Laughs] I don’t know! I mean, he does alright in the movie, but I don’t know. I’m not very good at breaking the ice but once someone introduces me I’m off and running. I think, Daniel, he had to meet the perfect girl in this film for it to work.Any plans for Valentine’s Day?
My show comes out that night on HBO so I don’t know. Maybe I’ll still go out with some of the cast in LA and hang out.How’s everything going with How To Make It In America? Are you getting good vibes?
Yeah! It’s crazy. Everyone’s so excited about it. I’ve never been a part of a project that’s got such good buzz. It’s really exciting to be around and it’s such a cool show to work on. We just had the premiere in New York, it was a lot of fun and just doing a lot of press and getting it out there. And people seem to be really connecting to it and it’s awesome to be a part of something like that.And it’s an HBO show too, which is pretty prestigious in itself.
Yeah, they’re excited about it as well.You’ve been on HBO before, right?
I did a show called Unscripted about five years ago, so it’s just great to be back on a network that I really really respect and it’s kind of the only network I really watch. I just love their programming, they take risks and it feels like a family. It feels like a home so it’s nice to come back home. And it provides you time to shoot cool indies like The Good Guy and other movies and to work on music, so it’s really a great situation.Do you have anything on The Good Guy soundtrack?
I do not believe I do. I did play some shows while I was out there and the cast and director they all came down and supported, which was really cool.You shoot the show in New York, right?
Well, we wrapped in December. The show is definitely all about New York City, so we shot it all on location. The last four or five jobs I’ve done have been in the city. I live in LA, but it’s great to keep working in New York. The Good Guy is a totally differently looking New York than How To Make It portrays. The Good Guy is all about Wall Street and that culture, which How To Make It touches on but How To Make It also is downtown, lower east side loft parties, cool clubs, Brooklyn and that world.What do you have coming up other than the show? Any films?
Isn’t that enough? [Laughs] Isn’t this enough for one week? Actually after this I’m chilling. I don’t know. I’m going to hopefully get back in the studio and work on my second record and I’m looking at film projects and we’ll see what happens with a possible second season for How To Make It.So when are you going to be in the midst of a superhero movie rumor?
Bryan Greenberg in a cape? Who knows? Anything’s possible.You’re always the nice guy. Try going for a villain part.
I’d love to! That would be fun. It seems like that’s the only movie they’re making now. I’m excited that The Good Guy is getting distribution because indie movies they’re not – people ran out of money and they’re not making these movies anymore. It’s all superhero movies or real obvious tent pole studio films. I really hope people go out and support the indie filmmakers because it’s a dying breed and there’s a lot of cool voices out there that need to be heard.
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How to Make It In America (2010 - )
The Good Guy (2010)
Friends With Benefits (2011)
