Brian Huskey Goes to Hollywood

Brian Huskey ’87 is the self-described “That Guy” that you may recognize on the screen but not necessarily know by name. He specializes in comedy and his talents run the gamut from guest-starring in How I Met Your Mother to Veep to The Real O’Neals to commercials for Sonic Hamburgers and the Toyota Sienna. He currently stars in the TBS series People of Earth, which is gearing up for its second season.

By Beth Lawing

WHEN BRIAN HUSKEY ’87 was a second grader in Ms. Sammie Yopp’s class, he had to write a speech about what he wanted to be when he grew up. “After all these years, I’ve literally kept that speech written by second-grade me about how I wanted to be a comedian,” Brian recalls.

Brian is living proof that childhood dreams can come true. The successful actor/comedian now lives in Hollywood and is currently starring in the TBS series People of Earth, a TV-14 comedy about an alien abductee support group. Brian plays the part of Richard, a man who claims that he and his wife were abducted by Reptilians when, in reality, she just left him. “Richard is a man who is in deep denial,” Brian explains. “He is fun to play.”

Brian remembers his Country Day years with fondness. His mother, Mary Anne Huskey, was a beloved teacher in the foreign language department. “When I was a little kid, I always had an hour to kill after school because my mom’s Upper School classes let out later than mine, so I got to float around school and the Learning Center until she was finished for the day. I distinctly remember being aware of a tractor on campus. One day, I climbed up on the tractor and let go of the hand brake. The tractor began rolling toward one of the classroom buildings. I also remember Mr. (John) Bristor running over to avert a crash! As a child, I had the sense that the school was mine to explore.”

Hitting the Lottery

If Country Day was built for Brian, why not Hollywood? “Having this dream of being an actor in Hollywood is like saying, ‘I think I want to jump off the Empire State Building and win the lottery at the same time and land on my feet.’ What makes you the happiest is often the most difficult to achieve. But if something really excites you, it’s a real privilege to experience it and give yourself a shot at it and work at it as hard as you can.”

Brian’s path to acting wasn’t a direct shot. After working for a newspaper in Chapel Hill, Brian was well on his way to becoming a professional photographer. He moved to New York City to pursue photography full time. That’s where he discovered improv comedy—what he truly wanted to do, and what eventually led him to move to Los Angeles.

Following your dreams in Hollywood is easier said than done, especially when a writers’ strike coincides with an economic downturn. Did Brian ever think of calling it quits? “Oh yeah, it got to a really dire point. I had a lot lined up—two movies that were possibly going to be made by Paramount and a series on VH-1—and then everything went away. It all disappeared,” he remembers. “I had to learn that the nature of being an actor in Hollywood is unpredictable. You have to enjoy the work for what it is and budget out the pay. Being an actor has required me to adjust to the circumstances instead of letting the circumstances control me. I had to work extremely hard at sticking with acting because I don’t have any other skill sets,” he jokes.

The Gift of Flexibility

Brian credits his Country Day experience with exposing him to unique ideas and perspectives. “In Hollywood, there are business deals going on everywhere and it’s all based on unpredictability. Everyone is pitching themselves and their ideas to get into a work situation. Country Day gave me the gift of flexibility for situations changing and that gift has allowed me to experience myself in a lot of different ways.”

For example, Brian’s willingness to try out unique experiences led to his affiliation with the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, where he still performs a weekly improv show (it’s also where actress/comedian Amy Poehler was one of his teachers).

“It was discovering the world of improv that gave me the voice, inspiration, and training to become an actor. I never did formal training in university or at any kind of acting school. Again, I think it was being open to the alternatives that led me into acting. If I had gone to drama school, I would have been intimidated and bummed out by all the egos,” he says.

What has Brian learned about himself in making a living in one of the most unforgiving cities in America? “I’m definitely drawn to the type of material that you see me in,” he says. “When it comes to being an actor, you can only fudge so much because of the physical package that you’re in, but then there’s also your personality to consider,” he explains. “These days, I know my skill set well enough to know whether I’ll be able to bring something to the role. The feedback I receive is that I give off a normal guy persona who also has an unpredictable explosiveness and a bit of repression inside. I really enjoy playing someone with tension—be it insecurity, anger, or desire—and then letting the audience make a judgment about my character later.”

The childhood dreams Brian Huskey proclaimed in his second-grade speech for Mrs. Yopp have come true. Young Brian, who dreamed of being a comedian, has gone on to have other teachers in his life, including Amy Poehler. He has worked in numerous projects with Seth Rogen and Will Ferrell, and now works with Saturday Night Live alums such as writer Norm Hiscock and actress Ana Gasteyer on People of Earth. It goes to show that with hard work and dedication, you can reach for the stars.

INFLUENTIAL TEACHERS

“I loved teachers who exposed me to multiple ideas and who were accessible to all of us. In the four years that I had Mr. (Rob) Williams for art, he always played music while we worked. Mr. (Gary) Sullivan talked to us about literary art movements in sync with events in world history such as the Cold War and WWII; he cracked my head open, stirred up my brain, and taught me that nothing exists in a vacuum. And he made me mix tapes of his favorite indie music, which is pretty cool.”