13 minute read
Bradley Allen Meyer
Loud&Clear caught up with International Actor & Model, Bradley Allen Meyer. Learn about his journey, finding himself and growing with his new found knowledge.
Cover photo by Guanchen Liu @guanchenliustudio
Bradley Allen Meyer is a Chicago-based Actor, Model and Performer. Originally from Chicago, he’s known for his performances on Netflix’s Soundtrack, NBC’s Chicago Fire along with an extensive body of work in commercial and print media.
How are you? Thank you so much for taking time out of your day. Tell us how you got started as an Actor and Model.
Thank you for for having me. It gives me a chance to share and process these crazy past years on this journey. It kind of begs the question, do you choose the career or does the career choose you? For me, it has very much been the latter. I have felt a calling to pursue acting and film making pretty much my whole life but I only finally answered that call about ten years ago. So each day I am taking steps to honor that which is best inside of me and the questions that call me forward, compelling me to find an answer.
Our lives revolve so much around emotion, whether it’s in work or family life. If you were forced to choose only one, which emotion, more than any other, drives you to stay involved in such competitive industries? Is it joy, anger, desire, passion or pride and why?
That is so true and a great question. Emotions may be one of the most powerful influences over our lives, and as an artist, for his performances on Netflix’s Soundtrack, NBC’s Chicago Fire along with an extensive body of work in commercial and print media.
How are you? Thank you so much for taking time out of your day. Tell us how you got started as an Actor and Model.
Thank you for for having me. It gives me a chance to share and process these crazy past years on this journey. It kind of begs the question, do you choose the career or does the career choose you? For me, it has very much been the latter. I have felt a calling to pursue acting and film making pretty much my whole life but I only finally answered that call about ten years ago. So each day I am taking steps to honor that which is best inside of me and the questions that call me forward, compelling me to find an answer.
Our lives revolve so much around emotion, whether it’s in work or family life. If you were forced to choose only one, which emotion, more than any other, drives you to stay involved in such competitive industries? Is it joy, anger, desire, passion or pride and why?
That is so true and a great question. Emotions may be one of the most powerful influences over our lives, and as an artist, you could say that I deal in the medium of emotions. My life and career have been a roller coaster ride of emotions. Now, this may not be an emotion, but I would say that the number one thing that has driven me to do what I have done is an unwavering and intense curiosity. I am driven by an intense curiosity to try and answer questions that have been laid upon my heart about the nature of the universe. Now as for specific emotions, fear is my friend and seemingly constant companion. Fear comes to us in many forms and can be a bit difficult to understand at times. Fear may save your life, preventing you from walking down a dark alley in which you might get murdered or it may actually keep you from writing that book that’s been on your heart to write, telling someone you love them, auditioning for your favorite show, picking up a paintbrush, or writing that poem that begs you to put pen to paper. Consult your fear, develop a relationship with it. It can save your life or it can prevent you from ever really living it at all. Some of the most rewarding experiences I have had in life were when I took action and pursued dreams even when I was scared to death.
Which ingredient do you think makes you special and unique as a performing artist in an industry overflowing with new faces and ideas?
I grew up in Indianapolis, Indiana, feeling somewhat that I was sleepwalking through life while my dreams where knocking at the door of my heart asking to be born into the world. I remember watching movies and with certain actors it seemed like they had the spark of life in their eyes. They were dynamic and engaged and capable of evoking change in themselves and others. In some ways they seemed dangerous, unpredictable. I loved it and I wanted to know what was going on to make them seem so alive. Steve Jobs talked about being able to “poke into life and something will come out on the other side.” It seemed like these people were able to do that on screen in real time. I wanted to “poke into life” and discover that same sense of “aliveness” for myself. I think everyone has the ability to have that spark and experience. What makes me unique is the outrageous willingness to say yes to the beckoning call to “aliveness.”
One thing that I have learned is that the greatest challenge usually exists within my own mind and the limitations that I set for myself therein. Reality has seldom been as difficult as I make things be in my mind.
Can you share a memorable experience from your journey as an international actor and model that significantly impacted your career or perspective?
Just like running a marathon, every step on the path of learning and experience is important. One big step was moving to New York and studying at the Atlantic Theater Company which was a dream of mine. I entered into that endeavor thinking that I was going to learn all of these intellectual techniques for how to act under different circumstances. Instead, my training at Atlantic first involved ten hour days with my peers doing yoga, breath work, crawling around on the floor like an animal, making strange noises in strange body positions, staring at each other in the eye for longer than would be socially acceptable, pushing past the discomfort of our humanity to truly discover what our humanity actually is. It was the first time in my life that I truly felt seen and could see others past the common veneers we like to hide behind in our everyday lives. It was this experience that lead me to think about other possibilities in life and the ways I want to travel through it. In many ways, this experience opened my eyes to a whole new level of possibilities, completely shifting the way I see the world and my fellow humans.
How do you navigate the unique challenges and expectations that come with being an actor and a model, particularly on an international stage?
I have come to discover that mindset truly is everything in life and the quality of your life is dictated by the quality of your thoughts. This is especially evident when trying something really hard and pushing up against your own perceived boundaries and challenging your identity. I felt that it was important to challenge the feelings and thoughts I was accustomed to in order to become the most empathic artist that I could become. It was the act of doing that over and over again, constantly pushing the boundaries of my perceptions of the world and myself, that I developed the resiliency to keep going after the true desires of my heart. One thing that I have learned is that the greatest challenge usually exists within my own mind and the limitations that I set for myself therein. Reality has seldom been as difficult as I make things be in my mind.
In what ways has your background in modeling contributed to your success as an actor, and vice versa? Can you give specific examples?
I may project a lot of confidence in life but the truth is that I have had to face a pretty crippling level of self-consciousness over the course of my life and career. Therefore, I considered every opportunity that I got to be in front of the camera as an opportunity to confront this self-consciousness. It’s all been a bit like exposure therapy for me, or cognitive behavioral therapy. Every casting, every audition, every modeling, VoiceOver, hand modeling or acting job I have is a chance to confront my ego and take a step closer to my authentic self. I told myself long ago when I started this journey that my career would begin the moment I could step in front of the camera and feel truly comfortable in my own skin. If I’m not there already, I’m certainly close.
How has working in different countries and cultures influenced your creative approach and perspective in the entertainment industry?
My experiences in the world have completely altered the way I see it. You simply don’t know what is out there awaiting you until you experience it. I’m recently back in the US from about a year long sabbatical outside of the country and I am still putting the pieces of my mind back together from that experience. I’ve immerssevely studied Spanish, Portuguese and Italian this past year while living in Europe and South America. That process, alone, has blown my mind and will continue to as I press on towards fluency in these and other languages.
What projects or roles are you most excited about currently, and how do they align with your aspirations and goals as an international actor and model?
Right now, I am most passionate about telling stories that I have sought and been exposed to in my life and feel are important to share with a wider audience. I have begun writing again and looking for the right mediums in which to tell these stories. It may be a combination of documentary film making, feature films, mini series, podcasting or any other various form of new media.
We hear that you are a Sommelier. Can you share a specific wine that you consider a personal favorite and describe what makes it stand out for you, including the taste profile, region, and any memorable experiences associated with it?
It’s kind of funny how things come full circle. It was my dream to be a sommelier for a long time and it’s interesting how, when you pursue one dream, others somehow fall into place. My first role on TV was as a sommelier and I know I got that job because I was an actual sommelier (they really just needed someone to pour wine in a glass and not on the other actors). That TV credit opened the door for even more opportunities and meetings and I was able to take my acting career to the next level as a result. So, you never know how pursuing your curiosities and passions will benefit you in all areas of your life and career.
In the world of wine, I have had the opportunity to drink wine that cost thousands of dollars a bottle (an experience to be sure but one I wouldn’t want to have every day), and yet my favorite wines in the world usually cost no more than a few dollars or euros. I was in Freiburg, Germany last year in autumn and had some of the best wine I have every tasted in my life for just a few euros a bottle. In these places, wine making is a community event and the seasonal wines, like Federweisser, flow freely for only a couple euros a bottle and for a couple weeks out of the year. These obscure regional wines are some of the most exciting wines I have ever had.
A little off subject… but I feel that music can often play a big role in our lives. What 5 albums or artists have made you who you are today?
Interestingly enough, music may be the next frontier of my career. I learned to DJ while living in Barcelona last year and I am profoundly fascinated by music’s ability to influence and change us.
I have been highly influenced by famous performances from people and groups such as Michael Jackson, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Elvis and Queen to name a few. Some of those performances have been transcendent and have inspired me to convey that same passion and emotion in my own performances, acting or otherwise.
Im also currently listening to the song “Weightless” by Marconi Union quite frequently. In a recent study, it was found that by listening to this song for three minutes lessened participants anxiety by 65% and some reported an easing of anxiety akin to the effect of a benzodiazapine. So yeah, I’ve been listening! You can find it on YouTube.
I am also really into the DJ Black Coffee at the moment. His music is deeply soulful and spiritual and connects to people in a deep way. I want to gain the kind of mastery that he has over music and create the kinds of vibes that he is able to create.
How can fans-to-be follow your career? Please share your platforms and/or website with us.
Definitely, you can find me on Instagram: @bradleyallenmeyer Or on my website: BradleyAllenMeyer.com
Again, thank you for sitting down with us. Is there anything else you’d like to share?
As a final statement, I want to encourage people that if you have a question about something, find an answer. That journey of trying to find an answer will change your life in ways that you never thought possible. Even by simply asking the question, you have now changed your relationship to that thing and, indeed, the universe itself. Then you may come to find a question that simply burns within your soul until it becomes your life’s passion and purpose. I wish that for every single one of you.
