INTRO BY KAT VISTI
INTERVIEW BY CAMI LIBERTY
PHOTO COURTESY OF STATUS PR
Actor, writer, and comedian Brent Pope does it all! He's appeared on HBO's Sillicon Valley, CBS' Living Biblically, and FX's TheAssassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story plus more. He's also created, wrote, and starred in two award winning web-series entitled Common Beauties and Table for Two. Brent does stand-up comedy and improv as well. In an interview with Brent we got more details on his roles, the causes he supports, and much more!
When did you first become interested in acting and when did you know it was what you wanted to pursue as a career?
"As a kid, I was always driving my parents crazy, imitating characters like George Jefferson, Fred Sanford, and J.J Walker, all what you might call lovable jerks. I guess the fact that they could be rude but still manage to be liked seemed like a mind-blowing concept. So I guess I knew when I was very young, but I didn’t really go after it until after I had tried a lot of other things. I worked at a newspaper, a TV station, and a radio station, but none of them were as satisfying as the response you get in front of a live audience."
You created, wrote, and starred in the comedic web series “Table for Two” and “Common Beauties”. Can you tell us a little about these projects?
"Both Table for Two and Common Beauties were created, in part, out of the needs that actors/writers/creators have to create personal projects that inspire them. What the two endeavors have in common is finding comedy in everyday normal people that sort of hide in plain sight, whether it be meter maids, movie ushers, or restaurant hosts. My collaborators on both of those projects, Julia Addis and Jeff Luppino Esposito, we are such a great creative team, and we can’t wait to make more episodes of both. The hope is that we can find a platform to do one or both of them on a larger scale, that’s the dream."
We know that you and your wife have many special needs dogs and cats that you have rescued. Have you always loved animals and been interested in rescuing them?
"I have always been around a bunch of animals, partly because I grew up on a dairy farm in Nebraska. In addition to all of the farm animals, we were always taking in cats and dogs that needed homes, so I guess it’s a family tradition. When I moved away from the farm, I started rescuing animals from the local shelters, and I’ve never stopped. Right now we have 2 dogs and 2 cats, all from shelters or animal rescues."
We also know that you are a huge supporter of animal rights and education for all children. What do both of these causes mean to you?
"Both of them are near and dear to my heart. I have worked with students with special needs for almost 20 years now. One thing that they have taught me, without a doubt, is that they share the same thirst for knowledge and new experiences as every other child. Not giving them these opportunities is just wrong in my book. Way wrong.
As far as basic animal rights go, I just don’t understand people sometimes. Our dog Dufresne (named after the Shawshank character) was rescued after someone left him tied up in their back yard when they moved. Human decency would dictate that at the very least you take him to the shelter, not left tied to a tree. We have to be better than that as a society."
Are there any projects we can expect from you in the near future?
"I will be appearing on the HULU show Casual when season 4 drops in late July. I am also working on more episodes of both Table for Two and Common Beauties, as well as a couple pilots that will be ready to shop around later in the year."