Rising Stars: Meet Brandon Marquez of Los Angeles / OC

Today we’d like to introduce you to Brandon Marquez.

Hi Brandon, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My passion for entertainment began when I was just six years old.

Growing up, my father worked as the head chef for Gala Catering, one of Hollywood’s premier film and television catering companies. Throughout elementary school, I had the unique opportunity to visit movie and television sets with him and experience the entertainment industry from behind the scenes. While most kids only saw actors on television, I was able to watch productions come to life and meet many of the people who helped create them.

Those experiences shaped my love for entertainment at an early age. The first celebrity I ever met was Adam Sandler at a baseball field in Los Angeles. My father played baseball with Adam and members of his crew during their days off. When my brother and I met him, Adam jokingly greeted us by quoting one of his lines from Big Daddy. As a kid, seeing someone I admired from movies suddenly become a real person standing in front of me was something I’ll never forget.

Later, my father catered a private gathering at Adam’s home, where I had the opportunity to attend with my family. I remember being amazed that his house even had an elevator. During that event, I spent time hanging out on the beach with Dylan and Cole Sprouse, met Winona Ryder, Drew Barrymore, and several other actors, and got a glimpse into a world that most kids never experience.

I also had opportunities to see actors such as Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Keanu Reeves while visiting productions with my dad. I remember watching Denzel Washington work on set and visiting the set of Jurassic Park III, where a producer drove my brother and me around on a golf cart showing us the production. I was told not to touch any of the props, including the fake trees and animatronic dinosaurs, but being a curious kid, I touched one of the trees and quickly learned it was covered in wet paint. Experiences like that made the entertainment world feel magical and sparked my desire to someday become part of it.

Although I was extremely shy growing up, I knew from the age of six that acting was something I wanted to pursue. As I got older, my father eventually changed careers, so those Hollywood connections were no longer available. Instead of relying on those opportunities, I decided to create my own path through hard work, training, auditions, and persistence.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The journey has definitely not been a smooth one. Entertainment is an industry filled with uncertainty, rejection, and unexpected challenges, but every setback has taught me something valuable.

After my father changed careers, I no longer had the same access to the entertainment world that I experienced as a child. I had to start from the beginning and build my own relationships, learn the industry myself, and create my own opportunities.

Music became my first major step into entertainment. During high school, I performed in several bands before eventually forming my main musical project, Annabelle Asylum, where I became the lead vocalist, songwriter, and lyricist. We performed throughout Southern California, built a local following, and worked toward turning our passion into a professional career.

In 2016, our band came close to taking a major step forward. We connected with a producer and manager who had relationships within the music industry, including connections to Roadrunner Records and other major labels. We believed we were close to securing professional management and potentially pursuing a record deal.

We made the decision to wait until entertainment attorneys could review everything before signing any agreements, which ultimately was the right choice. Unfortunately, the opportunity eventually fell apart when commitments were not fulfilled, communication broke down, and the producer shifted focus toward other projects.

I realized that if I wanted to pursue entertainment seriously, I would have to create my own opportunities and build my own relationships from the ground up.

After my music career with Annabelle Asylum didn’t develop into the record deal and management opportunity we hoped for, I shifted my focus back toward my original dream of acting. I knew I had to find a way into the industry, so I started wherever I could, taking acting classes, auditioning, and accepting background work to gain experience, learn how productions operate, and get my foot in the door.

I’ve also had to balance pursuing this career with real-life responsibilities. Since entertainment work is not always consistent, I still work a regular job to provide stability and support my family. Being a father has made me even more motivated to continue chasing my goals while also making sure I’m responsible and dependable.

The biggest challenge has been continuing to believe in the dream while building everything from the ground up. I’ve learned that success in entertainment is not just about talent, it’s about persistence, resilience, preparation, and continuing to show up even when the results don’t happen overnight and networking with the right people.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I consider myself a multi-disciplinary entertainer with experience in acting, music, voice-over, modeling, and digital content creation.

During high school, I performed in multiple bands before eventually forming my main project, Annabelle Asylum, where I became the lead vocalist, songwriter, and lyricist. Performing live and writing original music helped me develop confidence as a performer and taught me how to connect with an audience.

After transitioning my focus back to acting, I began taking classes, auditioning consistently, and working on productions to gain experience. Over the years, I’ve appeared on nationally televised game shows including Let’s Make a Deal (CBS/Paramount+), You Bet Your Life with Jay Leno (FOX), Pictionary with Jerry O’Connell (FOX), Funny You Should Ask with Howie Mandel and celebrity guests, Hey Yahoo! with Tom Cavanagh (Game Show Network), and We the People with Judge Lauren Lake.

I’ve also worked on productions including Dave (Hulu), Grey’s Anatomy, Euphoria, 9-1-1, Winning Time, Lanterns, and many other projects as a featured background performer.

One of the biggest milestones in my career came when I competed at iPOP! (International Presentation of Performers), where I received first place for Best Actor in the Adult Division against hundreds of performers. That accomplishment led to my professional representation with Eris Talent Agency for commercial, voice-over, and modeling opportunities.

Shortly afterward, I booked my first national commercial with eBay, which aired throughout the United States and United Kingdom. Seeing friends and family recognize me from Hulu, streaming platforms, and social media was an unforgettable moment.

I’ve also explored opportunities in reality television, including advancing through multiple audition rounds for Love Island USA, reaching the final casting round for The Bachelorette but wasn’t ultimately selected, but I was pitched to ABC executives. I was selected for Beast Games Season One before passport requirements prevented me from participating, and being cast on Flip Side with Jaleel White before filming was canceled for my episode.

What I believe sets me apart is my willingness to keep learning and adapt. I don’t limit myself to one creative path. Along with entertainment, I earned my degree in Political Science and recently completed my California real estate coursework with the goal of obtaining my real estate license. I believe having multiple skills and building different opportunities is important, especially in a competitive industry.

Currently, I’m continuing to grow as an actor while expanding into digital content creation through YouTube, Twitch, and Kick.

Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that persistence matters just as much as talent.

Entertainment is an industry where rejection is normal and opportunities can disappear unexpectedly. The ability to keep improving, stay professional, and continue moving forward is what separates people who last from people who give up.

I’ve learned that you cannot wait around for someone else to create your opportunities. Sometimes you have to build your own path, whether that means starting a band, taking acting classes, creating content, learning new skills, or finding different ways to grow.

I’ve also learned the importance of preparation and protecting yourself. The entertainment industry is both creative and business-oriented, and understanding both sides is essential.

Every experience, whether successful or disappointing, has helped shape me into the person and performer I am today.

Pricing:

• Refer to agents – Eris Talent Agency

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Eristalentagency.com/brandon-marquez
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/brandonwhyyy
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/brandonwhyyy
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@marquezbrotherz
• Soundcloud: https://m.soundcloud.com/annabelle_asylum
• Other: https://linktr.ee/brandonjmarquez

Image Credits
Television / Game Show Credits

Let’s Make a Deal — CBS / Paramount+
You Bet Your Life with Jay Leno — FOX
Pictionary with Jerry O’Connell — FOX
Funny You Should Ask — featuring Howie Mandel and celebrity panel guests
Hey Yahoo! with Tom Cavanagh — Game Show Network
We the People with Judge Lauren Lake — Court TV

Background Acting for Television / Streaming Production Credits

Dave — Hulu (Featured Background)
Grey’s Anatomy — ABC/Hulu (Featured Background)
Euphoria — HBO (Featured Background)
9-1-1 — ABC/Hulu (Featured Background)
Winning Time — HBO (Featured Background)
Lanterns — HBO (Featured Background)
Additional television and streaming productions..

Commercial / Representation

eBay National Commercial — United States & United Kingdom
Eris Talent Agency — Commercial, Voice-Over & Modeling Representation

Music

Annabelle Asylum — Lead Vocalist / Songwriter