Today we’d like to introduce you to Brick Patrick.
Brick, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I grew up in the rough and tumble mining town of Butte, Montana. It’s a place where people work hard and play hard. Growing up, my family loved watching comedies and Saturday Night Live and that’s where I first got the itch to be a performer. I had a knack for impersonations, so every Christmas I would put on a show for my family, doing impersonations of family members, Chris Farley, Jack Nicholson, and other celebs. I love the work of being an actor; the script analysis, rehearsal, the pressure of filmmaking, and the risk-taking. The only thing without limits in this world is the imagination. In the creative field, you learn how to focus that unlimited energy into a specific concentrated expression. Every time I have the chance to develop a character, it feels like I’m fulfilling my life purpose.
After I got my master’s degree from UCI, I decided to make LA my home. After suffering too many hard winters in MT growing up, I was yearning for sunshine year-round. There is a delicate balance to staying creative and making money. I had many day jobs. I worked retail, was a chauffeur and did special event work. My main focus is and always was acting, but I’ve since become a hybrid. I find myself moving into writing and producing the older I get. I’ve always been able to understand the business side of acting as well as the creative process and at a certain point just owned it.
My favorite part of being an actor has to be the community. I’ve been really fortunate to work with collaborative and giving pros. My major break was playing Woody Harrelson’s twin in Now You See Me 2. We filmed in London for six months and for two weeks in China. It was surreal to work alongside some of my heroes. I remember going to work each day with joy in my heart. Jon Chu was such a calming force on set and a genuinely kind director. He has a way of making you feel like he trusts you as a performer and that you’re going to give it you’re all. Working with Woody was an absolute blessing. His generosity, humor, and willingness to take risks inspired me every day. There is a third installment of the film in the works, so I have my fingers crossed I’ll be invited back.
I’m currently producing a comedy that is slated to film in 2021. With COVID, we had to delay production. I’ve always admired Christopher Guest and Mel Brooks for how they were able to write, produce, and act in their own films. If I could have that kind of career, my heart would be full.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It’s definitely been a bumpy road. When I first started out as a professional actor, I would simultaneously work twelve-hour driving shifts where I was too zapped to write or even think about submitting an audition, but I’ve found that attitude is everything. Early on in my career, I thought artists had to be tortured. I definitely felt that dangerous pull in my life. When I moved to LA, I was at a crossroads of what to do with my desire to take risks. A lot of my contemporaries were partying a lot and this was at the same time I learned about transcendental meditation and Kundalini yoga. I feel so grateful that these practices have entered my life because they are the respite I turn to when I get overwhelmed.
I remember the stress of working on NYSM2. Although it was a dream come true, I wanted to be at the top of my game. My desire to go above and beyond was a pressure. I would start every day on set with a Kundalini routine I learned from Yoga West in LA. It allowed me to channel that excess energy productively and I would arrive on set present, alert, sharp, and playful, as opposed to anxious or stressed out. I feel mindfulness practices such as yoga and meditation are the greatest blessings that have entered my life besides my wife, friends, and family.
They say there are two ways to overcome having an overactive or nervous mind: by transcending or descending it. I definitely felt the pull to descend into alcohol and partying, but I never did. That doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy a glass of wine or a beer now and again. It’s just not an escape for me. It’s more of an indulgence. I discovered through practice that I was in control of how I react to stressful situations and my perspective of the world. It is a continuous process of transcending and accepting my fears, self-criticism, and expectations. But, once ego is out of the way and I am present, the sky is the limit. The choice to choose compassion and peace over judgment and competition is clear to me. I couldn’t be more grateful for the teachings of Ekhart Tolle, Alan Watts, and Yogi Bhajan, to name a few. They have helped provide an outlet for my excess creative energy and a channel to focus it productively.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
I define success as moving from job to job while leaving those who work alongside me with a feeling of fulfillment and a desire to work together again. It is getting paid well doing what brings me joy and not harming others and the planet in the process.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.brickpatrick.com
- Instagram: @brickpatrick
- Other: Tik Tok @brickpatrick
Image Credit:
The two studio looking photos are by Bjoern Kommerell @BKheadshots. The main one I uploaded is by Joel Lavold @whiskeyandacamera
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