An Inspired Chat with Garth Gunderson of Burbank

We recently had the chance to connect with Garth Gunderson and have shared our conversation below.

Garth, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
Me and my girlfriend, Angel drove up to Utah this past summer to pick up the cutest little Sphynx cat. Her name is Pawahtuun and she has brought us both so much joy, especially on the harder days. I’m actually allergic to cats but Angel really wanted a cat so we settled on sourcing a Sphynx. Since Pawah is Hairless, and mostly hypoallergenic this works! I was never a big cat person but Pawah has changed that, and smile on my face every day!

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Garth Gunderson and I am an Actor, Musician, and Photographer based here in Los Angeles, CA. I’m actually Hawaiian born but I was raised in Jacksonville, Florida. For a long time I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life and when I graduated high school I was driving this cool little Miata. One day at the beach this guy Paul left a note on my car expressing how much he liked it haha. We became friends and he got me a job working as a diesel technician at the local port. I did that for 4 years and I made enough money to afford acting classes. I started working with Jill Donnellan at Hollywood Acting Studios in Jacksonville and from there I started acting in local independent film projects. I’ve been pursuing acting on and off since 2017 struggling through jobs, relationships, and finding myself through it all. Music has been something that has been there to help medicate me through hard times. My momma, Christina, got me a Ukulele when I was like 16 or 17 over a bad breakup and I just learned off YouTube. From there I eventually got a guitar and through learning covers I’ve been able to grow my voice. I started a band here in LA when I got here in 2023 called “Vagabond”., that project has unfortunately ended but I’m looking forward to further exploring myself as a Musician. I guess you can say I can’t necessarily pick a lane but since moving to Los Angeles my acting career has been a lot more consistent, especially with the Vertical Short form platforms such as Reelshort, Dramabox, and Vigloo. There are new platforms popping up everyday seemingly so it’s an exciting time to be an actor in the middle of an industry shift. I’ve been able to get solid supporting roles on Reelshort on shows such as “DILFS”, “The Tutor Trap” and “Country Gal to the CEO’s Bride”. I am currently looking to further my acting career, get new agency representation in the new year and I’m trying to put together a new reel. I’ve also taken up photography and I am starting a new musical project.

Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
Growing up was a little weird for me, as it is for all of us. We’re born into this incredibly robust world that has so many moving pieces. I was really quiet as a kid and I still can remained rather reserved, especially if I don’t know you or if I’m not comfortable with you. There were times in school where due to my social anxiety I had thoughts that no one liked me or that maybe I wasn’t meant to be social. That’s definitely changed as I’ve gotten out of my shell between acting classes and now performing on stages around Los Angeles, and even open mics when I was in Charlotte, NC. I’ve been able to find my stride as a person through the arts.

Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Countless times over different things, There are still times where I think about giving up. Giving up is a scary thought because it sounds so final. I think I’ve ultimately realized that you have control over what happens for the most part so you’ve got to make a choice to keep going. I’ve always struggled with finances so sometimes you think as an artist well, am I going to take this gig or am I going to quit my job or am I going to call off, can I afford my rent and take that risk? It’s all a balance. For me the first time I almost gave up was during COVID. There was so much uncertainty around the world and especially in the entertainment industry. I was working a ton and didn’t have time for much else like for auditions or practicing the guitar. I had actually gotten dropped by my very first agency a year prior around 2019. So it was a culmination of factors that made me just sort of Stagnant and at the time I wasn’t taking myself or acting very seriously and therefore the results showed. I was in a period of numbness and nothing really made sense at that time. I ended up moving to Charlotte, North Carolina and went corporate and got a really amazing job at a Recruiting company. I actually had an amazing time there and in a sense that could have really been my path but there was something missing and I knew while I was still young that I needed to go to Los Angeles and give this more of a shot.

Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
Consistency. Sounds cliche and pretty vanilla but I really truly believe that consistency is the answer to most things in life. You can have all the talent in the world but if you don’t do anything with it or find ways to market yourself then it’s still going to be tough. Especially now a days things are so accessible and saturated. This is something I admit-tingly still struggle with because I get overwhelmed and exhausted by social media but that’s sort of the game you unfortunately have to play. Consistently working at your craft, your creative projects, your social media, and putting yourself out there.

Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: When do you feel most at peace?
Honestly on a hike, I have to be outside somewhere beautiful. Just the music of the world around me.

Image Credits
William Phillips Cook