We’re looking forward to introducing you to Tyler Sopland. Check out our conversation below.
Hi Tyler, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What is a normal day like for you right now?
Ahh! Right now is a bit crazy, I’m preparing for a big project that starts filming in a few days- so my life is kinda revolving around that preparation of the character, and figuring out my daily responsibilities so that they can be taken care of while I’m on set and busy! It’s the best feeling in the world, truly. It’s like the biggest ‘high’ you could ever imagine, just the adrenaline rush every morning waking up, remembering ‘oh yeah, Tyler, you’re filming a movie! Gotta do x, y, and Z today!’ So, basically, running around doing X, Y, and Z in the most time efficient way possible.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m an actor based in Los Angeles, originally from the small towns just outside Louisville, Kentucky. I’ve always carried my Kentucky roots with me because they shape the way I approach my work, the characters I build, and the kind of career I’m trying to create. Authenticity matters to me. I’m not interested in flash; I’m interested in telling honest, textured stories that feel lived-in and human.
Right now, I’m preparing to shoot my next movie, which will take up about two months of filming. It’s a project I’m excited about and putting a lot of focus into, but at the same time, I’m squeezing in time to go back home to Kentucky for the holidays. No matter how busy things get in LA, going home keeps me grounded.
At the end of the day, I’m just working hard, staying true to who I am, and building a career that reflects where I come from and what I care about.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
My aunt Jackie. She helped babysit me most of my childhood, and she was the silliest and loudest person I knew, which is heavenly for an outgoing kid. We would paint, throw glitter, laugh, run, ride bikes, you name it. She was like a kid trapped in a middle aged woman’s body (in the best way possible). She was a true light to this world, and her and I were super close. She made me feel magical and unstoppable. I have just the warmest and strongest memories of her. She has since passed on, and that is a mourn that will forever be in my families memory. She was fantastic and made me believe in myself more than anyone. She truly was a role model to me and one of my best friends. I love you aunt Jackie!
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering taught me things success never even came close to. When you’re going through something heavy, like heartbreak, fear, uncertainty, feeling lost, you learn what actually matters and who you really are when no one’s watching. Success feels great, but it’s loud. Suffering is quiet, and in that quiet you hear the truth a lot clearer.
It taught me humility. It taught me patience. It taught me how to sit with myself without needing achievement to feel worthy. It forced me to grow up in ways I didn’t choose, but probably needed. It made me realize that I’m stronger than I thought, but also softer than I ever let myself be.
It showed me that the people who check on you when you disappear for a minute are worth more than the people who only show up when everything’s going well. And honestly, it taught me empathy, real empathy, the kind you only develop when you’ve been in the dark long enough to know what someone else might be feeling when they’re there too.
Success gives you momentum.
Suffering gives you depth.
And I’d rather have depth, because that’s what makes life, relationships, and the characters I play feel real.
Thats how I feel, anyway.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What do you believe is true but cannot prove?
I believe that the energy you put into the world comes back to you but not in some mystical, magical way, but in the way it shapes how you move through life. I can’t prove it, but I genuinely think positivity leads to better health and a happier life. When you approach things with a little optimism, a little gratitude, or even just the willingness to look for the good, your body feels different, your mind feels clearer, and your relationships get stronger.
I also believe that nothing we go through is wasted. Even the painful, confusing moments end up teaching us something we needed, maybe not immediately, maybe not obviously, but eventually. I can’t prove that everything connects for a reason, but I’ve lived enough to feel like it often does.
And I believe that who you are when no one’s watching matters more than anything you accomplish. There’s no science behind that, no chart or study but it’s just something I feel deeply. That the quiet choices, the small kindnesses, the way you treat people when there’s nothing in it for you… that’s the real stuff.
I can’t prove any of it.
But I live by it anyway.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. Are you tap dancing to work? Have you been that level of excited at any point in your career? If so, please tell us about those days.
Oh, absolutely, yes I’ve had those “tap-dancing to work” moments. Honestly, anytime I’m on a set, that energy kicks in. There’s something about waking up before the sun, grabbing a coffee (or energy drink sorry Mom), and driving to set knowing you get to live in a completely different world for the day. For me, any day on set is better than any day off set. I mean that. It’s where I feel the most alive, the most myself.
There have been a few jobs where that excitement was almost ridiculous, like I couldn’t get in the car fast enough. The kind of days where you’re running your lines in your head while brushing your teeth because you just want to get going. I remember showing up like an hour or so early more than once because I just couldn’t sit still at home. It wasn’t nerves; it was pure joy.
What makes those days special is the feeling of, “I can’t believe I get to do this.” The lights, the crew, the chaos, the silence right before they call “action” … it all hits me the same way every time. Even when the hours are long, even when I’m exhausted, even when things go sideways… I wouldn’t trade it.
So yeah absolutely I’ve tap danced. I’ll probably keep tap dancing. I’ll be a pro tap dancer. Because getting to walk onto a set knowing I get to create something with a team of people who care just as much as I do? That’s the best feeling in the world.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://pro.imdb.com/mobile/name/nm8355990/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk
- Instagram: @thetylersopland
