Conversations with Austin Chase

Today we’d like to introduce you to Austin Chase.

Hi Austin, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I grew up immersed in the entertainment industry—my dad will have been a member of Local 44 for 35 years this November. Visiting sets and seeing the behind-the-scenes magic of what he built was always exciting. Although my mom never pursued acting for me (my brother wasn’t a fan of it, and she didn’t want a repeat experience), that changed after teachers at my school began telling her how entertaining I was. Kids would gather around to watch me sing and dance. Whether they were laughing with me or at me, I didn’t care—it gave me confidence.

One of the staff members suggested, “You should try him in acting.” Who would’ve thought? My mom signed me up for background work, and on my very first job—a Mattel shoot—they actually replaced the lead actor with me! We didn’t quite grasp the significance at the time, but looking back, it was wild. I was just shy of 6 years old.

I continued doing background work for about a year so my mom could see if I truly enjoyed it and could handle the pressure. I had a blast—and honestly, I really loved the craft service and catering tables! As I kept booking more roles, the work just felt right. I’d leave school early, do my homework in the car, rehearse my lines, and still be home in time for dinner.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Balancing it all got tougher as I got older. Between volleyball, high school jazz band, French class, and memorizing scripts, it was a lot. After landing a few voiceover jobs, I transitioned to partial homeschooling to avoid constantly missing class. At 16, I tested out of high school and took a short acting break to focus on college, where I earned a degree in New Media Journalism by the time I was 18.

Even during the challenges of COVID and the industry strikes, I’ve continued to pursue the craft I love. Acting is where my heart is—but who knows, maybe someday you’ll find me working behind the camera too.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
People often recognize me from the Oscar Mayer Lunchables commercial I did as a kid, but one of my most notable roles was starring opposite Vince Vaughn in True Detective. I’m also well known for voicing Dave the Panda in over 100 episodes of the animated series Ruff-Ruff, Tweet and Dave, a role that became a major part of my early career.

Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
Mentorship can come from anyone, so stay open to advice and insights from the people around you. Listen, absorb, and make an effort to connect. Get out, explore, and maintain relationships with those you meet along the way. I used to keep in touch with many of my industry contacts through Instagram, which worked well—until my account was hacked and held for ransom. Unfortunately, I lost all my contacts when it was deleted, which was a tough lesson in backing up important connections.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/austinnashchase?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/actoraustinnashchase/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/austinnashchase/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFO7vvy_RxJk1RgtO1P7mgg
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@austinnashchase

Image Credits
Reflex Studios, Deidhra Fahey