Actor Brendan Meyer finds space to work on his craft
A disparate amalgam of objects — including a softbox light looming in a corner, stacks of notated scripts and a miniature alpaca stuffed animal — blend to conjure a space devoted to actor Brendan Meyer’s craft.
The Studio City bedroom doubles as a workshop where Meyer, 25, films his auditions against a stark wall (lit with his softbox and beams of natural light), pens his scripts — he said he’s “been writing pretty consistently for about four years” — and stockpiles his favorite DVDs, acting books and souvenirs from various roles.
“Sometimes I wish I was more well-rounded, but I’m not. I really just love movies, plays and acting and immersing myself as much as possible,” said Meyer, who appeared in the Netflix series “The OA.” “It’s a chicken-and-the-egg thing — I don’t know if I love movies so much because I’m an actor, or if I’m an actor because I love movies and want to be a part of them.”
Keepsakes from his recent role as Nicolas Cage’s son in “Color Out of Space,” the off-the-wall H.P. Lovecraft adaptation now in theaters, congregate on his bookshelf. They include two blue-and-white Portuguese tiles with his initials from his on-camera mom, Joely Richardson, and the toy alpaca made of wool from Bruno, the alpha male from the movie’s herd — “they’re a big part of the film,” Meyer said.
He hails from Ontario, Canada, and performed in Alberta’s Freewill Shakespeare Festival for three seasons in his early teens. The Bard’s complete works sit among his many plays and acting books, as well as a biography of Humphrey Bogart, whom Meyer calls his favorite “classic-era actor.”
Why is your bedroom your favorite room?
I’ve been here for about three years, but since 2010 I’ve been on location a lot, so it’s nice to have a place that has all the stuff that maintains continuity. I’ve got different mementos, and I do a lot of auditions and my writing in here too. This is the perfect room to do it in. It’s nice to have the natural light and open the window.
What’s your bedtime routine like?
I have one of those weighted blankets now, which is nice because they kind of tuck you in and make you tired. Sometimes I have trouble falling asleep, so the weighted blanket really helps, and I’ll listen to different podcasts to wind down before going to sleep. The main one is “Rob Has a Podcast” because it takes me out of writing, acting or movies.
What’s the story behind these hats?
I’m actually a huge golf fan. I’ve been to the Open Championship in Britain twice, and these are hats that I got from there. One is from Troon in Scotland in 2016 and the other is from last year in Portrush, which is cool because a lot of my family is from Northern Ireland and it was 15 minutes away. It hadn’t been in Northern Ireland in 70 years.
Why do you like recording your auditions here?
I think it’s important with acting and especially auditions to establish a routine — the fewer distractions the better. I’ve done about 60 auditions here, and because it’s the same spot it’s easier for me to forget about my own life. I can use the natural light from the window and then the artificial light so you don’t have a shadow in your face.
What’s the significance of the framed ‘Memento’ poster?
This is a gift from my younger brother. It’s one of my top five favorite films. My brother and I are really close — we were home-schooled and spent so much time together when we were younger.
Do you have a favorite memory in your bedroom?
That one time when my grandparents, mom, dad and brother were here for the premiere of “The OA.” I had to lay the guest beds down on either side of my bed for my parents to sleep on. I actually kept it that way for a bit after they left. I have a two-bedroom place because somebody comes down and stays with me every month.
