Atlanta-based actor Bryan McClure talks his love of Jim Carrey, the importance of a good acting teacher, and his latest film, Blackstock Boneyard.

Where did you love of acting come from?

 It grew over time. I’ve always enjoyed being a goofy person. Making people laugh and I’ve always loved art. So, as I started to learn about the craft of acting, my love for it grew over time. It’s so fun to play and get lost in a role!

And was there a particular actor, or even a film, that spurred your decision to enter the arts?

I don’t know if there was an actor of film that spurred me to enter the arts, but I’d say old school Jim Carrey had a huge impact on me growing up. Ace Ventura and Dumb and Dumber were some of my favorite movies growing up!

Did you study? Where did you cut your teeth?

The first classes I ever took were at the Omaha Community Playhouse in Omaha, NE. When I moved to Los Angeles, I took a 2-year Meisner program from William Alderson. I’m very thankful for my Meisner training. As my teacher used to say, the Meisner Technique is like the floor for a dancer. It’s a place to push off from. And I truly believe that it gave me a wonderful foundation to my craft. From there, I studied at i/O West improv, which no longer exists; I studied with Bill O’Leary, and Diana Castle – she impacted my acting and my life dramatically – no pun intended. These teachers were really the foundations of my acting. 

And was there a particular role that really helped cement your career?

I’d say that my leading role in the film In Other Words, which is currently running on HBO Max, really helped showcase my acting abilities.

Is your agent or manager finding that you’re usually contracted about playing a particular role or type?

You know, some actors often find themselves playing very similar roles. At this point in my career, I’ve been really blessed to play a lot of different kinds of roles. It’s really been fun!

What kind of characters do you like playing most?

Any richly written character is a blast to dig into, however I particularly like comedy. Often the whole vibe on a set of comedy is light and filled with laughter. Other genres are fun too, but when there’s intense drama scenes, the mood on set can be a little more subdued.

And this latest one? Where does your role in ‘Blackstock Boneyard’ rank for you?

It was a blast to play! When we filmed it, it was actually 4 years ago. I remember having so much fun, especially in my scenes with actress Laura Flannery, who plays my sister.

Did you develop a backstory for the character in ‘Blackstock’, even if it wasn’t on the page?

I don’t believe I created anything for Corey that wasn’t already written in the script.

Do you envision it as a one-off, or is there a chance the character could return for perhaps a ‘Blackstock’ sequel of some kind?

I think this is a question that audiences will have to answer for themselves after watching our film…

How do you think the industry is going to change, following the pandemic?

Well, it’s not just a pandemic we experienced this last year. We also experienced a lot of racial injustices and political division as well as many other crazy things. Art can often be a reflection of the times and I’m already seeing scripts that have to do with viruses, racial injustice, and so on and so forth. I believe there’ll be a number of those in the near future. There’s a saying that art reflects life and life reflects art. It’s quite true.