What
do you do?
My name is
Brian Donovan and I am fortunate to make my living as an actor.
I have participated in all aspects of acting through the years,
most of my time and energy right now is in the voice world, animation
and promo work. The last few years have been a little different
for me in the respect that I have gotten more involved behind
the camera and have recently finished directing and producing
a documentary (www.larepertorytheater.org) and before that a children's
show.
You
can take only one film with you to a secluded place, which one
is it?
"My Life
As a Dog" (Mitt Liv Som Hund) by Lasse Hallstrom
What's
the Mighty Me?
The Mighty
Me is one's inner superhero spirit! It is my belief that everyone
has a superhero spirit deep inside, right next to their heart,
they just have to believe it is there...I teach this to kids,
but frankly, I should be teaching it to adults; we tend to need
the reminder more often. You can find out more and say hello at
www.mightyme.com.
What
do you think is the difference between Mainstream and Underground?
Well, my observation
is such: they can be remarkably similar and different depending
on the spirit of things and those involved...I have seen "mainstream"
films and projects really "maintain" that underground
spirit with very little compromise...and then again, I have see
too often that spirit get crushed in the machine. I would say
that it is "not having to answer to anyone," but having
been on both sides now, I think we all have to answer to someone
or something regardless if we are underground or not...ultimately
there are compromises...financial and/or otherwise. Can I cop
out and say it is all about "intention".
What
can a kid do?
Honestly,
anything... that's what I tell them. Why not try?
What
do you prefer Money or Love?
Love. No question.
It don't mean much if you ain't squeezing someone.
Spinach
or Chocolate?
Chocolate.
Theater
or Television?
Ouch. Television,
only if there is a movie on though.
Brando
or Newman?
Newman
Audrey
Hepburn or Julia Roberts?
Hepburn
What
would you say if you are cast to play young GANDHI in a scene
with a 100,000 children in front of you, listening to you give
them a reason to go on struggling.
From "Spirit,"
by the Waterboys:
man gets tired, spirit don't
man surrenders, spirit won't
man crawls, spirit flies,
spirit lives when man dies.
man seems... spirit is
man dreams... spirit lives
man is tied, bound, torn... spirit is free
What Spirit is...Man Can BE!
Or
"Impossible
is I'M POSSIBLE misspelled."
Tell
a story from when you were a kid. For example, the day you found
all your tooth-ferry teeth in a hidden drawer.
I was riding
my bike home one afternoon and something was wrong with my chain.
As I was looking down to see what was wrong with it I heard honking
and quickly looked up to stare at a on-coming car. I flew into
the car and hit my front tooth. At home, bloody and with a mouth
full of broken tooth grit, I asked my Mom when my next set of
teeth would come. With reservation, my Mom sadly informed me that
I just get one new set and that time has come and gone...that
was it. I balled. I didn't understand, and thought that I would
have to live with a broken tooth in my mouth forever.
Things
out of place. What can't you talk about in...
A
bank:
usually when I am in a bank I can't help but wonder and ask, what
would happen if I just said, "this is a stick up!" I
guess everything would change forever, but I don't really know
the answer and probably never will Bonnie.
A
funeral:
same thing. It might even be more interesting in a, or at a funeral.
In
a bed:
well, I would say something like that..."this is a stick
up..." but now I am beginning to sound repetitive and sophomoric...
Add
some other questions of your own.
I like the
"I prefer game", I'll ask myself that.
Do I prefer
a pen or a pencil? A pen...write with conviction...you can always
change it later with a fresh piece of paper.
Q: if you
are tired, should you just go to sleep or keep on "driving"?
A: if you want to sleep, get out of the arts...didn't Martha Graham
say, "an artist is never truly satisfied?" That is the
same as, "an artist never truly sleeps."
Brian
Donvan has been a professional actor in Los Angeles for over fourteen
years. He has appeared in many films, television projects and
commercials. He can be currently heard on ABC Family’s JETIX
block. His experience with children of all ages and non-profit
organizations of all missions is extensive. He has been for the
past eight years Executive Director of the Los
Angeles Repertory Theatre. |
