We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Robert Peterpaul. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Robert below.

Robert, appreciate you joining us today. Can you take us back in time to the first dollar you earned as a creative – how did it happen? What’s the story?

The first time I earned a big paycheck from acting, I threw it out.

I’ve been acting professionally since childhood, for the sole love of it. I was lucky enough to do a national tour, Off-Broadway show and even dabble in some screen work. However, my parents always signed the contracts and deposited the checks, so to me acting was just a glorified playground. It’s no wonder that post-college I found myself bemused by the fact that something so wonderful as acting could provide an income.

The big pay-day came from my very first commercial. I’d finally hopped off the hamster wheel that is the New York City audition circuit and booked a gig! I almost didn’t even apply. I had been scrolling through a casting site in bed one night and came across an urgent notice for a “major cell phone brand” seeking an actor to be on set the next day. I applied and immediately tried to let it go. The next day I woke up to an email saying I was booked! After blinking my eyes in that “is this real?” fashion, I celebrated.

That evening, after work, I arrived for the shoot in Union Square of NYC. It turned out to be for T-Mobile. Wow! I had no idea what to expect. Should I have hired an acting coach? Turned out to be a simple improv setup, comparing T-Mobile to a few other competitor cell companies. I was in and out in under an hour with a very small stipend. Onto the next!

As months passed, I forgot about the little commercial gig and surely suffered many identity crises, making me wonder why I was following the path of an actor. Then one day, a check showed up in my mailbox. The amount written was for more than I’d ever seen on a single check before. In fact, it would cover my entire rent for the year. And it had my name on it. What a cruel tease, I laughed. I ripped it up and threw it out!

Eventually, after food scraps piled on top of the torn check and I continued my life, I got a call from the production company of the commercial. They had great news! Our little spot was being turned into an international campaign. They sent along a new contract, and said to expect payment in the mail. I panicked!

After some long calls with the entertainment payroll company and lots of deep breaths, a new check was couriered. And then new checks continued to come. And come. And come. Some bigger, some smaller. It got to the point where I would check my mail and expect a check! I felt set for life. Of course, it didn’t last forever.

While part of my wrestled with the disbelief of that payment, I was reminded of the countless weeks, months, years, I spent hustling and auditioning without a single cent earned. I worked hard. Actors work hard. So, while it may seem unreal that a passion could reap a profit, it’s deserved. Today, I continue to try to balance that. The entertainment industry is a business, but it’s a business built on play. Although I’d gladly entertain someone for free, it’s important that my gifts (and everyone’s in this world) are valued. I’ll never rip up a check again!

Robert, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Hi there! I’m Robert, an actor, writer, journalist and podcaster with a passion for storytelling. I’m not great at talking about myself, so to be candid I’m tweaking a bio someone else helped me fashion to answer this question.

Growing up, I discovered my love for the arts at a young age. I was a frequent browser at Blockbuster, where I would roam the aisles for hours on end. I put on shows in my basement using a window curtain my dad rigged up. Anytime friends would come over, I’d wrangle them into making a short film. Looking back, I was always engrossed in stories.

At age 9, I was fortunate to make my Off-Broadway debut at the York Theatre in NYC and from there was cast in the Broadway musical SEUSSICAL. I’ve been acting ever since, having the honor of being named “Connecticut’s BEST ACTOR” by BroadwayWorld along the way. Some recent highlights include: IFC’s KING COBRA, SONY’s WHAT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT and NEWSIES at the Westport Country Playhouse.

I’ve also followed my passion on the writing front, serving as an entertainment writer for almost a decade now. I’ve been lucky to write for publications and shows like: NBC’s America’s Got Talent, Screen Rant, The Huffington Post, Backstage, Writer’s Weekly and, HOLA! USA, where I was the Head Weekend Editor for six years. Throughout my career I’ve loved getting to interview talent like: Oscar-winner Allison Janney, Emmy-winner Sterling K. Brown, Tony-winner Kristin Chenoweth, Hocus Pocus creator David Kirschner and more.

Most recently, I shifted my production company Robert Peterpaul Productions and joined the wonderful world of podcasting! During the pandemic, I was dismayed at the never-ending circuit of negative news and, of course, the obsession with cancel culture. Growing up in the arts, I knew the value of artists and wished that the news was reporting on that instead of gossip. Thus, the concept for The Art of Kindness podcast, which is to spotlight people in the arts using their platforms to make the world better, was born. Now in our second season, I can’t believe how much we’ve grown! Someone recently told me we’re in the top 5% of podcasts around the world and I nearly fainted.

How did you build your audience on social media?

As anyone in entertainment will tell you, having a day job is necessary! I’ve been a social media specialist for various clients over the years and have learned all the tools and tricks of the trade. I recently started to apply these to my own personal pages and have seen growth! Here’s what I can tell you: authenticity rules. Figure out your unique perspective of the world and the story you want to tell. What can you offer the feed that’s different from the millions of other posts? Approach everything from an authentic place and you’ll see your organic growth increase over time. Also, at the end of the day, it’s supposed to be fun! If you’re having fun, we’re having fun watching. So don’t forget to have that, too!

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

One morning of our childhood was all it took. My younger brother, Thomas, woke up with shooting stomach pains, pleading to stay in bed. Now, at first I thought he was just trying to get out of class (something I may have pulled the week before), but he wasn’t taking advantage of my parent’s kindness. There was no hint of a lie in his eyes, only tinges of fear.

Later that day, when my other two siblings and I were being watched at a neighbor’s house, we were told. At the age of nine, Thomas was diagnosed with ALL leukemia. Of course, we had no clue of the severity of his disease and couldn’t even begin to fathom just how much it would affect him and the rest of our lives. We didn’t understand, but things quickly changed.

At the age of 11, I instantly became a father figure. Being the oldest child, I protected my younger sister and baby brother while my parent’s lived away at the hospital with Thomas for the majority of the time. Despite my parent’s wishes to be there for all of us, and the ever-changing flow of guardians stepping in and out of the house to watch us, I became the stable figure for my two siblings. I changed my brother’s diapers. I packed my sister’s lunch for school. I grew up.

Over the course of Thomas’ two-year battle with cancer, we all stood by his side, watching the boy we knew and loved disappear. He was poked, prodded, stabbed with needles, injected with medicine and, eventually, became confined to either a bed or a wheelchair because of his intense treatment. He lost all his hair, his ability to see, his childhood and, above all else, his independence. The one thing he didn’t seem to lose was his cheery smile. We all tried to match his positivity, putting on brave faces, but underneath were horrified at the destruction of such a beautiful and promising life.

Thomas’ illness was a true rollercoaster, filled with uphill anticipation and violent drops and twists and turns that were hard enough to make you want to stay in bed all day. There were times when we’d been assured his recent round of chemo or latest transplant worked and that he had a chance, but in the end, Thomas went into remission and passed away in 2004 on 9/11 at 9:11 PM at the age of 11. Our family was destroyed.

Luckily, our little unit was supported by an amazing community of extended family and friends. However, others are not so fortunate, which was a driving force as to why we formed the Thomas Peterpaul Foundation in honor of my brother’s memory. With this organization we strive to assist children and families affected by pediatric cancer with personal action. For instance, we’ll pay bills for underprivileged families who can’t afford the overbearing medical and utility payments they face. Or we’ll hire a babysitter to stay with a child in the hospital who only has a single mom that is forced to work long hours in order to make ends meet. I’m happy to say that we have also made significant donations in the advancement of pediatric cancer research. With TPF, I even had the privilege of speaking at our nation’s Capitol in Washington before congress to assist in getting the CAR T-Cell therapy.

I never fully understood how Thomas could smile through all his pain, until now. It was because he had hope. It’s a comforting quality that all the children and families affected by cancer seem to share. Parents hope that their child will grow into a healthy adult and that they won’t have to face a world without them. Children merely hope for a happier tomorrow in which they’re free to smile and play while they dream about their future and worry about the normal things children should be worrying about. His resilience inspires a smile in me every day.

Contact Info:

• Website: robertpeterpaul.com
• Instagram: @robpeterpaul
• Facebook: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-peterpaul-4bb57527/
• Linkedin: [email protected]
• Twitter: [email protected]
• Youtube: Robert Peterpaul
• Other: The Art of Kindness Podcast: https://bpn.fm/TheArtOfKindness

Image Credits
Hi there, The headshots of me are by Sub/Urban Photography. Feel free to pull any performance photos etc. from robertpeterpaul.com or my IG: @robpeterpaul. Thank you!