We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Brennan Cooper a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Brennan, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

I knew I wanted to do something with the arts since I was a kid but the defining moment that made me realize that it was actually possible and that I was good at my craft was when my superintendent came up to me after a play I did for school as the lead and told me that I had made him cry. My family had been having problems with him regarding other matters and he did not like my family very much but the fact that he was able to put that all aside and let me know that I made him feel something really solidified for me that this is the path I am supposed to take. It was never really about money or fame but always about making others feel emotions that they don’t normally allow themselves to feel. It’s very gratifying to know I have the power to share beautiful stories with great meanings and invoke the feelings in others that are fueled by the passions of the other incredible artists, writers, directors, casts, and crews around me.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I grew up in a small town in New Mexico and an even smaller school that was mainly agriculture and athletics. Being in the arts was very hard to get into. My school didn’t have band or choir nor a dance team or Pom squad. We didn’t have the budget or the equipment for full stage musicals or productions. It was all against me from the beginning. All I did related to the arts was in my room, doing small one act high school plays, or driving to a community theatre 2 hours away. I taught myself to dance, I sang all the time, I acted out my favorite scenes from movies and stage plays. I had people for years telling me that my dream was a nice dream but that it should stay a dream and I should be more realistic and have a backup plan for when it fails. I came to Albuquerque with nothing but a dream, my parents support, and my whole tiny small town world against me but I persevered nonetheless. I invested in acting classes, I put myself on websites, I found friends in the industry through background work, I have acted in indie films to slowly build a resume, my acting teacher conveniently also did headshots so I also got those done. It’s so important to build a foundation before you jump into anything in this industry. I had it all setup so that the next step would be to find an agent. That was the scary part because there’s so many options and the constant fear of rejection which is something that is detrimental in this industry. I applied to an agency that said they were interested in representing me and they ended up ghosting me. I consulted my acting coach about the agency I’m with currently, The O’ Agency, and was told that I should go for it, but to also be prepared for rejection also because of how tough it is to get with Lynette. After my first rejection, I was so sure I wasn’t good enough and was going to get a no also but I said to hell with it and sent in my stuff anyway. Within a couple weeks I was getting an acceptance email saying she wanted to represent me. I had been drowning myself so much in trying to make it work that I forgot what passion got me into the place I’m in right now. You CANNOT have a fear of rejection in this industry. You CANNOT listen to those voices whether it be your own or others. You sometimes just have to go for it and hope it sticks and if it doesn’t that’s okay. You try again. You change some things and you try again. You add some things and you try again. You research until your eyes go crosseyed and you try again. You adapt your own style and you try again. You can never let anything hold you back. That’s how I am where I am with the agency I originally wanted to apply for. That’s how I have amazing friends who want me to succeed. That’s how I am starting to get into a little bit of modeling now too. All it takes is a start and a dream.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

Go watch movies in theaters! Go watch community plays! Visit an art museum! Go to a concert! Support school arts programs! We are a dying breed but we are what give the world color and excitement. Support your children, your friends, your family if they are pursuing a career in the fine arts. The music you listen to, the media you consume, the films you watch, the art you admire, and so much more all come from a creative mind. You can’t have the left brain without the right brain. They work in harmony and so should we. It’s okay to be analytical but it’s okay to have fun too! It’s a lot more freeing than you might think.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

I kind of already touched on it but making people feel things again. I remember coming out of the theater as a kid and just feeling. Anger, sadness, excitement, distraught, hope, fear all of it! I remember it more than I remember the movies sometimes. A story is so powerful in that aspect that is can manipulate how you feel. And what’s even cooler is how many emotions one story can invoke. While one person might be thinking that was the coolest thing they’ve ever seen another might think that was the worst piece of media and they wish they could take back their night. Either way they felt something. It sticks with you more than you might think. I have had so many strong and powerful people who think that emotions are secondary come up to me after a performance saying they were moved by the story I told. It’s uniting in a way. Something so powerful can make people drop their walls for a second and just feel. Not to mention now meeting people on the other side of the camera I truly see how much thought, love, passion, and drive a piece of media gets. I have friends that have spent their whole paychecks just to make a movie and get their story out there. I am beyond honored that they allow me to be a part of that experience and I want nothing more than to see them succeed. Just as much as I drive myself, the people are truly what keep me going.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.o-agency.com/brennan-cooper
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bren__coop?igsh=MTVsM2VrbmR4Zm1sMw%3D%3D&utm_source=qr