We recently connected with Brett Tomberlin and have shared our conversation below.
Brett, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.
I think for most people, everything that will truly fulfill you in life is on the other side of taking a risk. Whether it’s with a career choice, love, creative vulnerability, or financially.
I think it shows that a certain level of commitment and fully putting yourself on the line, despite the possibility of failure is the first necessity of paving a road to success. When I made the decision to get out of the Army in 2019 and pursue a career in Entertainment I was truly going in blind. The only thing I knew was I couldn’t go a day without thinking about a career in a field that in the town I grew up in, was seen more as a fairy tale than a reality.
So, in July of 2020 with 200 dollars to my name and a Harley, I rented a U-Haul trailer to pull behind my friends SUV that was also moving to LA, put my life in it and took the leap of faith.
I got a job from an old Army buddy cleaning out peoples ponds and water features the first few months to make ends meet. During this time I slept on a friends couch, pitching what I could afford for rent while trying to get a gauge for how to get a rhythm going in one of the most expensive cities in the country in the middle of a pandemic.
A couple months later, in September of 2020 I enrolled in LA Film school using my GI Bill and got into acting class at The John Kirby Studio and just started training. I am currently training at the Lesly Kahn Institute.
I tried to be a sponge to whatever I could learn from my friends and teachers in a field I was quickly realizing would be a “all in” or “all out” type of commitment, as most paths to success are.
4 and a half years later, with many ups and downs I’m thankful To have 2 films in Production, One major network show I’m re-occurring on, and my first single out.
I’ve found that consistency, resilience, and the people you chose to keep around you are all dire factors you have to have in order to make it far in life. You are the people you surround yourself with.
“If you want to go fast, go alone. But if you want to go far, go together”
Brett, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
Current projects Streaming or in Production include-
— (Post Production)
Untitled Kathrine Bigelow Feature- Netflix
Character- Chris Gordon
Starring- Idris Elba, Rebecca Ferguson, Jason Clarke, Jared Harris, Anthony Ramos
— (Currently Streaming)
Aaron Hernandez American Sports Story. Hulu
Character- Wes Welker
Starring- Josh Andres Rivera, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Tammy Blanchard.
— (Pre Production)
Same Time Same Place
Character- Nate
MUSIC-
“House Party” with MOONLIGHT, and Country Night
Out now on
Spotify & Apple Music
I grew up in a music oriented family, Both of my parents and my little sister are singers in church and the gospel music space but I was the first to Move to a major city to pursue Entertainment as a career. Since I’ve moved to LA my little sister has also started to pursue a career in singing and is releasing music with Lee Park Worship.
Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?
Extreme Ownership- Jocko Willink
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
Getting to make your dream your career, and hopefully inspiring in others that it’s possible.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brett_tomberlin/profilecard/?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
- Other: IMDB link-
https://m.imdb.com/name/nm12792252/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_0_nm_8_in_0_q_brett%2520tom
Spotify Link-
https://open.spotify.com/artist/4LhgdvD8CFiuYMRt2O0oR7?si=9UD1nslSS_u5TTvnzDPb0w
Image Credits
Image 1 (outdoor)-
Shot & Styled by- Eric Owes
Film Stills- Josh Ehrhardt
Tan shirt on stage at “Desert 5 Spot”- Dustin Genereux