We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Gregg Binkley. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Gregg below.
Gregg, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?
When I moved to Hollywood from Kansas I wasn’t sure what I needed to do to be a successful actor, but I was determined to make it happen. I wanted to prove that I could do it long term, and fortunately I have been able to be a working actor for over 30 years. When I first arrived I wasn’t sure what classes to take or how to go about pursuing an acting career, and I certainly made mistakes along the way. But my vision never wavered, and I kept following my instincts and kept investing in my craft and career and eventually I discovered great teachers and met agents who wanted to represent me. As I continued to grow I became more confident that I belonged and eventually I achieved my main goal which was to be a series regular on a national network show – for me that was a four-year run on the hit Fox TV show, “Raising Hope.” I previously was the spokesman Del Taco in a six-year commercial campaign and I have also played recurring characters on 12 television shows. After “Raising Hope” ended, I went through a period of less work and so I decided to review how I had succeeded. I thought if I taught those lessons to other actors that I could help them succeed and perhaps reignite my fire too. In 2017 I formed my “Working Actors Workshop” and I have loved seeing the actors grow. The class is what I would want in class – one that gets the actors prepared to work and also pursuing work. In 2024 I released my book “GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER: Finding Success in Acting and Life” and I’m grateful that Bryan Cranston endorsed it, and many actors have enjoyed reading it and practicing the lessons.
Gregg, 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?
In my classes I want to make sure everyone is trusting that they have all the answers inside. I will guide them and coach them, but every character they will play is already be inside of them. Acting isn’t about being someone different, it’s about finding a way to justify everything your character says and does and accessing the part of you that can authentically be this character. Ultimately we want the acting to go away so no one feels as though they are watching an actor playing a character. The viewers will just think it’s you. To get to that place the actors need to commit to doing all the preparation work, and then allowing things to happen as they will in the moment. I also encourage the students to use the acting lessons from class for a more fulfilling life. Everyone can benefit from being more present, more confident and more open in their lives. Those three elements are what we largely focus on in class, and those practices can be used in daily life. What makes all the difference for us is what we choose to focus on. Many actors place their focus on trying to please the director or casting director and they try to “do a good job.” The focus should not on what the actor wants it should be on what the character wants. Also, to be successful in acting or any profession, the mindset is extremely important. We focus on making sure the actor’s mindset through the whole process is at the highest level.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
There was a time after the Del Taco campaign ended where I was really wondering when I would ever work again. My wife and I were expecting our second child and I was feeling extreme financial pressures. One night I was in bed worrying and I literally hit my pillow with my fist and said “how can I make more money?!” At that moment the thought came to me – “I wonder what Sean Whalen is doing.” Sean was an actor who got typecast because of a successful commercial he did, and I wondered how he broke out of that situation. The very next day I went to Costco, and there was Sean wearing a hairnet and demonstrating blenders. I thought to myself, “I don’t want to do that” and I didn’t talk to him. The next day I was entering a commercial audition and at that very moment Sean walked out and said he had seen me at Costco and that maybe I’d like to demonstrate blenders too… He told me he made a lot of money with that job and still had the flexibility to work as an actor. I swallowed my pride, and soon I was wearing a hairnet at Costco and demonstrating blenders. It was a humbling experience getting recognized while selling blenders, but I did learn some interesting lessons. The main thing I learned was that I sold the most when I was just myself and got to know the customers and made them laugh. One day when I was prepping for another 10-day blender roadshow I got a call from Greg Garcia who was a very successful show runner. He tole me he was about to start a new TV show and he offered me a role playing a grocery store manager. The show was “Raising Hope.” I had humbled myself to support my family by selling blenders, and was incredibly rewarded with a series regular role on a national network show.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
The longer I have lived the more I have recognized that people go through chapters in their lives where they often have to pivot. I always dreamed I would be on a show for ten years and not really need to work again, but that hasn’t happened yet. The entertainment business is going through significant changes and many artists are trying to find their place in the evolving landscape. My new chapter as a coach and speaker has been surprising to me, but I feel as though it’s what I am meant to do. I still know that I am ready for big acting roles, but I am also enjoying helping others reach their dreams. Acting can be an incredibly enjoyable profession when you’re working, but it can also be very challenging when you’re not working. I have found that practicing the lessons we coach in class in our daily lives has opened the student and myself to see new opportunities. Each day can be a day to grow and it can be fun. Many of the lessons that we use for character development in acting can also be used for personal development in our lives. Each one of us is on our own path, and the answers for where we should go and what we should do can be found within us, I believe. I have seen remarkable changes in my life and in the lives of others in my classes, and I’m excited to see how these lessons continue to evolve.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.greggbinkley.com
- Instagram: @greggbinkley
- Linkedin: linkden.com/in/gregg-binkleyworkingactorsworkshop
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@dinkydogtv6855
- Yelp: Gregg Binkley’s Working Actors Workshop
Image Credits
Headshot: Jeff LaPensee