We were lucky to catch up with Tyler Laracca recently and have shared our conversation below.

Tyler, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your creative career sooner or later?

I don’t think I’d change a single thing about the timing of my career. While studying video production in college, I had no ambition to become an actor, feeling much more comfortable on the other side of the lens. Keeping my dream of working in the film industry alive during every late night shift as a bartender. It wasn’t until I had the opportunity to work as a background extra in The Lone Ranger (2013) that the idea of becoming an actor came to mind. I was 20 at the time of production, green around the gills and eager to learn all that I could.

Almost eleven years later, and I’m glad the bug bit me when it did. I had already developed a sense of who I was, and I had experienced plenty of rejection in life. This was just a fun hobby that I took to and quickly found success in, without any prior expectations. Looking back, I’d keep the timing the same. Whether I took this leap earlier or later, it doesn’t matter. I can’t wait to see where this goes.

Tyler, 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?

Hey folks! My name is Tyler Laracca, I’m an Actor and Entertainment Journalist. I dove headfirst into the entertainment industry in 2012 while working on The Lone Ranger. After wrap, I joined a family friend to attend his agency’s commercial workshop. His agent signed me within the week. Since then, working as an actor has brought so much more to my life than I could have imagined. It’s been a steady journey from no-budget short films, to working with artists that I admire like Jeremy Renner and Kat McNamara.

In 2020, I launched Pretend Worlds Real People, an informal interview podcast solely focused on artists in the entertainment industry and their personal stories. Having spent most of lockdown listening to celebrities talk to other celebrities, I wanted to see how my friends were holding up, without day jobs or auditions. As the show grew and our guests began to range from fellow local artists to the celebrities I had listened to before; it became clear that every artist experienced their own struggles. Each and every episode has been incredibly rewarding to produce. I’m proud to say that the podcast is currently listed in the Top 5% Global Ranking, with 140+ episodes under us.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

Word of mouth does wonders for an artist’s work, especially if you have social media. There are so many creatives out there that are a share away from hitting that stride. And if you can help them monetize their work, please do!

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

Clear and simple, I don’t belong anywhere else. In mid 2022, I left my service job to pursue this career full time. There have been highs and lows, but nothing as low as each day I clocked in to my shift. My goal is to have a long lasting career, but my mission involves helping others as well. I had some wonderful friends to help me along the way, and I’d like to return the favor.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tyler.laracca/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tyler.laracca
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tyler-laracca-9b514a114/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxS6b8Al52MmALwZnAWX1Iw
• Other: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pretend-worlds-real-people/id1531583988

Image Credits
Photos by Tyler Laracca