Conversations with James Brunt

Today we’d like to introduce you to James Brunt. 

Hi James, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
After staying up all night watching the original Star Wars trilogy on VHS I decided to become an actor. The credits were rolling up after Return of the Jedi and the sun was shining bright in the sky and I uttered to myself “I don’t wanna watch Darth Vader I want to be Darth Vader!”. From that moment on I did everything possible to achieve that dream. Granted I had no clue how I was going to get to that point. But I felt it burning in my soul that this was what I was supposed to do. I was always obsessed with stories and movies and how people change and characters develop. My mind was constantly shifting and dreaming of obscure situations and how I could fit right into them. I wanted to experience as much as I could. So, lots of my hours were spent with T.V it made me see the bigger picture. 

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It was a struggle at first just because I had to get people to believe in me as much, I believed in myself. I know what I can do I always have but trying to prove to the world that I can. Makes this profession a war within everything. It’s all so fast-paced people can take one glance at you and decided that they don’t like you and boom that’s it. You don’t get the gig or the next show. So, it’s a constant grind of proving yourself. Also being a POC is also hard since people already see me in a certain way. When I was in film school I only got cast as bodyguard and thug number 1 because of my “hair”. No one had been around black people before so all they knew is what they saw in media. I let a teacher convince me to cut my hair to get more roles. So, I did… and nothing changed I was broken and my hair never grew back the same. I decided from that moment on I will be the best I can be in my craft so that I can be seen as all the characters without hesitation. I wanted to change people’s eyes. That way that would never happen to someone else who looks like me. 

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am known for Immersive performer/spoken word/Improv/Santa/writer If it has to with acting and art it is up my alley. I specialize in making stories come to life with traditional formats. Which is a script we learn it we perform it and people clap and boom we are done. But also, my favorite is the immersive world. Where we build and make up worlds for people to come experience and join and be a part of so they are engulfed into a new reality. 

One of the shows I am most proud of was Gnome away from Home and Deaths unraveling with Rainbow Militia. Where in the pandemic I was able to make my own 5 mins pieces to repeat in a show. That I wrote and designed my own room and put on this 5 min adventure of a wolf being framed by his community and locked away. Then another about The Grim Reaper having a meltdown about his job. I performed those scenes over 100 times and I loved every second of it because it made people feel something. Also, we took an abandoned house and made it covid safe in the midst of the pandemic. We created even when all hope was lost. What sets me apart from others is I don’t stop. Yes, we all have breaks and we rest. But the hustle is forever I am constantly working to make myself better. To make sure that when I die, I will be remembered not just for my art. But so, people can chase the dreams they have always wanted. Dreams as we get older die and people leave them because they have to grow up. The world is a nightmare and if you can’t hold your dreams close to you. Then what’s the point of living? I get to live my dream every day to make people’s hearts beat a little bit faster. 

Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
It’s ok to breathe and take in the world around you. To make sure you tell people you love them every day even if you don’t talk all the time. Tell them because we don’t know how much time we have. Even when the world is dark, I have to be the light to keep my people safe and motivate even if I can barely smile. It will make a difference. 

Contact Info:

• Email: exjames1@gmail.com
• Instagram: exjames
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ActorBrunt

Image Credits
Martha Wirth
Daniel Sharkey