Having a well-defined physique always helps in playing the character of a strong, enduring man capable of immense strength and making it believable to the audience. But it’s even better when you can show off those herculean feats of strength by yourself and lift the car off the innocent bystander without the assistance of any stunt double or production harnesses. That’s the unequivocal story of Brandon Carillo, a boxer turned actor on the path to stardom using his ambition and vigor.
Hailing from New Jersey, Brandon Carillo, through his passion and personal wits, wants to carve his own individual approach to every character he portrays, making them come to life on the big screen. He has some notable performances in critically acclaimed shows to his credit, including Power Book 2: GHOST, Big Time Adolescence, and Best Worst Weekend Ever, among others. But before venturing into acting, Brandon’s life revolved around the boxing ring.
This multitalented personality has competed in nationwide boxing championships and is the recipient of multiple achievements. In fact, he is the 2014 Blue & Gold heavyweight Gold medalist and 2014 Golden Gloves heavyweight Silver medalist.
For someone like Brandon, who’s been on both the giving and receiving end of blows to the face, it’s all about focusing on the present. He believes in making the most out of what is in your immediate control as well as the opportunities on one’s radar. His secret? Doing what he loves. “The thing that keeps me going is my love for the craft. At the end of the day, it is always fun for me to pick up a scene and ride with it,” he reveals.
To be fit for a role while learning and rehearsing choreography of intense action sequences is a responsibility that petrifies even the most experienced actors in the entertainment industry. However, Brandon is a man of simple convictions and is determined to see things all the way through to the end. Adhering to this philosophy is what fuels his drive all the more. He goes for everything he does with all conviction and welcomes all curveballs and life interventions in the process. Whether it’s knowing the nuances of riding a horse without making it seem like you’re doing it for the first time or pretending to be fully averse to the solemn constitutions that uphold a country as a legal lawyer, Brandon prepares himself for every role and character till it is at its finest.
While Brandon believes knowing your lines and delivering them as the director expects is essential, he has also grown to rely extensively on intrapersonal communication. This tendency to imagine his inner voice as a member of his audience, who is carefully monitoring and critiquing his approach to any given role, helps him identify deeper and more complex corners of his character’s arch and struggles.
The effects of the pandemic on the global economy, private and public industries, and even the entertainment industry can never be overstated. It is no secret that films that had already begun production pre-COVID-19 had managed to wrap up the rest of their shoot during the pandemic. Albeit, with stringent regulations and operating procedures, many projects in the final stages of pre-production had to face the unfavorable outcome of getting the entire production halted. Such was the case for Brandon for his dream project of playing the titular role in a biopic based on the life of a fighter he admired while growing up. While the part sounds like the perfect opportunity for a boxer with multiple distinctions from his field to his name, the experience is just another example of Brandon’s resilience to roll with life’s punches and look ahead to new horizons.
Brandon Carrillo is not afraid to fail and believes the optimal mindset for anyone joining this demanding industry needs to be ready for failure, and that, too, quite early on. However, the key is to not lose hope and keep moving forward. Even though success gives you new lessons to learn, failures show you multiple ways to succeed. All it takes is your devotion to your job and persistence to make it big. All you need to do is believe that nothing is impossible. With such a positive attitude and the motivation to master every character, Brandon Carrillo is our rising star, all geared up to shine.
