Interview by Carol Wright | Photos Courtesy of Bradley Hamilton
We got to chat with Bradley Hamilton about his film Hometown Holiday and how he has been coping with the pandemic.
What initially interested you in acting?
Jim Carrey was definitely what got me into acting; he shaped my entire childhood.
Tell us a bit about Hometown Holiday. What drew you to the film?
I believe I was one of the last people to be cast, so when they offered me the role I did not hesitate for a second.
Could you relate to your character Ryan?
Once I was offered the role, I was able to see the cast and I think Ryan would have been just as excited to sign a wonderful contract.
How did it feel to see Hometown Holiday get a new fanbase via Netflix and Amazon Prime?
It has been complete insanity. As you can imagine, due to the pandemic, everyone is home and watching movies has become the go-to for people looking to have some downtime – not that you can do much else in the midst of things. If you add the holiday season and how much holiday films are a part of that culture, you could say it’s a perfect storm and I’m just riding the waves!
People are gravitating towards feel-good films during this insane year. How have you been coping with quarantine and the pandemic overall?
I can totally understand why people are gravitating towards feel-good movies — considering everything going on around us, that’s what we need the most. The pandemic has been tough on everyone, including me, but I also believe it’s all about perspective. I try not to ever feel sorry for myself or feel like I’m a victim of my surroundings. This really helps me accept and cope with things that are happening around me and are out of my control, so I’ve found ways to stay humble, active and entertained, and just enjoy my time day by day.
What advice do you have for aspiring actors?
Relax, the calmer you are the better, desperation is very unattractive, convincing myself that I was worthy and that I didn’t need every role, regardless of what was in the bank account or the scale of the project, I always mentally decided that the role didn’t matter during the audition process which lifts a lot of weight of your shoulders.