Having acted alongside Cuba Gooding Jr. and Helen Hunt in recent productions, Blake Cooper Griffin is surely an actor on the rise. In the new norm-challenging movie Love Is All You Need?, Blake plays Bill Bradley, an antagonistic college football player and fraternity brother. Fortunately within our Q&A for Downtown, there were no shades of Bill Bradley within his responses, as Blake came across as an open-minded, grateful, and reflective person.
Later this year, Blake can be seen in the film Exit Survey, which he appeared in with Greetings From The Shore star Kim Shaw, and in an episode of Major Crimes. To stay current on upcoming appearances and other happenings for Blake Cooper Griffin, follow him via the Twitter handle @thegriffster, on Instagram as @blakecoopergriffin, and/or through Snapchat as BCG4Pres.
How would you describe the movie trailer to someone who hasn’t yet seen the trailer for your latest film, Love Is All You Need?
Blake Cooper Griffin: Electric. The first time I saw it, I got goosebumps. The entire film packs a powerful punch. Love is All You Need? is set in a world where being gay is the norm. In that world, same sex couples are in the mainstream and heterosexual couples are bullied. In the story, a guy and girl fall in love on a college campus. This couple, Ryan and Jude, face tremendous adversity when their relationship goes public.
I play Bill Bradley, who is the college quarterback and president of the fraternity that Ryan pledges. Bill has major issues with their relationship and the story continues from there. It’s one of the darker roles I’ve taken on and one of the most interesting. The script that K. Rocco Shields and David Tillman wrote is one of a kind. This concept has never been explored before — I’m very proud of the film. It asks tough questions. How far are we willing to go for love? What price do we as a society pay because of bullying and intolerance? And finally, how can we be more responsible and caring towards others?
Your character in Love, Bill Bradley, is a fraternity president and football player. Is there any of that in who you are off-screen?
B: I was involved in sports growing up, but I didn’t play football. Instead, I played basketball and ran track. I actually traveled with an AAU basketball team for several years. We were pretty good. I’m from the South, so naturally I love college football — go SEC! Every Saturday during football season, you would find me at the sports bar by my house yelling at a TV.
As for fraternities, after high school I attended Drama School at the North Carolina School of the Arts; they don’t have fraternities there. With that being said, because I’ve played several characters who were in fraternities, I sometimes feel like I was in one.
You were also around football on the show Necessary Roughness…
B: I played Trent Rogers, who was Lindsay’s boyfriend on the show. I had purple hair and piercings. It was an awesome experience and is what I love about acting — transforming. I would personally never dress like Trent, so when I went into the audition, I bought magnetic earrings, wore skinny jeans, and piled on the hairspray. It really helped me find the character and probably helped the producers imagine me in the role.
HyperFocal: 0
What’s ahead for you once Love Is All You Need? has been released?
B: I’m sitting in my trailer right now doing this interview, while working on another project that I can’t talk about quite yet. But just last week, I finished working on a comedic film project called Exit Survey, which was written by Thom Harp and Kristyn Carey. Thom directed it as well, and he cast one of my good friends, Kim Shaw, as my girlfriend.
Again, I play a guy who isn’t the nicest of dudes. I seem to play that role a lot, which I love. I think it’s interesting to explore the parts of ourselves that we would normally want to hide. Kim and I have known each other for years, so when we found out we were going to work together, we were thrilled. It’s a comedy and we kept making each other laugh between takes and sometimes, during the takes. The story takes place outdoors and at night it was freezing! It was so cold! Our teeth kept chattering, and between takes we would run and huddle by the heater. It just made the whole experience funnier. So I’m looking forward to seeing that.
I read in a Buzzfeed Q&A that you prefer Los Angeles to New York City, but ideally would be able to spend long periods of time in New York. When did you first come to New York? Was it for work?
B: The first time I visited New York, my uncle took me to see a Broadway show. It cemented for me that I would pursue acting. I also lived in New York for four months during a summer after my first year at drama school. I had no idea what I was doing. My parents said I could do it, as long as I paid my own way. So I saved some money and I found an apartment on Craigslist in Washington Heights. My friend went with me and we took an Amtrak up to the city because she was afraid of flying. We had never seen the apartment, so when we arrived, we just gave our cab driver the address.
When we got to the apartment, we realized that we weren’t getting our own apartment. Instead, we ended up with a single bedroom inside of a four-bedroom apartment with people we had never met! That was a bit of a shock for a guy who had never lived in a big city, but it was one of the best experiences of my life. We had no money, but I grew so much that summer — read amazing books, listened to great music, and met so many interesting people. The drumbeat of New York made quite an impression on me. It was very difficult to return to school in the fall.
Was there something particular about being in New York that struck? A specific neighborhood or restaurant?
B: When I go to the city, I like to walk everywhere. It’s something that you can’t do in Los Angeles. I usually stay in Midtown, but the last couple of times I went, I stayed in Brooklyn. I used to visit a coffee shop in the West Village called DOMA and sit for hours and watch people. I also enjoy going to museums during the day. At night, I usually see a Broadway show and then grab dinner afterward at Joe Allen or Sardi’s.
What does New York City offer that you wish Los Angeles did?
B: People seem to be a little more urgent about things in New York. I like that. I also love the pizza. Send us your pizza.
Aside from acting, I read that you played the Prince in the presentation of Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. Do you have musical aspirations?
B: That was a rush. Ashley Brown, who played Mary Poppins on Broadway, was Snow White and the rest of the cast was amazing as well. There’s nothing quite like singing in front of a crowd, especially in the Disney Concert Hall. There were over 2,000 people at the concert, and I swear the way the hall was lit, you can see every face. As far as the future goes, I’m open to all things — I’d love to play Bobby in Company some day.
I understand that you have actively campaigned for Hillary Clinton in her run for President of the United States. How did you first get involved with that? Was there a particular cause or issue that inspired you?
B: Hillary Clinton inspires me. I have never been more excited by a candidate. I was actually on a bus coming back from Williamstown Theater Festival heading into the city, when I began reading her book Living History, a couple of years ago. I was so impressed. She is, in my opinion, the smartest, toughest, most tested, and most experienced candidate ever to run for president. Her resilience really moves me.
I also think her dedication to this country is impressive. I had the great honor of meeting her recently, and she was so personable and kind. I also went to Iowa to help get out the vote for the Iowa Caucus, and was there when the results came in.
When you’re not busy, how do you like to spend your free time? What does an off day look like for you?
B: I like to sleep in and drink coffee in bed. I also enjoy going on hikes with my dog. I have a rescue. She’s very special.
Finally, Blake, any last words for the kids?
B: Be you. That’s your gold.
-by Darren Paltrowitz
