By Heather Leslie
Recently, I was given the opportunity and pleasure of interviewing the renown actor, Adam Brody, thanks to his father, Mark Brody- Alliant’s General Counsel and Risk Manager on the San Diego campus.
Adam’s filmography has included starring on the hit television series, The OC, as well as in the movies Mr. & Mrs. Smith, In the Land of Women, Thank You for Smoking, Grind, and The Ring. He has also appeared on several TV shows such as Gilmore Girls, Mad TV, Grounded for Life, Smallville, Judging Amy, and MTV’s Now What?
Mark was kind enough to set up a phone interview with Adam and shed some light on his family’s acclaim to fame. Mark and his wife have 3 sons, Adam, 29, and 23-year-old fraternal twins Matt and Sean. The family has been long time residents of San Diego and the boys attended Scripps Ranch High School. When asked about Adam’s success in Hollywood Mark beamed, “We couldn’t be more proud.”
Heather: So Adam, you grew up in San Diego- Scripps Ranch in particular. How did you like San Diego compared to L.A.?
Adam B : Now I like them both equally. Growing up in San Diego, I always had a little bit of L.A.-envy. When I turned 18 I moved straight away to L.A. so I’ve always liked it. But I didn’t start to appreciate the idea of a small town and suburbs until I got older. Now that I’ve been living in L.A. for about 10 years I find myself thinking about La Jolla and Scripps Ranch, and just San Diego in general. I even appreciate my parent’s back yard more after living in the city for so long. I love living so close to San Diego too because it’s only a two hour drive and I don’t have to get on a plane.
H: Do you still talk to any of your friends from high school?
AB: I do here and there, some from my actual high school and some from the beach. I grew up surfing so I became friends with a lot of the kids from the coast too. So I sort of had two social circles. I still keep in touch with a bit of both.
H: How do you stay grounded in Hollywood and deal with the pressures of fame? How do you avoid the “stalker-azzi?”
AB: I think all that stuff is relative. It’s really no different than any other job I’ve had. I felt the same pressure when I was 19. You just adjust to the lifestyle, I guess. It’s an extraordinary job but at the same time it comes with a lot of responsibility. It’s a really interesting time to be a celebrity. The culture is changing so much, even in the last five years, and the Internet has played a huge part in that as well as the tabloids trying to exploit people. It’s amazing how many paparazzi there are and all the reality television.
Being famous has never seemed like so much of a business as it is today. But even I’m a consumer of that too so I can see why people think it’s hilarious and entertaining. Everything’s so dramatic. It’s like a soap opera. The only thing you’re not supposed to do is be boring, I guess.
H: How do you like movie-making compared to television? Do you prefer one over the other?
AB: I feel like with television comes stability. With films comes artistic expression. Television is more of an economic enterprise and bulk business so you don’t get as much time to focus on the artistic aspects whereas film-making focuses usually on one idea or story, rather than the storylines of several characters over time. Also, if you’re only on a movie for a few months you can focus all your attention and then let it go when you’re done. On the other hand if you’re on a set for five years your attention sort of wanes. But it really depends on what you’re striving for at the moment. For instance, right now I really like movie-making and the movie-making lifestyle. But at a certain point I could see myself wanting the TV life again. Because when you go on location for a movie, your whole life upends, so it’s interesting to work on both.
H: Are there any roles you’re dying to play in a movie or television series?
AB: Umm sure. The truth is you’re a slave to whatever the best thing is that comes your way. I mean, you can influence it to a certain extent but you’re still kind of at the mercy of whatever they’re making. I would like to do a movie like Marathon Man that Dustin Hoffman did in the 70s, not remake it but something along those lines, like a thriller. North By Northwest is another similar example. Something where you can be a guy but not a tough guy- you just run a lot, ha ha.
H: How do you like working on indie films versus working on studio films?
AB: They’re different. I like doing indie films because they’re interesting. But I’m not gonna lie, there is something nice to having a budget like on studio movies. It’s a cushier job. With indie films you really are making almost a student film, in terms of the size of the crew sometimes. So it’s certainly more guerilla, which can also be really cool and fun. I actually just did a movie that seemed like it was just a step away from doing a play, but in a really interesting way. I like them both. You can have more freedom on an indie film I suppose.
H: After working with Angelina Jolie in Mr. & Mrs. Smith, did you have the urge to adopt any third world children?
AB: No but I do have a guilt complex about it. I do, I feel like I should. I feel like an asshole from not having one, ha ha. I did adopt a rescued dog though.
H: Tell us about your upcoming movie, Death In Love.
AB: That’s the one I was just talking about and yeah it’s really hard to explain. It’s really interesting and yet at the same time really difficult to summarize. It’s almost like a German art film. It was shot in New York and it’s about a guy who’s depressed with some family drama that goes on in the background. I can’t really sum it up but it’s cool. I really enjoyed making it because you get to talk a lot. There’s so much dialogue so it’s fun as an actor, but not always fun for an audience. But as an actor, it’s a dream. Even when you read the script and see it’s all dialogue, it’s such a fun feeling.
H: Looking back on your career, what’s one thing you would have done differently (if any)?
AB: Lets see.. that’s a good question. A lot of it has to do with timing so it’s kind of hard to say. But I’ve been fortunate so far, and I’m happy with how things have gone.
H: So you don’t have any major regrets or anything?
AB: No. Even with all the embarrassing stuff that I’ve done, I kinda wear them with a badge of honor. Because some people land right into A-list stuff, and deservingly so, but they skip all the grunt work. But I’ve definitely had my share of terrible commercials and terrible television, as well as good television. I’m sort of proud of all the crap work I’ve done too, which by the way I have some hilarious video tapes of.
H: So I read that in your spare time you write screenplays and have even written a comic book series. Do you currently have anything in the works?
AB: That’s just a hobby that I’m always thinking about and rarely doing.
H: It’s cool that you have other sources of interest though, besides acting.
AB: Yeah, some actors are so into acting that follow in the Daniel Day-Lewis mold, and are so about the actual craft that it’s an all-consuming job for them. For me, that’s not where all of my interests lie. I do feel like I need to pick up other hobbies and have other things going on to maintain a fulfilling creative existence, because I’m not spending it all on acting.
H: So even with all your success on the screen it looks like you have a passion for music as you are the drummer in the band Big Japan! How did this all come about and how is that going?
AB: Well unfortunately we’re not together anymore. It was a sort of hobby, or at least a serious hobby where we were putting in a lot of hours and played a few shows. But then we all agreed that this was as far as we were going to take it and it dissolved in the nicest way possible. But I do miss it and I do miss playing music and writing songs. The whole reason I would want to direct a movie is so I can pick the music. That’s like the cherry for me. I just want to make a soundtrack. That would be the most enjoyable thing.
H: So maybe one day you think you might want to get into directing or producing?
AB: Yeah I think I would like to divert some of my energies to the creative behind-the-scenes process to making movies; because I love talking about movies. That’s the thing, some people can talk about acting for hours and hours on end. But I like to talk about film in the larger sense. So if I could leverage that into a pseudo job, that would be cool.
H: Rumor has it that that you will be starring as the comic book character, ‘The Flash.’ Any comment?
AB: It looks like I will. The larger question is will they make the movie. That’s what I’ll say about that.
H: So what’s your fastest mile time? j/k
AB: What’s my fastest mile time? Ha ha. It’s been a while. Hopefully the special affects will take care of that. The movie would definitely be hilarious and I really hope that they decide to make it.
H: So even despite your busy schedule, you take time to volunteer with the Young Storytellers Program, which is dedicated to developing literacy, self-expression and self-esteem in elementary school children. What made you decide to get involved in this program?
AB: I have been involved with this in the past. This was something that Ben McKenzie, my co-star from The O.C., was pretty involved with, and I did it sort of on his behalf. I’ve been looking for a charity or at least waiting for something to grab me. I know that sounds kinda weird, but you have a lot of down time as an actor and I feel like I should be putting it towards a good cause, and not just monetary but actual physical presence.
H: Well Adam I want to thank you for letting us interview you. You’re doing great things up there- keep it up! And best of luck with all your upcoming projects and endeavors.
Talking with Mark Brody, Adam’s Dad
Heather: So what’s it like having a son who’s a world-renowned actor?
Mark B: Well I had no prior involvement in the entertainment industry- my wife or myself. And it all happened pretty quick. Certainly when Adam first said he was going to go up and be an actor, I can’t say I thought it was necessarily the greatest career move, because of the odds. The odds are tremendously against you. Almost everybody up there is in some fashion a wannabe entertainer. More people don’t make it than do. I would say the odds are at least 50 to 1. But it depends on how you define ‘make it.’ There are folks that might get a little part here and a commercial there but to make it where you can actually be a working actor and make your living at it is very hard to do.
It just blew us away. The first time we saw him on TV or in a movie, and it’s your son. It was not expected, believe me. It’s not like we were stage parents. He was completely on his own. And the quickness of it all was incredible. It all happened so fast, within a few years. He went up in ’99 and he got his first big break role in 2000 in a TV movie, ‘Growing Up Brady’ where Adam played Greg Brady. That was a big role and they gave him a chance as a rookie. Although it did help that he looked a little like Greg Brady. After that he kept working in the grind to find new prospects.
It’s been fascinating and truly an education on what the business is about and the misconceptions people have. And like Adam said, it’s a whole different story now being famous. With the Internet and You Tube, your missteps are headlined. From my perspective I think it’s great. He’s managed to stay grounded. He’s a good guy. He hasn’t gone “Hollywood.”
H: Yeah it really seems like he’s down to earth and he’s still himself.
MB: He’s no more less a pain in the ass now as he was growing up. His role as Seth Cohen in The O.C. had a lot of sarcasm, which fit Adam’s sarcastic personality.
H: What has family life been like now that he’s a famous celebrity?
MB: Well with two other sons, you have to be careful not to put one on a pedestal. All my kids are different. They do different things and have different personalities. They’re all great. You have to make sure that you don’t just focus all your attention on one, which we have not. We’ve always been supportive. At first it was great, but now it’s kind of worn off. I think Sean’s a little more into the Adam situation than Matt. Matt’s a different breed of cat. He’s Mr. Science, doing his doctorate in environmental toxicology. But in terms with how we’ve dealt with Adam, we’re very proud of him. I think knowing how hard that business is, I have a lot of respect for what he does. Personally, I can’t imagine going on David Letterman or Jay Leno in front of billions of people. But he does it.
H: So the story goes- Adam told you he would be going to college in L.A. and instead used the tuition money you gave him and paid for an acting coach, personal manager, etc. How did you feel at the time?
MB: Well that’s sort of an urban legend. He was going to go up and take film and entertainment-related courses at Santa Monica City College and also take acting lessons. But after a while he said he wasn’t getting anything out of it, and that he’d rather focus all of his energy on doing the practical end of it- going on auditions, etc. He’s never really enjoyed the school-side. He’s a smart person. He’s very smart. And what’s interesting is he’s more interested in current events now than he ever was when he was a teenager. Back then, it was all about surfing. So he’s matured a lot. He also thinks for himself. After The O.C. he was offered a lot of parts but they were the same kind of roles and he didn’t want to get type-cast into playing the same type of character, like in those silly teen movies. But he’s friends with a lot of those guys. Jonah Hill used to be in his band. So Adam’s been able to diversify and play a variety of characters.
H: Thank you Mark. We certainly appreciate all that you’ve done here at Alliant and thanks again for setting this up and taking the time to make this happen.