First, have you been able to breathe since the past season of football?
Ha yeah! I feel like I can finally catch my breath. I think I had four heart attacks during the last game. I’m just really proud of the team. The person I am – my work ethic and how I go about my business and acting – a lot of it is about drive and that blue collar work ethic – not giving up until the end. I learned a lot of that watching the Steelers.
That work ethic is translatable not just in acting and entertainment – it translates across any work or passion. They were written off when they were 1-3 and were able to come back and sneak into the playoffs. That’s that work ethic and drive.
Before we get too much into the football talk, can you talk about your work and upcoming projects?
The past two years has been tough for us all, but I was very fortunate. I was a guest star on SWAT in 2020 and was fortunate to get a guess star role on This is Us where I played a real life character – Nasir Ahmed – who helped invent the logically discreet co-sign platform. That allows all of us to video chat. So that episode was significant to me – in the middle of the intense lockdowns we had video chat -that was the only way many of its could see our friends and family. So that meant a lot.
After that I also did a role on Animal Kingdom – a great show. Then in the Summer I was the lead in an independent movie – Poor Paul – which is in post-production now.
And upcoming?
I can’t speak much about it, but I am the lead in another independent movie about super heroes who’s powers, let’s just say they suck. A woman who is invisible – but just 30% of her. A person who can fly – but only on airplanes. It should be a fun, absurd movie – a different tone from many of the superhero movies out now.
You had other interests before acting …
Before acting I was very interested in sports journalism and neurosurgery. But I booked a guest spot on The Cleaner with Benjamin Bratt while I was a freshman at USC and knew then that was what I wanted to do. I left USC after a year and have been acting ever since. It’s been a crazy ride – I’m lucky – and hope to continue to do this for a long time.
How has Pittsburgh influenced your approach as an actor?
Well for starters I was just recently able to meet Jeff Goldblum – it was an honor and a pleasure to meet him. I can lock that off my bucket list. He was a huge influence. It’s funny – not until I was 10 or 11 did I even realize he was from Pittsburgh.
He’s an amazing actor and has had an amazing career, but the most impressive thing about him is the way he carries himself as a human being. That’s how I want to carry myself as well.
Has anything about the city affected the way your approach life and acting?
I remember Tomlin’s quote the first day he was introduced. “We intend to make no bold predictions but will promote a blue collar work ethic in all we do.” What isn’t publicized a lot is how much work goes into acting – how hard it can be. That Pittsburgh work ethic is so integral – so instilled in me as an actor.
What about sports journalism appealed to you?
I don’t get starstruck meeting celebrities, actors and musicians – I get starstruck with athletes. It always had that appeal – I get to talk sports and I get to meet and socialize with these athletes! That was the thrill for me.
You have many diverse interests – journalism, acting, hockey, saxophone – what interests you most and why?
I’d be thrilled to have done any of those. I can’t imagine not acting – but it seems like a dream to be able to play the saxophone for work! I played hockey for the Amateur Penguins – I hoped one day to play minor league hockey or even make it to the NHL. I’m not sure how serious those aspirations really were, but I thought it would be cool to put on pads and play a kids game for work.
I mean, that’s really what I do now. Acting is like that in a way too.
As a Steelers fan – I see you get fired up on social media. Do you consider yourself a rabid fan or temperate?
I have to give myself some credit. I’ve cooled down some – I don’t send out as many angry tweets as I did five years ago. I still get upset but it doesn’t affect me when they lose as much – I get over it by Monday or Tuesday now – it used to take me all week!
Now I think about things more logically. It’s a testament to the Steelers and Penguins. Crosby, Lemieux, Ben, Troy, Sullivan, Tomlin, Cowher… they never panic. I appreciate that. I see teams like Miami firing their coach – they don’t give them enough time to build something that way. The Steelers taught me not to look at things so emotionally.
Don’t get too high with the highs…?
Yeah – or as Paterno used to say, “You’re never as good as you think you are when you win, and never as bad as you think you are when you lose.”
Are others in you family fans as well? More or less so than you?
They are huge fans. They kickstarted my fandom. My dad has a shrine of signed Steelers jerseys and his own Steelers mancave. I remember we’d go to Pens and Steelers games. My mom and I actually went to the Chargers game. It was a tough loss but it was good seeing Ben play.
Any good experiences with the team/memories of games/players?
Game-wise, right off the bat the game two years ago against the Patriots when we beat them 17-10. My mom and then girlfriend flew in and we caught a Pens game Saturday against the Kings then the Patriots game the next day. They wore their color rush uniforms – it was one of the few times they beat Tom Brady. I never experienced the stadium as loud as that!
Relationship-wise with the players, I have somewhat of a relationship with players when I was tweeting as a hothead. I become friends with Mike Mitchell and Ramon Foster a bit. Roosevelt Nix too. All great guys. You think these are scary people from what you see on the field, but they are nice people.
How has the game or team changed from your perspective since you started watching?
Overall I think it’s better, unless you are a defensive player! The evolution of the game goes against defenders. I remember when that brutal physicality was allowed, but when you learn more about head injuries and CTE, I like that they made the game safer.
Now, I’m not sure about it sometimes – like when Heyward got called for a penalty. I’m not sure what he was supposed to do there. I know they want to make the game safer. The next generation of young adults will have to decide if they want their kids to play or not. So those rules will need to still be tweaked
What about the Steelers specifically? You think they are the same culture and team you watched as a kid?
I think social media has changed the culture of every team. A lot of flak is given by people to JuJu and Claypool for their social media influence, but I’m not one of them. These are still kids – let them have fun and live their lives as long as it doesn’t hurt the team. Now, I do have a problem like with the Vikings game when there is 30 seconds left and you don’t return the ball to the ref, but I could care less about TikTok. You just need to make sure you don’t give the other team any bulletin board material. Heck, even Tomlin was dancing on video after the Ravens game!
Lastly, optimistic for the future of the team?
I think it all depends on whether they can acquire a quarterback this offseason. They have an opportunity to rebuild the offensive line more in the draft, but I don’t think there’s an answer at quarterback this draft. If they can get a quarterback like Wilson or Rodgers, they can basically keep going and winning games. The Steelers don’t like to rebuild and take a year off. They want to contend every year for a Super Bowl.
If they can get a guy like Wilson or Rodgers, I’ll be a happy camper!
Read more by former Steelers via the book Steelers Takeaways: Player Memories Through the Decades. To order, just click on the book:
