Or Die Trying executive producers Sarah Hawkins and Myah Hollis caught up with actor/director Bradley Hawkins to talk about his experience playing alongside his daughter as Mr. Hansen in ODT Season 1.
ODT: Where are you from?
Bradley Hawkins: Originally from the Santa Clara County in Northern California, then moved to Lancaster County, PA in 1997 where my wife (of 31 years) and I still reside.
ODT: What character do you play in Or Die Trying?
BH: I play “Mr. Hansen”, Eliie Hansen’s father who has been a successful working actor for decades.
ODT: What made you want to pursue acting?
BH: Acting has always been in my blood and the Oscars have always been my Super Bowl. I started pursuing acting on the playground in elementary school way back in the 60’s and was even allowed to direct the sixth grade play, which I (of course) starred in as well. I was also the kid with the 8mm movie camera during the early '70’s making silent short films with my brothers and neighbors, and then in the 90’s returned to acting after a fifteen year stint as the founding director of the five-time international champion youth music organization, "The Spirit of Sunnyvale" Marching Youth Band.
ODT: What first drew you to this series?
BH: The opportunity to act opposite my daughter, Sarah Hawkins, as her father on-camera. Sarah and I have only performed together once before when she was just a baby. As an 8-month-old infant she played my baby daughter in a stage production of The Days of Wine & Roses in Saratoga, CA.
ODT: Without giving too much away, what do you relate to most with your character?
BH: Being Sarah’s actual dad, and a working actor/director, playing “Mr. Hansen” is obviously very easy for me to be able to relate to. At age 60, I can also relate to some of the challenges that ‘Mr. Hansen” is facing at this stage of life. Its a great role (brilliantly written by writer, Myah Hollis) and I look forward to the potential of being able to continue with the role in Season 2 and beyond.
ODT: What was it like to work on a set with a predominately female crew?
BH: I found it to be every bit as professional, dedicated, and inspiring to work with as any other crew that I’ve ever had the pleasure to be associated with.
ODT: What do you think is the best way for the industry to go about closing the gender gap?
BH: By first acknowledging that the gender gap in this industry is real and to be an active participant to rectifying the situation by supporting women in film by any means that we can.
ODT: What other projects are you working on?
BH: Sarah and I have first partnered on the comedy short film ROLLER COASTER which has been on the film festival circuit for the past year and earned 28 awards along on its journey. The award-winning comedy short is now available Amazon Video. Sarah and I also recently launched our own film production company as a father/daughter team, called Dadley Productions. Through Dadley Productions we’re currently teamed up on a new comedy short, Filling In, which I’m directing and she’s producing. Filling In is a quirky spin on the Tooth Fairy and the white lies we parents telll our children to prolong their naivete and innocence. Filling In stars a former student of mine, Jared Odrick, who is now a NFL defensive end, and has acted in four episodes of HBO’s Ballers.
Sarah and I are also developing two feature film projects, Dylan, a coming-of-age family drama to be shot in Kentucky, and an comedy feature, which we hope to shoot in Lancaster County, PA. Both projects are ear-marked to go into production by 2018.
ODT: Where can people find you?
BH: I’m constantly hopping back & forth between Lancaster, PA and L.A. depending on which coasts I’m needed on at the moment. You can follow me on Twitter @Hawkula, on Instagram @bradley-hawkins, on Facebook at Bradley Hawkins, and on my website at bradley-hawkins.com.
