SSP STAFF WRITER: ENTERTAINMENT ZONE: October 22, 2020
Recently, we got the opportunity to sit down with our friend, Bernard Bullen over Zoom. What started out to be a quick short interview turned into a much longer affair packed with wonderful insight. So, we decided to split the interview into two parts. Here’s part one.
BB: I have to turn on the phone. Oh there you go.
SSP: There you go.
BB: And I should be used to this ‘cause our lives are Zoom.
SSP: I know, right? That’s what we do now. No one’s in-person anymore unless its like family or close friends. You know.
BB: Well thank God, things are starting to get a little better over here.
SSP: Good.
BB: But it seems like the second wave is coming back. You know.
SSP: Yeah. Yeah.
BB: So anyway. Anyway, lets go to the material. [laughing]
SSP: Its gonna be kinda crazy for a little bit, you know. At least ‘til next year. Alright so, thank you for taking the time to do this. We’re very excited to have you as our next guest for Actor’s Insight. And so, I want to kick it off with you telling our followers a little bit about yourself.
BB: Oh alright, hello everyone, my name is Bernard Bullen. I’m an actor. I’m trying to talk with an American accent but my natural accent is British. [Switches over to British.] ‘Cause I was born in Madrid but my father is English.
SSP: Nice.
BB: So that helped me a lot in my career. It helped me to become an international actor. Go to the UK to work. And then end up in Los Angeles which I never thought I would end up there. And yes, I’m a hybrid. I’m half British and half Spanish. I was working for the last four and half years in Los Angeles very happily. Then I decided to take a little break and be back in Europe for a while. And then the pandemic starts. So now I’m here. And yeah, that’s a bit about me. And I’ve been working for about 20 years now.
SSP: Oh wow, I didn’t know you had been working for that long.
BB: Ah ha, yeah, the thing is you land in the US and people think that you just started when you got here. No way, Jose. And that the reason why we international actors are able to make it to LA is because we have a previous career from Spain, from Europe or from the UK that make us get our visas – if not, it’s impossible. That’s why we come already with all the background and all the credits and stuff from Europe but then we have to work hard when we are in the US.
SSP: Nice. Nice. So what attracted you to becoming an actor? What inspired you to be an actor?
BB: Well um, that’s a question I get asked a lot. And going back to my beginnings, I always thought that I was going to become an actor. I was always in school. I was always involved in plays, in theater school and stuff. In my case, it came a little bit later in my life. I did history of arts in uni, three years. It was all about the arts for me. And then a theater company came along and everything changed. [laughing.] And then I realized that was one of my main things and then I started doing commercial modeling. I was for some years with that. But still I had the thing inside that I wanted to be an actor. You know.
SSP: Uh huh.
BB: I remember when I was doing commercial modeling, I did this workshop with this drama school. Since then I decided that that was what I wanted to do. I did four years with drama school. And then a classical theater company came along the way. And the rest…
SSP: And the rest is history. Nice. Nice. Nice.
BB: [laughing]
SSP: So what was your first major role as an actor?
BB: Well funny enough, it was when I was starting drama school in Spain, in Madrid, the first year. You know the first year in drama school, you only do, you only improvise. You don’t even touch proper scenes. You know. You just improvise. You play a lot. ‘Cause you’re experimenting with feelings and doing exercises. You think why am I doing this, why am I touching this bowl and then it comes in handy. And then I was approached by one of the students there in the school that had seen me do some work and he said that they’re auditioning for a classic theater company and you got the right look, you are very strong, powerful voice, why don’t you go and audition. And I said, “a what?” I mean this is my first year and I’m still studying. But my acting life has always been about challenges. And there I was in my early 20s and I auditioned and I got a major role. I got the lead in a classic play by a 17th century Spanish author. Assembled like Shakespeare but the one in Spain. The play was FUENTEOVEJUNA. And it was to play in a major 17th century theater in Spain. They do a lot of festivals there. And I got the role. So that was like my first major role. And I still had to go back to school and study.
SSP: [laughing]
BB: And I kept working with that theater company for four years, you know, while I was still being a student and in school. So I was like, at the same time I was like doing professional plays and at the same time I was doing all the hard stuff at school, you know.
SSP: Uh huh.
BB: So yeah, I have very fond memories of that.
SSP: Nice. Nice. So describe to me your acting style. Are you more De Niro? So what is your acting style?
BB: I’m not going to say that but… [laughing] yeah. There is a style but I don’t really believe in methods and styles. I know there are. Schools are very keen on methods. But I think the most important thing is to be natural. Naturalism I think because that is reality. Realism. I do love method acting because that’s what portrays life. Really, you know. The more experiences you have in life the more you have to offer and to give when you are doing a role. All your experiences, in your heart and your head, are going to make you have all those feelings. And I learned so much about technique when I was living in the US.
SSP: Uh huh.
BB: Yeah, because I was coming from theater and also I’m Spanish. I’m Mediterranean. We move our hands a lot. We’re very expressive. In the years I was in the UK and then in US, I learned so much about the film technique which is just the eyes and that was amazing. And that helped me with all the expressiveness I have – helped me to be even more natural in acting, you know.
SSP: Uh huh.
BB: See? I talk a lot. [laughing]
SSP: No, its good. The more thorough the answer the better.
BB: Yeah, sometimes, especially in our business, there is not always a black and white answer. There is not a yes or no. And also because everybody has a different experience.
SSP: Uh huh. Was there a particular time or event that you realized that you were serious about your acting and you were actually going to make a living from your acting?
BB: I was blessed to start while I was studying in school, being with a professional theater company and we got paid sometimes you know. I think it was when I finished school and when I had my first acting gig on TV in Spain. And that’s when I started considering myself a professional. Although I’m talking about 2005, imagine how many more years I had of training and learning and seeing how difficult it is to make a living. But I was so, um… when I finished school I never thought that I had finished my training or I finished learning. Still now, you know, we are always learning, every single day. And I knew that I wanted to carry on with this. And of course, I wanted to make a living. I saw how difficult it is but I never stopped believing and I never stopped fighting and I never stopped auditioning, hundreds and thousands of auditions (can you) imagine ‘til you start getting work and obviously for the first years when you’re younger (but) everyone’s experience is different, it’s difficult to make a living out of your acting. You always have to have a side job.
SSP: Uh huh.
BB: Even in your adult years, it’s difficult, but I never stopped believing which is the most important thing and focusing on it ‘til it happens.
SSP: Uh huh. What was the name of that show that you booked? What was the name of the TV show in Spain?
BB: It was called Amare En Tiempo Revueltos which is To love in Troubled in Times.
SSP: Was it a daytime soap opera?
BB: It was a novella, a soap. It was set in the 1930s during the civil war in Spain. I have two episodes there. I couldn’t believe it. I was Oh My God. Oh My God. It was a very popular show and I was working with a very famous actor, I was doing scenes with a very nice actor, still working a lot today.
SSP: Uh huh.
BB: Love in Troubled Times [laughing]
SSP: Love In Troubled Times. I love it.
BB: Like now. [laughing]
SSP: Right. Right. Exactly, ‘cause no one can touch or see anybody these days. So, let’s see, over the course of your career, was it harder to get started or keep going? In other words, was there a particular thing that you had to conquer to do either?
BB: I think it’s to keep going. I think that’s the major. I always knew in my heart and when I was in school the second year. I think the second year. I don’t know. In the US, it’s the same. You have courses of two years, three years. I think that the second and third year you really know if you want to carry on because it’s really hard. And teachers are tough with you and they make you go through all these emotions and things and then you finish school. Or while you’re in school you go to auditions and you see the real world. And I think its carrying on with realizing that there are a lot of people for a little work.
SSP: Uh huh.
BB: And then you have to fight. [smacks hands] And you have to carry on and you have to keep the passion. That’s the most important thing. Those always ask me what do you recommend, what is your advice to actors or actors who want to make it in the US or the industry in general is not to lose that passion. And to not stop believing and not lose that passion, because imagine 20, 10, 15, 5 years you are going to have to many ups and down.
SSP: Yes. Yeah.
BB: You can’t think that everything is going to go amazing in the first year and you’re gonna… well it might but then the next year or the year after, it might not. And you have to be prepared psychologically and even physically for all those downs. You know. So, it’s a tool to the force as you say. It’s a mindset force you know that you have to… more than any other job I think. You’re working with your whole being, with your soul, your heart. Every job should be like that. But we artists, we are very delicate creatures. [laughing]
SSP: To say the least.
BB: We’re very sensitive. We’re very sensible. We’re a pain in the ass. And everything affects us a lot, especially the “r” word – which I hate saying it, which is “rejection.” Which I don’t believe in by the way.
SSP: Huh.
BB: I’m extending myself a little bit because I always say I don’t believe in the word rejection in our industry. I don’t know who invented that but if I meet him. [punching the air] ‘Cause it has made a lot of damage…
SSP: Yeah.
BB: …to a lot of actors and a lot of…
SSP: …A lot of very talented people.
BB: Yes. I always say this example. Rejection is when you tell someone you love him or her and they look you in the eyes and say, I’m sorry I don’t love you. Leave me alone. Go away. That is rejection. That’s the maximum rejection. When you say you love someone, and the other person says no I don’t. Go. When you go on an audition in a room and you’re competing or you’re against 20 or 5, 10 and you don’t get a role. No one rejected you. Its just that you weren’t OK for the part. You’re a brilliant actor but the producers want some else. So many things. You know – you are also a producer. You know how it works.
SSP: Yeah, so many different variables.
BB: No one kicked your down parts. No one smacked you in the face. No one told you to leave the room. No, chill out. That is not rejection. That’s why we have to push, push, push because once you think that, of course it’s horrible. And I still have to work so much in that with the… deception, I think is the word. Deceit, sometimes. Because you go and you have meetings and you work hard as “f…” – you know, for the role. And you were magnificent. And the casting director knows it but you don’t get it. And that’s what you have to work on. It wasn’t anything personal.
SSP: Uh huh.
BB: We take it personal.
SSP: Right. Right.
BB: When you realize its nothing personal which it takes years. [laughing]
SSP: To get to that point. Yes.
BB: Then you start breathing sometimes and enjoying it. But its hard.
SSP: Yes. Yes. I agree. So The Mandalorian. That’s a great show. One of my favorite shows actually.
BB: Look what I have here. (holds up a mini Mandalorian poster) [laughing]
SSP: Awesome! Very nice.
BB: I’m in my little workshop studio signing autographs. I mean craziness.
SSP: Nice. Nice. Nice. So how did you get that role? Of the father of Din Djarin?
BB: Well, that is one of those things that happens once in your life. Or I hope not, of course.
SSP: I see bigger and better things for you.
BB: It was a blessing. I have to say I didn’t even audition for it.
SSP: Oh wow.
BB: I got a call from my manager saying um casting… (you know how managers are in LA, they give you very little information depending on the project because they don’t know, even they don’t know anything)… casting is interested in you for a huge Disney project. They want your dramatic reels. So send use everything you have. At that point, I said well I don’t have a dramatic reel per se but I have plenty of self tapes. You know our lives in LA are self tapes.
SSP: Uh Huh.
BB: And I have very good self tapes in my files from roles I have booked. And they said yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah that’s perfect. So from that I went through different stages of being selected and that was November 2018. And then they called me like you’re pre-selected, you’re on avail, you’re this, you’re that. It’s only between you and another one – and then in January I got the call when I was back from my Christmas vacation saying you landed it. The only thing we knew at that moment was it was a huge Disney project, the role a Hispanic father. That’s it.
SSP: Yeah. Well, we think your character should be an integral part of the whole Star Wars universe.
BB: Yeah, well my manager, what he told me was you got it, you got booked. And he said I have here all the info. And he said (can I swear a little bit?) and he said The Mandalorian. Holy shit, Star Wars. [laughing]
SSP: [laughing]
BB: He didn’t even know. He found out when he got the email you know from casting. I found out it was Sarah Finn Casting which you can imagine is a major casting office in the world. And it seems like they have been following up my things that I have been doing. So this tells you it’s very important the self tapes that we send and its very important to keep active because it doesn’t matter that you don’t get a role on a self tape when you send it at that time. They keep them.
SSP: And remember.
BB: And remember.
SSP: Yes that’s true.
BB: Yes, ‘cause believe me, I would remember if I was in Sarah Finn’s casting office. I have never been to that office. But I think I did send a self tape like a couple years before, or a year ago, who knows but that’s how I got it. Yeah and it was amazing.
SSP: Yeah, congratulations.
BB: Thank you.
SSP: So the character itself, how is that character like you? Or is that character different from you? And what do you love about that character?
BB: Well, the little that we knew about the character [laughing] obviously ‘cause this is such a major project, you don’t get told a lot of info. Although they did call me before we started filming and we talked about it. I would have done the same thing as he did, you know – which is put up his life to save his son. In that, we were able to come up with passion, loving – and I love children. I get on very well with children. I got on super well with my son, little Mando. We still speak and talk you know on Instagram, which is a blessing. And imagine we were like two days and a half filming that. I was carrying him for 16 hours, you know, every day.
SSP: Uh huh.
BB: So yeah, it was a very, very dramatic role and scenes but I felt everything. And it wasn’t difficult on that set which was incredible. It was very heartfelt and it was real you know. So, I did put a lot of myself into it, yeah.
SSP: Speaking of the set, on the set what was your greatest challenge? And what did you learn from this experience? From The Mandalorian experience? What was your greatest challenge? And what did you learn?
BB: The greatest challenge at first was to not shit in my pants as soon as I was there. [laughing]
SSP: [laughing]
BB: Where am I? I couldn’t believe it. I mean I was like honestly I had to be pinching myself. When I said pinching. Pinching. [he pinches his arm] Because when I was in the trailer and on the set, of course the first challenge is to try to keep cool. [laughing]. Everyone was so amazing. Everyone. The crew and the team. That’s why the show is so incredible. I worked with Ty Pod? He’s amazing. The challenge was… oh and Alexandra who played my wife, we had the challenge of trying to save energy, save emotion.
SSP: Uh huh.
BB: Save a lot of energy. I learned a lot about that because there was no rest with our scenes. You don’t have an emotional rest or break. It starts the whole flashback, the whole scene from the top you know.
SSP: Uh huh.
BB: With all dramatic scenes, we are allowed to start low and then mid and then the breaking. No, this was right at the top of dramatic scenes and the biggest drama you can imagine, which is the parents are escaping death and trying to keep his son along and trying to save his son’s life. So, we had to react in rehearsals. Or depending on the take, save energy in between takes for when we were filming. Especially actually, because I was carrying the child. Aiden, who plays little Mando, he’s 10, but he’s kinda short you know. He wasn’t too heavy – but after 5 hours, 6, 7, 10 hours. [laughing]
SSP: Right. Right.
BB: There comes a problem. And believe me, they were amazing. I had a nurse checking on me and asking if I was ok. Sometimes I had to put on a bit of ointment for my neck. But I have to be a trooper with this. I mean, I didn’t complain a single thing. I had plenty enough time to rest when I was home, especially the third day. So I think the biggest challenge was to combine physicality with all the emotion.
SSP: Huh. Nice. Nice. As we are talking, The Mandalorian is a huge part of the Star Wars universe, which many would consider like the largest commercial success cinematically and fan success in history, so at any moment were you intimidated about playing this character?
BB: I wasn’t really thinking about that.
SSP: Ok.
BB: I was just thinking how blessed I am. You can’t think about that. Obviously, we got on the set and of course I was nervous – of course I was nervous, over super excited and a bit intimidated at first. Can’t lie about that because… [switches to a joke] no, no, I was super cool, excuse me. [laughing] I’m on the Star Wars set and I was realizing how big it was the more I was there.
SSP: Uh huh.
BB: At first I was like, well I just couldn’t believe it. And then you realize that you are just doing your job. And you try to be as professional as you can. And you can’t be or feel intimidated because then you’ll choose another job.
SSP: Right. Right.
BB: You know. But if you learn how to capitalize on all of that, you know, excitement and those nervous feelings in your acting, you know. And also because the team, I say the crew and director were so amazing that there wasn’t a single time you felt intimidated. They made us feel really, really good. We were only there for 2 days. Imagine all the other actors who were there longer. And there was a creative director and I thought she was amazing as all the other directors and production, you know 1st AD, 2nd AD. Everyone. Everyone in the chain. You know. So I was intimidated when I was out of set. I was like, Oh my God. Oh my God. [laughing] Imagine what I felt like.
SSP: That’s when it all hit you like, Oh God.
BB: Yeah and now, when the show came out, oh baby with all the big hysteria, like I get you know a lot of fandom’s to sign.
SSP: Uh huh.
BB: I even have people here in Spain at my door to sign. That’s when you realize – but it’s so amazing you know. No one gets intimidated from having to sign autographs. [laughs] You know come on.
SSP: [laughing] Right, right, right.
BB: I’m just enjoying it while it lasts. [laughing]
SSP: Yes, enjoy it while it lasts. Just enjoy the moment. Yeah, I hear you. So we talked a little bit about the biggest challenge and you said one of the biggest challenges was conserving energy and then having that energy with that high emotion, the heightened emotion, because the scene was so powerful and dramatic, in addition to that: were there any other challenges in taking on this role? Or those were the two main ones?
BB: Well, I think all the physicality about it. Of course Alexandra was also running next to me. But to be carrying Aiden, little Mando, all the time you know. So, that made it really (tough) and it was exhausting and tiring and a certain points my neck started to hurt but I was just focused on giving the best of everything I have.
SSP: Uh huh.
BB: Especially, when we got to close ups you know. That’s when I start getting like OK! That’s when they tell you like hey, this is the close up. I’m like [excited sound].
SSP: Ok. Uh huh.
BB: I think that was the main, biggest challenge is when you get the big close up you know and in my case it’s when I’m looking and how do you say when I leave little Mando in the…
SSP: …hole.
BB: In the hole and I’m looking at him, and that look is very emotional, you know? There was a lot there. Or when I hold him and I say, I tell him a few things you know, a secret, but yeah, so and then you know that’s the challenge really. And then when they say cut and it’s a wrap and the next challenge is really finding the next job. [laughing]
SSP: Right, right, right what do I do next you know? [laughing] This is true.
BB: Right. [laughing]
SSP: So, we’re very excited about you playing the character and we’re hoping that your character will make an appearance in season 2 of The Mandalorian? Have you heard anything? Are you at liberty to say? Or nobody knows anything yet?
BB: So, yeah well, I can talk about it because I didn’t sign any NDA and it’s going to come out in less than a month. I did get a call.
SSP: NICE!
BB: BUT! Logistics, being here in Spain, it was just to… So we didn’t make it happen.
SSP: Aw.
BB: But, it doesn’t mean it couldn’t… you know there’s going to be like five seasons.
SSP: Right.
BB: So yeah, [laughing] will I get torpedoes in my apartment for saying that?
SSP: No, no. Well, I have my fingers crossed that you won’t.
BB: Well, I did get a call from my manager that they were interested and then I think it had to do with logistics. I was here in Spain. And you know how TV works, especially over there, they want you right there, right now, the next day.
SSP: Right, right. Immediate access.
BB: Immediate access when it’s not, you know, a role that’s a major role and in my case, it was the time difference, the distance and all that I think that didn’t make it possible. I’m at my peace about it now. But imagine, I was a mess.
SSP: Yeah, but you just said it. There’ll be five seasons. So you never know.
BB: Yeah, well I always say the same thing… this me dreaming but… the father is the father. [laughing]
SSP: And there is backstory there about how Mando grew up that we as viewers want to know.
BB: Yeah, and I’m so blessed at Sarah Finn Casting for thinking of me and Jon Favreau who I met there on the set by the way. And I’m the father and you never see them die.
SSP: No, you don’t see them die. It’s all off screen.
BB: There’s a big explosion and stuff but there’s no bodies so you never know. You never know.
SSP: And it is Star Wars, people come back to life all the time.
BB: Exactly. People come and go. Ten years after. And hey, I’m still young-ish. So. [laughing]
SSP: Right, Right. So, you think you can still pull it off? You totally can do it. So, you met Jon on the set, how was he?
BB: Well, everything is like a foggy dream. I think as you can imagine but I think it was the third day or the second day that I just… I was coming from one of the breaks we had with catering (amazing catering by the way) and I was walking there with my amazing red cloak – which oh my god, that was the highlight, that cloak, that red cloak, you wouldn’t believe it, I know I am extending myself, but when I had the wardrobe you know…
SSP: Fitting.
BB: Yeah the fitting and that red cloak, I was just looking at myself in the mirror and I was like I’m not taking this off ever, you’ll have to force me to take this off. So I was coming from catering and going to set and he was with two other execs and he said hello how are you and I said hi, hello, good afternoon – and at that time I didn’t know who he was. I mean I was like and then later I was like, oh my god that was Jon Favreau. [laughing]
SSP: Uh huh.
BB: And obviously, he’s the man. I mean, for me to get that part, he would have to say yes.
SSP: You might not have recognized him in the moment because of your red cloak obsession, but he knew you.
BB: Exactly. Yeah. And then I realized, and I was like oh my god, oh my god.
TO BE CONTINUED…Part two coming soon!
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram!
Until next time, live your passion and chase your dreams!
SSP
