IN CONVERSATION WITH BRANDON SKLENAR

interview JANA LETONJA

Actor Brandon Sklenar will be starring in the highly anticipated film ‘It Ends with Us’, which will will release in theaters on 9th August. He will also star Blumhouse’s upcoming thriller ‘Drop’. Brandon is best known for his breakout role as Spencer Dutton in ‘Yellowstone’ prequel ‘1923’ for Paramount+. The show’ second and final season is currently in the works.

Brandon, we’ll be seeing you in the highly anticipated romance film ‘It Ends with Us’. Tell us more about the film and your role in it.

‘It Ends with Us’ is a story about a woman’s struggle getting through a really toxic relationship and her finding hope, strength and courage in changing her life. It’s a story about love and resiliency, and strength above anything else.

The film is an adaptation of the best selling novel. In what ways does it differ from the novel?

We age up the characters a little bit to help connect to the mature subject matter, but other than that, the key elements have stayed as true to the novel as we could. We had Colleen Hoover on set with us and she was able to be a guiding light in terms of assuring we were staying as true to the heart of the story as we could.

What did you find the most compelling about the story of the film, and what do you think is the main message of the story for the viewers?

It’s so rare to be a part of something that you know for sure will reach such a large audience and really matters to people, effects them emotionally and can affect change. Ultimately, the biggest takeaway for us is that if we can reach half as many people as the book, then we did our job. This book has changed so many women’s lives, and men’s too. If men can see themselves in Atlas, they can recognize those qualities and embrace them. If they can see themselves in Ryle, hopefully they can take a hard look in the mirror, own it, accept responsibility and take action to be better men.

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shirt DEREK ROSE
pants CELINE
belt VINTAGE
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shirt MISTER FREEDOM
pants CELINE

Filming got halted last year due to SAG Aftra strike. How hard was experiencing that for you, and what did you find the most challenging when you were finally able to return to production?

We were in the middle of production when the strike happened so that was challenging. It’s almost like as a musician, if you are in the middle of a verse of a song and you have to cut the music and go “Okay, well in some undetermined amount of time we’re going to pick this song up where we left off, so remember where we’re at and how we’re feeling”. Fortunately, it worked and we were able to pull it together.

I was coming off of a string of shooting ‘1923’ and had been away from home for a long time and I was needing some personal time, so I tried to look at it as a positive to have that time at home and unplug and reconnect a little bit.

Fans got to know you best for your role in Paramount+’s ‘1923’, the prequel to the very successful series ‘Yellowstone’. How exciting was getting cast on this series?

It was the most exciting moment in my career and my life. I remember leaving the test with Taylor Sheridan and Ben Richardson knowing I got it in the room based on their response. As soon as I left the room, I went into the bathroom and burst into tears, and called my dad and my manager. It was a profound moment I will never forget.

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shirt MISTER FREEDOM
pants CELINE
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jacket BERETTA
pants NILI LOTAN
hat LONESTARHATCO.

In the series, you get to work with the iconic Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren. Did working alongside such well established actors make you nervous at all when you first arrived to the set?

Honestly, no and that’s just a testament to Harrison and Helen. They are such incredible human beings and they are aware of who they are in the world and the zeitgeist, but they don’t project it at all. They are just people and above all else, they are actors at their core. They aren’t trying to be anything but that. They see themselves the same as you or me or anyone on the crew. They put out a vibe that’s very welcoming and easy to be around. I was very nervous, but as soon as I met them, all the nerves went away and it’s a really incredible example of how one can be. If you aspire to have a career as prolific as either of them, it’s almost a requirement that you present yourself and compose yourself and carry yourself in that way.

The series is in production for its second and final season. What can the fans expect when it returns?

In my opinion, the fans can expect an unbelievable conclusion to the story and I can say that the back half of the series does have a tonal shift that I’m very excited for the audiences to see. With the strike and scheduling and weather, we were 18 months between when we finished first and second part. We’ve aged almost 2 years and gone on, done other things, and grown personally and in our careers. We are all somewhat different people and hopefully more evolved and better at what we do. I think that will be reflected in the second half as well, and I can’t wait for everyone to see it. It’s an incredibly exciting thing.

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shirt & turquoise necklace KINCAID ARCHIVE
pants KING & TUCKFIELD
sunglasses JAQUES MARIE MAGE
gold necklace DAVID YURMAN
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jacket & belt VINTAGE
pants CELINE

What kind of roles and projects would you like to work on next in your career, and why?

I’d like to continue to shake things up and work on things that surprise me and challenge me. More than anything, I want to continue to work with great filmmakers and actors, and tell stories that reach large audiences and continue to move people. I’m getting a taste of it with ‘It Ends with Us’ and it’s honestly the first time in my career where I’ve had something to that scale that scratches the itch of being a part of something that really matters on an emotional level.

Making films for entertainment is incredible and I love those films and being a part of that. And even in those, they matter to many people in specific and emotional ways. I’ve been approached by many people who have watched ‘1923’ and they’ve watched it with their fathers as they are going through something difficult in their lives, or it got them through tough times, or it brought them closer to their spouse or whatever other situation in life. Being a part of projects like that that can affect people making you feel like you are doing something that matters and you are contributing to society. It feels like you are making art and doing something that matters. We aren’t saving lives, but maybe we are and maybe you can save a life with a movie. It doesn’t hurt to try. I want to continue to challenge myself and find new edges creatively, emotionally and physically. If I can do that and also make someone laugh, smile or cry, or inspire them or make them think about things in a new way, that’s pretty great.

Tell us more about yourself. What are your other passions and hobbies in life?

I love playing guitar. I’ve played it since I was a little kid. I love collecting guitars. I also love going camping and bike packing. I love spending a lot of time outside. Most of the time, I love just sitting outside and doing absolutely nothing. I’m really into doing nothing at all. I can do that really well. Our work is so intense and requires a tremendous amount of output. I can sprint when I have to, but generally, I’m a pretty slow person and I like to take my time and I like my alone time and my recharge time. That often looks like sitting in my backyard with my partner, my dog and a few friends, and just taking in the day and having a laugh.

What can you share with us about your exciting upcoming projects?

The next project after ‘1923’ I have coming out is this project called ‘Drop’, directed by Chris Landon with Universal, Blumhouse and Platinum Dunes. Brad Fuller, Jason Blum and Michael Bay are all producers on it. It stars myself, Meghann Fahy and Jeffery Self. It’s going to be a really special film. It’s reminiscent of Agatha Christie or Hitchcock. It’s a psychological thriller, but it’s a highly original idea and I had the best time shooting that in Ireland, and I’m very excited for it to come out. We don’t see enough original ideas in the theatrical space and I’m excited for people to see it.

TEAM CREDITS

talent BRANDON SKLENAR
photographers PHIL CHESTER & SARA BYRNE
stylist MADELEINE KENNEDY
groomer JAMIE TAYLOR
styling assistant KARLY HERRICK
editor TIMI LETONJA
editorial director JANA LETONJA