At 18 years old, Florida native Connor Dean has just about done it all. From becoming a viral sensation to a Young Entertainer Awards winner, the up-and-coming actor and model is all set to take the entertainment world by storm.
At the beginning, acting wasn’t necessarily on Dean’s radar. Rather, it was something that he fell into because of his older brother, whom he would often accompany during auditions in California. After a while, he decided to give it a go himself. Once he started attending his own auditions, he couldn’t get enough.
“I kind of fell into acting. My older brother wanted to be an actor so we would come to California during pilot season and I used to have to go with him to his auditions because I couldn’t be left home alone,” Dean shares with Celeb Secrets. “After a few months I figured if I was going to these auditions anyway I might as well audition myself! I got an agent, manager, and started going to auditions. It wasn’t long before I booked my first job and I was hooked.”
Following a move from Florida to Los Angeles, Dean started booking small roles in short films and commercials. Before he knew it, he secured his breakout role as Butch the Bully in the Cool Cat films. The character became a cult phenomenon online, generating millions of views, fan pages, and memes.
On the experience, Dean said, “I have to say it’s been a little strange being part of something that became such a cult phenomenon. It was hard at first because I was so young. It was strange when friends would show me memes on the internet that were me,” he continues. “I was even bullied during high school about this character, but I’ve learned to ignore the negative and focus on the positive. When I was making these films I never thought anything like that would happen. I was just happy to be working!”
Since Dean’s breakout role, he has achieved many accomplishments. He had a guest-starring role on FOX’s 9-1-1, won a Best Lead Actor award for his role in Jingle Trails, and started his own production company, Penny Arcade Pictures. We are thrilled to see what the future holds for him!
Check out the rest of our Q&A with Connor Dean below! He shares his favorite memories from previous projects, what he enjoys about running a production company, and how he got into playing tennis competitively. You can keep up with the actor by following him on Instagram.
Celeb Secrets: Hi Connor! Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us today. For our readers who may not know you, could you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Connor Dean: “Hello and thank you for having me. I am an actor, competitive tennis player, and producer. I was born in Melbourne, Florida and moved to Los Angeles about ten years ago. I just graduated high school this past May and will be taking a gap year to continue my acting, tennis training, and finish some film scripts I have been working on this past year. I have an older brother who is also an actor and I have 2 rescue dogs.”
CS: What inspired you to become an actor?
CD: “I kind of fell into acting. My older brother wanted to be an actor so we would come to California during pilot season and I used to have to go with him to his auditions because I couldn’t be left home alone. After a few months I figured if I was going to these auditions anyway I might as well audition myself! I got an agent, manager, and started going to auditions. It wasn’t long before I booked my first job and I was hooked.”
CS: You’re best known for your role as Butch the Bully from the Cool Cat movies, which went viral online. Can you share with us your experience with becoming a viral sensation? Did you ever think something like that would happen?
CD: “I have to say it’s been a little strange being part of something that became such a cult phenomenon. It was hard at first because I was so young. It was strange when friends would show me memes on the internet that were me! Some of them were funny, but sometimes they weren’t very nice. It’s hard when you’re young and people are saying things about you that aren’t kind or even true. I was even bullied during high school about this character, but I’ve learned to ignore the negative and focus on the positive. When I was making these films I never thought anything like that would happen. I was just happy to be working!”
CS: You guest-starred on the show 9-1-1. What is your favorite memory from being on the show?
CD: “Working on 9-1-1 was a pretty cool experience. The cast and crew were so nice to all of us. My favorite memory is seeing how the earthquake scene came together in the finished episodes. We filmed it out of sequence and there was debris and everything all over outside the W Hotel. I couldn’t imagine how it was all going to look in the end, but it was amazing!”
CS: You won the Best Lead Actor award for your role in Jingle Trails. What did you enjoy about working on that film?
CD: “I really enjoyed working with the director Neil D’Monte. He really understands actors and works hard to make them look the best they can look. He’s fun, patient, and so easy to work with. He made shooting a film in the heat of July a fun experience.”
CS: Who are some of your acting inspirations?
CD: “I love Harrison Ford. He does it all from action to comedy to drama. Paul Rudd is another one. Being that I’m a Marvel Fan, I really like the way he portrays Ant Man. He adds a bit of humor to the character. I also like Tom Hiddleston and Ewan McGregor. Can you tell I like Marvel and Star Wars movies?”
CS: We hear that you have your own production company, Penny Arcade Pictures. That’s incredible! What do you enjoy the most about running Penny Arcade Pictures?
CD: “Yes, my brother and I started a production company and the best part about running Penny Arcade Pictures is that it’s a family company. I enjoy collaborating with my brother on different projects. It’s actually a nod to my great grandfather whose last name was Penny so we feel like he’s with us too.”
CS: Besides acting, you’re a competitive tennis player. How did you get into the sport? Who are your favorite professional tennis players?
CD: “I started out playing pretty much all the sports, but tennis is the one that stuck. I love everything about it. My favorite tennis players are Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. They are the best of the best both on the court and off the court.”
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CS: Since we’re Celeb Secrets, do you have any secrets that you can share with us? Or something about yourself that our readers would be surprised to know?
CD: “A lot of people may know my love of video games, but people might be surprised to know that I am also a big fan of Anime. I watch a lot of Anime shows in my free time and I enjoy drawing Anime characters as well. I’m also secretly a Friends TV show superfan. I usually watch an episode (or 2) every night!”
