My interview with film producer, actor, and musician Ben Stranahan doesn’t exactly go as planned. I had envisioned getting right down to business and asking an array of thought-provoking questions about the movie industry and how Ben has found his niche in Hollywood. When I arrive at his home outside of Los Angeles and am greeted at his door by his publicist, however, I can immediately tell that the interview is going to be freewheeling: somewhere in the house, Ben is singing at the top of his lungs as he plays the piano.
His publicist rolls her eyes and says in a theatrical whisper: “He was up all night working on his film, _____________. This is how he de-stresses.”
Ah. I am led to his music room, where a blindfolded Ben is in sweats and is racing his fingers over a piano’s keys. Ben hears me, abruptly stops playing, stands up, and thrusts his hand out to introduce himself, blindfold still on. I can sense this is going to be a very unusual interview indeed.
As we chat about ourselves and get acquainted, Ben returns to the piano, playing first __________ and then ______________. He is a gifted musician who studied at the Berklee College of Music Summer Program after he graduated from high school. “Boston was clear on the other side of the country, but I knew that I could learn there from some of the finest musicians in the country,” Ben explains. “I was right. My time there definitely made me into the musician I am today.”
He is more than a musician, of course. As the producer for Tip-Top Productions, Ben found success with 2016’s Mean Dreams, which starred Bill Paxton, Sophie Nélisse, Josh Wiggins, and Colm Feore. Ben says that one of his proudest moments was watching it premiere in 2016 at the Directors’ Fortnight at Cannes and as a Special Presentation at TIFF. “Then it went on to be sold in over fifty countries and to be released theatrically in over ten countries. That was beyond amazing and very satisfying.”
Ben takes one last pass at the piano, letting rip with a glissando before sitting down on the couch to continue. “One of my favorite movies to produce and act in was Population Zero. That was a blast. It was a psychological thriller and really took the genre in a different direction. Critics around the world liked it. I also enjoyed producing Calibre, another thriller, which was released on Netflix in 2018. That ended up being nominated for four BAFTAs, and it won for one: Best Actor for Jack Lowden. The night we won was incredible for all of us.”
Ben has also found success as a TV producer with The Midnight Anthology, starring Clancy Brown. Its pilot premiered at the New York Television Festival in 2015 and went on to win the Artistic Achievement and Best Director awards at the festival. Ben and The Midnight Anthology team are developing the remaining episodes of the series. One of his latest movies, Monstrous, is already receiving excellent reviews for its surprising plot line and excellent acting, including by Christina Ricci.
Ben explains that his path to Hollywood began back in middle school when he got a role in a school play. “I’m sure there’s a photo of me in costume somewhere, but I’d prefer to not show it to you,” he laughs. “Let’s just move on to high school, where I loved the bigger stage and got into making short films. It’s also where I gave my parents a headache with all the drumming I was doing for a band. My parents were pretty tolerant, thankfully.”
During his last year in high school, senioritis hit Ben just like it did his peers. “I had the best plan: I was going to go to LA so that I could get started on my career in Hollywood.”
Ben was thrilled to be accepted at the prestigious American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Los Angeles. “I’ll never forget when I saw my acceptance letter with my dad standing right beside me,” he states. “That was huge. It was a major step toward me getting what I wanted: a career in Hollywood and the performing arts. I couldn’t wait to get out there and start taking classes. I spent three years learning everything that I could. As an actor, I especially enjoyed breaking down characters and learning accents, including Southern, Standard RP, New England, and Irish. I also got good at stage combat, both armed and unarmed.”
Since attending AADA, Ben has been making film after film, steadily climbing the Hollywood ladder. “It most definitely hasn’t been easy,” he reflects. “I have heard all the rejections that everyone who tries to make it in this city eventually hears.” He stands up abruptly, full of energy, and goes back to the piano, where he begins playing ______________ while he keeps talking. “But I am relentlessly positive, and I don’t let anything get me down. It’s the best way to make it in this business: believe in yourself and in what you’re meant to do, keep smiling, and you’ll get there.”
As Ben’s fingers dance over the keys, I suspect that with that kind of attitude, Ben will see more doors open for him in Hollywood in the years to come, with audiences enjoying the films he offers them.