Brendan Taylor – The Arrangement

By starrymag | April 15, 2018

By: Lisa Steinberg

 

 

Q) What are the recent projects you have been working on?

 

A) Recently I shot a couple commercials, including one in Santiago, Chile! That was incredible! And just prior to that I shot a film for the Hallmark Channel Love Once, And Always, which premiered on Saturday, March 10th. And I’m currently shooting another Hallmark project right now.

 

Q) Please tell us what is new this season on “The Arrangement” and about your character.

 

A) Season One ended with Megan (Christine Evangelista) wanting to take down the Institute of the Higher Mind (IHM) and in Season Two we find that Megan’s star is rising and she has to play many roles in her relationship with Kyle (Josh Henderson), her friends, her celebrity status, and more. Meanwhile, Terence (Michael Vartan) is working tirelessly to build the IHM profile, while simultaneously trying to keep Kyle and Megan under control. And Isaac has some new plans to help Terence and IHM.

 

Q) How was your character Isaac originally described to you?

 

A) Isaac was described as a genius-level scientist in charge of Terence’s secret laboratory, who is an acerbic know-it-all who would rather work alone, but reluctantly acknowledges Terence as the boss.

 

Q) A) Was there anything you added to him that wasn’t in his initial breakdown?

 

A) I definitely wanted to keep the aspect of competition with Terence throughout his scenes. Any little opportunity to take a jab or poke fun or assert his intelligence makes for entertaining interactions with the two. Plus, he knows he’s a geek, but still cool. I know a thing or two about that…

 

Q) What made you want to be a part of the series?

 

A) “The Arrangement” was a new series being shot in Vancouver and the audition came about like any other, so all I had to go on was the synopsis and my audition sides when prepping for the role. It seemed like a really cool show and I really enjoy playing a “bad guy,” for lack of a better term! Of course, bad guys never think they’re bad…

 

Q) What have you found challenging about your portrayal?

 

A) I connect pretty well to Isaac, but honestly some of the toughest stuff is all the science jargon! I have some real tongue-twisters this season.

 

Q) What do you think it is about “The Arrangement” that has made viewers so captivated?

 

A) It’s a great concept for a series that hasn’t quite been touched on yet and having a modern inside scoop of Hollywood is enticing. It’s really interesting to be able to compare what we see and what is shown to us, versus what goes on behind the scenes.

 

Q) We have loved seeing you as Doug Stover on “Supernatural.” Talk about working with Jensen [Ackles] and Jared [Padalecki].

 

A) Thank you! I love working with the boys. They are so professional and very gracious scene partners. Not to mention side-splittingly hilarious. And they are so good at what they do, having done so many episodes of the show, they really are experts.

 

Q) What have been some of your favorite moments from filming?

 

A) Getting to be a vampire this season was really cool. I had to get vampire teeth made and had special bloodshot contact lenses for the scene. And I had to drink a bunch of fake blood…that was kinda gross actually! But just getting to work with and hang out with Briana [Buckmaster] and the rest of the cast and crew makes the whole experience so special.

 

Q) Doug and Donna had such a sweet relationship. What was it about the realization of monsters that made him walk away?

 

A) I can only state my opinion about his decision, as I have no say in the writing, but I think it’s partially because Doug’s life has been pretty simple up until now. And Donna never mentioned this part of her life the entire time they were together. And keep in mind in this scene, he just woke up from being a vampire like three minutes earlier! It was a combination of all of these things; feeling betrayed, exhausted and overwhelmed, that led to him leaving. But he does love Donna very much.

 

Q) You are a part of social media. Do you enjoy the instant feedback you receive to the projects you are a part of?

 

A) Yes, it’s so great to interact with fans! The SPNFamily and Hallmarkies have been so wonderful and engaging. And if I can make just one fan’s day, it’s all worth it. After all, I wouldn’t have a job if people didn’t watch! So, I’m very grateful for anyone wanting to follow my work.

 

Q) What advice would you give to up and coming actors and actresses? 

 

A) Be dedicated! Skill and experience are built through perseverance. I’ve been at this for so long and the one thing I can say is that I’ve been so dedicated to my craft. Thousands of hours of training of all types and taking all the chances that were presented to me. Now, I’m a bit more selective of the work I do, but when I was starting out, I did everything! Take classes, do short films, do plays, educate yourself about theatre, film and film history and put in the work. The people who don’t fall away and you’re left standing to seize the opportunity!