ELLSWORTH — Tyler Beardsley, a Class of 2012 Ellsworth High School graduate and former actor at The Grand, is making his mark in the city of angels.
Tyler Beardsley Submitted photo
Beardsley, who moved to Los Angeles after graduating from Tufts University with degrees in drama and computer science in 2016, appears in a small speaking role in the Paramount+ “Yellowstone” prequel series “1923,” which premiered in December.
“Any time you ever get a role, you’ve won the lottery in some way,” Beardsley said, laughing. “As actors out here, you have to take advantage of every opportunity that’s given [to] you. It’s not that it’s all luck or it’s all talent, it’s a combination of both. You have to be ready to put on your best show when the opportunity presents itself and take advantage of those moments.”
Beardsley plays the role of Bartender, and appears in the third episode of the series, titled “The War Has Come Home.” According to him, none of the bartending he did was pretend. The production team provided him with a full bar, including alcohol, garnishes, and everything else a classic speakeasy might need.
The show stars high-profile actors Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren. According to Beardsley, being on set is an exhilarating experience.
“[Being on set] is really really fun,” he said. “You try to be really professional. The mantra that my friends and I use all the time is that you’ve gotta act like you’ve been there … My one little star-struck moment of Harrison Ford flying in on a helicopter to set one day, that was pretty crazy.”
Beardsley is also slated to appear in two more period pieces this year: the Apple TV+ series “Lessons in Chemistry” and Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer.”
“Lessons in Chemistry” stars and is executive produced by Academy Award winner Brie Larson. The drama series, based on the book of the same title written by Bonnie Garmus, follows Elizabeth Zott (played by Larson), a 1950s scientist who struggles with the societal belief that women don’t belong in science.
“Oppenheimer,” the latest of director Christopher Nolan’s work, tells the story of physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer (played by Cillian Murphy) and his time with the team of Manhattan Project scientists as they work on the creation of the atomic bomb.
“These are [projects] that people at home can see,” Beardsley said. “‘1923’ is the first one where I’ve had people from Ellsworth reach out to me and say, ‘I just saw you on this thing, that’s crazy!’ I’m hoping to kind of take advantage of that and use that momentum to get more auditions and get my foot in the door in a few more places.”
Beardsley’s career started in Ellsworth, when, after being cast in The Grand’s production of “Beauty and the Beast” with his brother and father, he realized he wanted to do it “a lot more.” However, a career in acting isn’t what many people consider the most reliable path to follow. Not knowing if he wanted to pursue acting forever, he got both a drama degree and a computer science degree while studying at Tufts, and has been able to use both during his time in California. In between filming taped auditions, he can be found tutoring and teaching computer science in schools around Los Angeles.
Yet even after working with such high-caliber actors and directors as Christopher Nolan and Brie Larson, Beardsley still attributes his most rewarding time to the friends he’s made along the way. He stars in the short film “Jim and Joe,” written and directed by Dorian Keys and released in 2019. According to Beardsley, it was completely produced and funded by him and his friends.
“That’s definitely the most rewarding experience, being around creative people and being constantly inspired by those people,” he said.
Coming from a “small town” like Ellsworth, Beardsley described the feelings of uncertainty going into the performing world. However, his success in Hollywood and his overall experience in the industry has led him to know that his experience has been worth it.
“You can do it, that’s the first thing,” he advised other young actors. “You have to take a leap at some point, and say, if this is something that I really love, and I can see myself doing this in the future, why not give it a try? Surround yourself with people who are like-minded, that are interested in the same things that you are creatively. That support system is what made it possible for me.”
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