For Floral Park resident Andrew Case, making a local commercial about 10 years ago helped him find his love of acting.
Case, who is originally from Hollis and now lives in the co-op North Shore Towers, was asked to be in a travel agency commercial that aired on a Spanish channel around 2000. After that, he decided to have some headshots taken to mail out.
A casting director got in touch with Case, wanting to put him in a film. However, they said if Case was going to do acting long-term they wanted him to study it.
“I started studying and I loved it,” said Case, adding that he had a great teacher who was very inspiring. “It never stopped. The more I learned about it the more I realized I wanted to do it.”
Case said that one thing he liked about acting is that it was a way to explore humanity and understand himself and other people on a deeper level. He also likes being able to “create behavior through that understanding.”
He added that it was the art, craft and process of acting that all started to excite him.
“I bring 110 percent of myself to every project,” Case said. “It’s very important to me to do my best work in…whatever I’m involved in.”
Case, a member of the Screen Actors Guild, has now appeared in film and theater. Some of the films he has appeared in include “True Friends,” “Darwin’s Theory” and “Checkmate.”
On the stage, case played a soldier in “Officers of War,” which was performed at Lincoln Center. He also recently costarred in “Offsides,” where he played a young, alcoholic father. Funds are now being raised to produce a film version of it.
“I play these characters that have a war within and a war without, heroic type characters,” said Case, whose favorite actors include Benicio Del Toro, Meryl Streep, Robert De Niro and Jeff Bridges.
Since his early teens, Case has enjoyed boxing and translates some of what he does in the ring to his acting.
“I’m good at keeping my opponents away with a stiff jab, keeping my distance, and confusing them with good footwork. They don’t know what to expect,” he said. “I like to take a little bit of that in front of the camera and on the stage. I enjoy the freedom to explore and have fun with whatever project or character I’m working on. That’s what really drives me.”
When it comes to being an actor in New York City, Case said that one of the most challenging parts can be the competition, since he said there is not as much work since the problems with the economy started. However, he said there is some money out there and people are still doing projects.
“I think actors today need to be resilient and trust that the cream will rise and if you do good work you’ll be seen at some point,” he said.
Acting isn’t the only way Case is involved in the entertainment industry. He also writes and has been involved with producing. He said he thinks he does writing and acting equally well and needs a balance between the two.
“If I do a show that’s real taxing sometimes the other part of my brains likes to write a little bit before I start acting again,” Case said. He also said, “I think it’s just a natural feeling to want [to do] both, for me any way.”
Case said that he would like to direct one day, although right now he is focused on writing and acting, and producing if the opportunity to do so presents itself.
For more information on Case, visit www.andrew-case.com.
