Star Turn

April 23, 2010

No one would mistake BMCC Liberal Arts major Bryan Fitzgerald for a punk. But there he was on a recent afternoon, being interrogated by a couple of New York City police detectives as a suspect in a grisly murder.

Of course, it was all an act—one you might have caught if you’re a regular viewer of the long-running NBC series Law and Order. Fitzgerald, who hopes to pursue an acting career, was playing the part of Jay Spivey, “a New York City high school punk—a real thug,” as he describes his character. “It was a fun part to play, especially since I grew up on Long Island and got a chance to use my New York accent.”

The benefits of unpaid work

The Law and Order role represented a major breakthrough for Fitzgerald, but by no means was it his first acting gig. Only 19, he has appeared in several TV commercials and student-made films as well as a TV pilot. Many of those jobs have been unpaid, but Fitzgerald isn’t complaining. “Some people say you should never work for free, but it’s an option I’ve chosen and it has helped me build a resume,” he says. He has also applied for paying jobs through several online sites, such as ActorsAccess.com and NewYorkCastings.com.

As anyone who has tried it knows, breaking in as an actor can be a frustrating experience, fraught with rejection and disappointment. While Fitzgerald has had his share of turndowns, the Law and Order casting materialized literally overnight.

“I got a call from my agent, went down to Chelsea Piers to audition, and found out a few hours later that I had the part,” he says. Shooting was set to begin the next day. “I went back to Chelsea Piers, where I had a fitting, and was then driven to the set, which was in the East Village,” he says. “It was very strange—when I got there, I was given my own trailer. Whenever movies or TV shows are being shot in the city, you’ll see these trailers parked on the street with the star’s name, and there was mine. It said Jay Spivey/Bryan Fitzgerald. I didn’t expect that.” (Nor did viewers expect that Spivey would prove innocent. “In fact, I turned out not to be such a bad person after all,” Fitzgerald says.)

Education first

Notwithstanding his career plans, Fitzgerald is not rushing things and hopes to move on to a 4-year college after graduating from BMCC. “I could see where it might be tempting to say, ‘This is great, so who needs school,’” he says. “But I have so much more to learn that cutting short my education would be unthinkable.” He is also not ruling out the possibility of ultimately finding another path to success.

“Acting is great, but who knows—I could wind up as a writer, a producer or even a teacher,” he says, adding that he thrives on uncertainty.

“You never know what’s around the corner,” he says, “That really intrigues me.”

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STORY HIGHLIGHTS

  • Bryan Fitzgerald lands a role on Law and Order
  • Looks forward to a screen acting career
  • Plans to go on to a four-year college after graduating from BMCC

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