Brandon Sklenar

Brandon Sklenar
Born (1990-06-26) June 26, 1990 (age 34)
Dover, New Jersey, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active2011–present
Notable workMapplethorpe
Vice
1923
It Ends with Us

Brandon Tyler Sklenar (born June 26, 1990) is an American actor best known for his roles in the films Mapplethorpe, Vice (both 2018), Midway (2019), and It Ends with Us (2024). He is also known for his role as Spencer Dutton in the Paramount+ Western series 1923 (2022–2023).

Early life and education

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Sklenar was born and raised in Northern New Jersey.[1][2] His parents are Bruce Feakins and Francine Sklenar.[citation needed] His mother is of Czechoslovakian descent.[citation needed] Sklenar left New Jersey after high school and moved to Los Angeles, working odd jobs until he was signed by a manager at the age of 20.[2]

Career

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Sklenar made his professional film debut in the 2011 film, Cornered. The following year, he appeared in the television series Dating Rules from My Future Self. He then appeared in the film Chance, in 2014,[3] the NBC comedy series Truth Be Told, in 2015, the films Hunky Dory and Bella Donna,[4] and the television series Fall into Me, in 2016, a lead role in the American-Japanese horror film Temple[5][6][7][8] and the Fox sitcom series, New Girl, in 2017.[9]

He was then cast as Edward Mapplethorpe in the 2018 biographical drama film Mapplethorpe, which follows the life of New York photographer Robert Mapplethorpe.[10] It screened at Tribeca Film Festival, in 2018,[11][12][13] where it was named a runner-up in the U.S. Narrative Competition section.[14][15] Sklenar received positive critical acclaim, from multiple media outlets, for his performance in Mapplethorpe, including from Boy Culture, who praised him for "[having] maximum impact in [his] psychologically charged scenes with [Matt] Smith"[16] He appeared in the 2018 biographical drama film, Vice, opposite Amy Adams, Steve Carell, Christian Bale and Sam Rockwell. The film explores the life of politician Dick Cheney and is directed by Academy Award-winner Adam McKay. Sklenar then appeared in Amir Naderi's film Magic Lantern, in addition to films The Last Room and Glass Jaw.[17] In June 2018, Sklenar was also cast in the independent drama film Indigo Valley, which is based on director Jaclyn Bethany's short film of the same name. That same year, Sklenar was cast as the lead antagonist in The Big Ugly, a noir crime thriller that weaves the British gangster genre with the American Western, opposite Ron Perlman, Malcolm McDowell, Nicholas Braun and Leven Rambin.[18] For his work in the film as Junior Lawford, Sklenar received wide critical praise. Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun Times stated, "Brandon Sklenar gives a screen-popping performance as Junior; he's fantastic as a monster cloaked in a James Dean persona."[19]

Sklenar then went on to appear in Roland Emmerich's Midway for Lionsgate[20] with Woody Harrelson, Luke Evans, and Patrick Wilson. Sklenar portrayed George H. Gay Jr., who was the sole survivor of the 30 aircrew that participated in the pivotal Battle of Midway during WW2.

He then starred in the independent film Jonesin' – a crime comedy about a moonshiner who, after a case of mistaken identity, gets abducted and finds himself stuck in the city between two rival gangs.[20]

In early 2020, he was cast in the lead role of the independent film Futra Days opposite Tania Raymonde and Rosanna Arquette. The film is about a man traveling to the future and exploring the nature of control.[21] For his role, he received the Best Actor award at Vienna Independent Film Festival, in 2022.[22] In March 2021, he joined the cast of the film Karen opposite Taryn Manning and Cory Hardrict.[23]

In 2022, he was cast in the role of Spencer Dutton in the Paramount+ Yellowstone prequel television series 1923.[24]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
2011 Cornered Club Patron
2016 Hunky Dory Virgil
2017 Temple James
2018 Mapplethorpe Edward Mapplethorpe
Vice Bobby Prentace
Glass Jaw Joe
Magic Lantern Austin
2019 Midway George Gay
2020 Indigo Valley John
The Big Ugly Junior Lawdord
2021 Karen Officer Hill
Jonesin' Deke Jones
Shot in the Dark Cory
2022 Emily the Criminal Brent
Futra Days Sean Graves
2024 It Ends with Us Atlas Corrigan

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
2012 Dating Rules from My Future Self Bar Guy Episode: "Chapter One: Who R U?"
2015 Truth Be Told Neil Episode: "Members Only"
2016 Fall into Me Ryan Episode: "Love Street"
2017 New Girl Loner Episode: "Cece's Boys"
2022 Westworld Henry Episodes: "The Auguries" and "Que Será, Será"
Walker: Independence Liam Collins Episode: "Pilot"
The Offer Burt Reynolds Episode: "Brains and Balls"
2022–2023 1923 Spencer Dutton Main role

References

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  1. ^ "Brandon Sklenar is the Baddest Dutton of Them All". Esquire. February 26, 2023. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
  2. ^ a b Town, Man About. "Interview: Brandon Sklenar". Man About Town. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
  3. ^ Ragland, Bradley W. (November 15, 2013), Motto: Chance, retrieved June 23, 2018
  4. ^ "Bella Donna's schedule for omahafilmfestival2017". Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  5. ^ "Exclusive: Spooky 'Temple' Clip Teases a Paranormal Predicament". Collider. August 24, 2017. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  6. ^ "Temple | Film Review | Slant Magazine". Slant Magazine. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  7. ^ "'Temple' review: Their trip is deadly. So's their film". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  8. ^ "'Temple': Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  9. ^ "CTG | Brandon Sklenar" (PDF). CTG. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 23, 2018. Retrieved June 22, 2018.
  10. ^ Currinn, Jonathan (May 23, 2018). "Eliza Dushku's Mapplethorpe Movie Starring Matt Smith Becomes 100% Funded on Indiegogo After 30-Day Extension". CelebMix. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  11. ^ Prickett, Macon (March 30, 2018). "Brigade Announces Titles Participating in the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival". Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  12. ^ The Upcoming (May 5, 2018), Brandon Sklenar interview at Mapplethorpe premiere – Tribeca Film Festival 2018, retrieved June 23, 2018
  13. ^ Erbland, Kate (March 7, 2018). "Tribeca 2018 Feature Film Slate Includes 'The Miseducation of Cameron Post,' 'Disobedience,' 'The Fourth Estate,' and More". IndieWire. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  14. ^ Clark, Anne Victoria. "To Dust and United Skates Win Tribeca Audience Awards". Vulture. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  15. ^ Prickett, Macon (April 30, 2018). "The 17th Annual Tribeca Film Festival Announces Audience Award Winners". Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  16. ^ "Flower of His Secret: A Review Of Mapplethorpe At Tribeca". boy culture. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  17. ^ "Glass Jaw Cast". Glass Jaw Movie. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  18. ^ McNary, Dave (June 12, 2018). "Film News Roundup: Tony Kaye to Direct Crime Drama 'Honorable Men'". Variety. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  19. ^ Roeper, Richard (July 20, 2020). "'The Big Ugly': Great cast stirs up some West Virginia mountain mayhem". Chicago Sun Times. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
  20. ^ a b N'Duka, Amanda (September 19, 2018). "Brandon Sklenar Joins Roland Emmerich's 'Midway'; Tanner Beard Cast In 'We Summon The Darkness'". Deadline. Retrieved September 24, 2018.
  21. ^ "Futra Days". IMDb. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
  22. ^ "Vienna Independent Film Festival 2022: The Complete Winners List". Indie Cinema Magazine.
  23. ^ "Karen". IMDb. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
  24. ^ Otterson, Joe (September 15, 2022). "'Yellowstone' Prequel '1923' at Paramount+ Casts Brandon Sklenar". Variety. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
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