Andrew Patrick Burton is an actor, writer, and director. From Portland, Andrew had a bit of a peripatetic upbringing, ending up in college at Dartmouth, now residing in L.A.; Andrew is just finishing post production on his first feature film Roma 96.
I am (use a max. of 3 words to describe yourself)… inquisitive, intuitive, very
Acting is… Going on a quest for someone’s secret diary, reading the diary, falling in love with the writer of the diary, liking the writer enough to try being them for a bit, then shamelessly letting all their secrets out — haha. But actually it’s just feeling like everything you do is right, until it’s not. There’s a great deal of delusion involved I suppose, and it helps to be yourself no matter who you’re being, but that is a bit of a grey area. What is acting, really? I think it’s quite a mystic art! Except when it’s not. Sometimes it’s super simple, and that’s okay.
My last acting gig taught me… It’s okay to take some time to yourself and breathe before the cameras start rolling. Don’t let the mundanity of the film set mess with your head. Film is forever, so don’t be afraid to ask for another take or try something out; if the crew seems annoyed and like all they care about is lunch, don’t let them affect your energy. Ultimately no one will be mad about doing a few or a few hundred extra takes if the film turns out well.
Proudest performance moment… I think I’m too self critical to really have one.
Most embarrassing audition… I had a lot of bad auditions in my college years, taking the Dartmouth Coach down to NYC for random off-Broadway auditions on the weekends, often with little sleep; Probably the one where I sat on the floor and performed a monologue from Disco Pigs in what I hoped was a Cork accent. Actually, I think I did fine, but I did not get cast, so…
Most challenging part… all of them.
The moment I knew I wanted to be an actor… When I realised the stories you read can be real.
Dying to work with… Cillian Murphy, Park Chan-wook.
Was born to play… a writer in exile.
Learn lines by… drilling them into myself like a robot.
Get into character by… breathing and accepting that it’s too late now so I may as well jump.
Special skill I wouldn't put on my resume… I can drink much more coffee than I should be able to and somehow not have a nervous breakdown.
Movie I can’t stop talking about… Jim Jarmusch’s Limits of Control is a slow and self indulgent little gem of a film I never mind spending time with.
Top three shows in my queue… my queue is mainly films at the moment, but let me see here… Flowers, The Thick of It, and Patrick Melrose!
Currently reading… Will by Will Self, a collection of Elena Ferrante’s letters, Lunar Park, The Unconsoled, amongst others in a large pile on the floor…
Car karaoke tune… “Nunca Es Suficiente” by Los Ángeles Azules
If I weren't an actor, I'd be… a skier.
Stranger Things character that best represents me… Winona Ryder
If they made a movie about my life, I’d be played by… Richard Burton’s hologram.
Actor crush… Viggo Mortensen…
Sign… Virgo
If I were a color, I'd be… British racing green
Hotel alias… Andreas Buñuel Cervantes for Europe; Bjorn Johannesburg for the rest of the world.
LA spot that inspires or relaxes me… Solstice Canyon is great for some mid-day hikes. One of the few places I’ll run without headphones in.
The best advice I ever got… Do the work as fully and presently as you can, but when it’s done, it’s okay to do nothing. The work will dictate itself to you, so it’s very important to stay open to whatever that is.
You can find me at… https://burton.pictures | https://vimeo.com/burtonpictures | https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9838782/