Meet Andrew Tamarkin

We were lucky to catch up with Andrew Tamarkin recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Andrew, so excited to have you with us today, particularly to get your insight on a topic that comes up constantly in the community – overcoming creativity blocks. Any thoughts you can share with us?

Here’s my take on creative block. Let it happen. Wait for the creative juices to flow. If you’re an artist, they will flow eventually. I assure you.

The most interesting art comes from the most interesting life. Make choices that scare you. Travel to new countries. Make new friends. Be bold. Do things for the plot. Carve your own path.

I was recently in Mexico City for a friend’s birthday. An ex-lover of mine lives there. He was the reason I went to Mexico City the first time 8 years ago, so I think of him when I return. I asked my current boyfriend (who I live with in Los Angeles) if he had any problems if I saw him while I was there. My boyfriend (God bless him) said it was no problem. So I reached out and we made plans to have dinner my last night in Mexico City.

Here I was, at a ritzy restaurant in Condesa, across from this man I knew in a past life. In most ways, he hadn’t changed. He was still the sophisticated, smart, handsome man I knew from 8 years ago. He didn’t even seem older. Just more successful. More comfortable. Stronger points of view. In 2 hours, I traversed an emotional landscape that only existed between him and me. Here we were, with chemistry that never really died–even if our relationship had. We hugged goodbye, and the hug lingered, and I was transported.

And then I was in my Uber headed back to my friend’s place in Reforma. I thought of my boyfriend back in Los Angeles. How much I love him. I tried to measure how my ex-lover and my current boyfriend were similar, and how they were different. But to compare two great men is a great dishonor to them both. They evoke different energy from me.

Now I’m back in Los Angeles. I’m home. In no way has that dinner affected my current relationship. If anything, since that dinner, I think I love my boyfriend more.

But it’s as if I visited a past life, with this past lover, and it’s made me think about my life–how I’ve changed, how I’ve stayed the same, and the way I see myself reflected by those I choose to cherish. I guess you could say I’ve been inspired.

I chose the plot. While in a foreign country, I decided to have dinner with an ex-lover. No lines were crossed in real life. But the dinner experience has lifted a creative fog that was barring me from letting in new emotions, new stories, fresh points of view to tap into.

And here I am telling you about it. I was nervous. I didn’t know what to expect. But I did it anyway. Add higher stakes to your life, and your art will thus have higher stakes.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I am Andrew Tamarkin and I am an actor.

Since moving to Los Angeles about 5 years ago, I’ve probably acted in 18+ short films and hung around 18+ festivals. I’ve done some YouTube content. I’ve played a supporting role in a vertical. My goal right now is to book a feature film. I’m ready!

As a non-union actor, you’re told to say yes to everything. And I have. I’ve found a niche playing gay characters. I think I bring them life naturally. I give them depth, humor, and (hopefully) lovability. Whether it’s in an independently produced short film made for the festival circuit or a vertical series made for clicks, the gay characters I’ve played have really showcased a range of plot lines and sensibilities.

It’s not often the gay character is the hero. Typically, we are the best friend–the funny companion that doesn’t always get to fall in love. This is more true for commercial projects than in the independent landscape. For example, I play the lead in independent short films “Purple Sky” and “Mothers Love”–very different stories, both centered around a gay man. But it’s still something I want more of for my career, especially at a the feature, commercial level.

So my REAL goal right now is to book a feature film where the main character is gay and he gets to be the hero.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Hmm, the three most important qualities to be an actor…

— Enduring the Hustle. You just have to keep going. Depending on the week, the hustle changes speeds, but it never ends. Fall in love with the hustle.

— Learning the Craft Forever. You can’t stop deepening your craft. I study acting with Ivana Chubbuck at her studio in Hollywood. Every single day I attend class, I understand acting and my own ability to uncover objectives even more. And it’s changed my work for the better.

— Fall in Love with People. I don’t mean romantic love. I mean community love. Most people are so focused on their own lives, their own struggles, that they forget about all the people around them that have the ability to inspire them. Your neighbors. The barista down the street. That other group of friends at the club. As artists, we should seek inspiration from the real world. Grant yourself the possibility of surprise. Say hi. Ask questions.

Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?

Let yourself feel, then get back to it.

No one ever told me that life was going to be easy. And it isn’t. It doesn’t matter who you are, where you come from, how much money you have, or how pretty you look on screen–life is not easy. And it shouldn’t be. It’s through struggle we grow. It’s through pain we understand others more deeply.

Maybe it’s because I have a Soviet grandmother, or maybe it’s the emotional armor I’ve built over the years, but I think we have to approach life head-on and accept that it’s not always perfect. When we’re sad, we can feel sad and that won’t break us. When we’re angry, we can be angry and not hurt other people. When we’re overwhelmed, we can figure out what’s most important and do the most important thing first.

For me, I prioritize love, health, paychecks, and art (and in that order). When I’m overwhelmed, that means prioritizing: (1) making time for my boyfriend and loved ones no matter what, (2) going to the gym and eating healthy foods, (3) doing the work that pays me, and after that, (4) submitting that audition, writing that script, or going to a friend’s screening.

Everything is possible–just maybe not all in the same day.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.andrewtamarkin.com
• Instagram: @andrewtamarkin

Image Credits

Willa Cutolo
Bradley Atkinson
Getty Images