We recently connected with Ryan Grassmeyer and have shared our conversation below.
Ryan, so great to have you sharing your thoughts and wisdom with our readers and so let’s jump right into one of our favorite topics – empathy. We think a lack of empathy is at the heart of so many issues the world is struggling with and so our hope is to contribute to an environment that fosters the development of empathy. Along those lines, we’d love to hear your thoughts around where your empathy comes from?
I was raised in the nineteen hundred and eighties in a broken home, and was raised by television programs that had redeeming values and lessons learned. I was also raised in a town formed by intelligent hippies called Boulder, CO. It’s a magical place. When you don’t have all the toys in the commercials and you’re on the outskirts of town in a single income house with a single Mom and two kids you learn a great deal of empathy living life in tougher conditions. Being in a town with some friends whom had parents that were in a much higher tax bracket than ours, I was introduced and danced the fine line of being able to see kindness on both sides of the tracks. There’s inherent goodness in everyone and fear and hate is learned. They can also be unlearned. This is a harsh planet and it’s tough on our souls so we’re just trying to do the best we can!
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
Well hello there anyone whom is reading this, I’m currently standing right behind you… Boo! Okay, that might be an untruth. But a truth about me is I’m an actor, filmmaker, and performer and love making people feel things. I’ve been an entertainer since I could walk and started young starring in plays in Elementary and Middle School. This lead me to a vivid collegiate acting program and eventually Hollywood. I’ve had the honor of being in many commercials and doing some fun guest star spots on shows like Scrubs and Flaked, but I’m mostly known for playing Swellview’s dumbest criminal “Stupid Jeff” on the live action super hero shows Henry Danger and Danger Force on Nickelodeon, Netflix, and Paramount+. I’ve been playing the part for a decade and the opportunity lead to most career bucketlist checks being checked off! I’ve been animated, turned into GIFs, made into an Action Figure, and been thrown through more tables and windows than Chris Farley! In a recent episode, I was covered in pads, suspended by wires and beaten with sticks while rigged up candy fell out of my pockets that my character Jeff stole from an old folks home. It’s been an absolute dream come true and seriously couldn’t have asked for a better cast and crew in the industry. Everyone worked so hard, on and off screen, to make some really fun children’s tv shows that we couldn’t be more proud of. Every time I got written in and walked into I was a kid in Wonka’s factory. Making movies and tv is so much fun but it’s very long hours and takes hundreds of people to make it happen every day. I just feel honored to be living my dreams. I doesn’t even feel real. One day when I’m in an old folks home it’ll all finally sink in and I’ll start yelling things like “I was a pinata once!” and the caretakers will go, “Okay pipe down grandpa, it’s time for your pills!”
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Listen to those whom are more knowledgeable that you. Respect your elders.
Practice mindful kindfulness.
If you knew you only had a decade of life left, how would you spend that decade?
My entire Industry is facing the challenge of having our livelihoods and careers being held hostage, put on pause, and threatened to be replaced by unregulated AI, by a few sociopathic billionaires. It’s insane.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @grassmeyer
