Bryan Greenberg gets his hustle on
Whether you know Bryan Greenberg from the movies Bride Wars and Prime (where he played Uma Thurman’s lover and Meryl Streep’s son respectively), or from his TV roles on One Tree Hill and October Road, the role that’ll likely put him on more radars is that of Ben Epstein in the new HBO show How to Make It in America.
Playing an FIT graduate selling jeans at Barney’s, he and his best friend Cam Calderon (played by Victor Rasuk) decide to try their luck and start a streetwear label in the heart of New York.
On the Radar shot him a few questions.
ON THE RADAR: What have you learned about the fashion scene in New York?
BRYAN GREENBURG: I didn’t know much about fashion before. I’ve taken a lot of fashion hints from Ben Epstein and now I sort of dress like him (laughs). I had no idea how many start-up companies there are out there, how many people are really trying to become designers and how competitive it is.
You think, you know, jeans are very simple, you know, just put ‘em on and wear ‘em, but there are thousands of different designers and companies that are trying to make their niche in the fashion world and it takes more than just a good product; it’s your hustle. It’s the image that you portray that makes the brand sell. At the end of the day one pair of jeans isn’t that different from the next pair but it’s the image that that company, that fashion line has portrayed that makes you want to buy them.
I found that really interesting.
Street smarts vs. school smarts
I think in Ben and Cam’s case, this is all street smarts. Cam is a little more street smart than Ben, ‘cause Ben went to FIT so he actually knows a little bit about the fashion world, where I think Cam is just like “Yeah, whatever, let’s do it.” And he’ll jump on any idea. I think Ben is the brains of the operation and Cam’s the wheeler and dealer, the hustler. So it’s a good business dynamic between the two of ‘em.
I feel at the end of the day, neither one of these guys really know that much about the fashion industry and they’re learning as they go. You can see in the first couple episodes they just keep falling on their face, they don’t know how to even start; they have a dream and they have no idea even how to achieve it and I think that’s the beauty of the show is we the audience are watching these two guys figure it out and we learn as they learn and towards the end of the season it starts to click. And then hopefully you’re gonna see these guys become Ralph Lauren, you know. This is the beginning of a great fashion line that we’re all witnessing.
What do you like most about the city?
What I love about New York is that it comes right to you. You just step out your door, and it’s right there. I’ve been to Tokyo, and it’s sort of like that. It hits you in the face. You have to deal with it. You mold to the city, it doesn’t mold to you. There’s so many subcultures and you just feel like you’re part of something when you’re in a city like that. Tokyo’s the only other city I’ve been to with a similar vibe. But New York, to me, there’s something special about it and I feel like it’s cutting edge and it leads the way in so many ways: in finance, in fashion, in theater, in film. It’s got so many great minds in one small spot and it’s very inspiring to be around. You’ll see so many different stories play out in the course of an hour just walking the streets of New York.
How To Make It In America debuts on HBO Asia tomorrow, Monday, October 11, at 9 p.m.
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The Tioseco-Bohinc Film Series at Fully Booked High St. have two treats for us this month: on October 17, the 1987 film Mga Lihim ng Kalapati will be screened at 1:30 p.m..
Starring Isadora and Tanya Gomez, it was the source material of a remake by Celso Ad Castillo (Ang Lihim ni Madonna). And on October 31 at 8 p.m., it’s Machete Maidens Unleased!, an Australian documentary about the exploitation films made here in the Philippines in the late ‘70s to early ‘80s.
All screenings are free.
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Ramon De Veyra blogs irregularly at http://www.thesecuriousdays.com, but is more active on Twitter.
