December 14, 2005
Hollywood actor returns to IAA roots
Star of Nip/Tuck series talks with students at his alma mater about the craft of acting
By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
With bottomless blue eyes, charisma to spare and chiseled good looks, Bruno Campos has it made in Hollywood.
But beneath those physical attributes is an intense and focused man - a consummate professional who works hard at his craft and carved out success through hard work and perseverance. To Campos, being a star goes beyond accolades from fans and money; more important is working on projects that challenge him, the cast and the audience.
"I love working with the kinds of people who create Nip/Tuck, that's a blessing to me," he noted of his hit series on the FX network. "It's a rarity and we all feel pretty fortunate and lucky - that you get to do what you dream about and people care about it."
"As an actor and performer, it's wonderful!" he added.
Stopping by his alma mater for the eighth year, the 1991 graduate of Interlochen Arts Academy shared his passion for and experiences in the movie and television industry with acting students. Telling them there were no dead ends at this point in their lives and that everything they learned in acting classes would benefit them for a lifetime, he also was clear about their chances of breaking through.
"It's a rough business and a rough world," said Campos. "I've come here not to talk about acting so much, you've got a lot of teachers to do that. I like to talk about attitude because it's a key part of one's life."
At Interlochen for three days, hosted by former teachers David Montee and Robin Ellis, he talked with combined acting classes, met individually with students and worked with students in the school's new Motion Picture Arts program.
"I think it means a lot to students in terms of opening up possibilities," said Montee, who began his teaching career at the school in 1988, the same year that Campos enrolled. "It's particularly nice for me because he was the second student to do a monologue for me."
After Interlochen, Campos obtained a degree from the prestigious acting program at Northwestern University in Chicago. Returning home to Brazil, he made his first film at age 21. The picture garnered an Oscar nomination as Best Foreign Film and gave him the confidence to try to make it in Hollywood.
He came to the United States on an eight-month Visa, needing a signed contract in hand from a major studio in order to stay longer. As money dwindled and the months shrank to three weeks, Campos thought he had failed. But his dad told him not to come home, not to quit, and Campos told students that he had an "epiphany of determination."
He wrangled an appointment with a Warner Brothers executive and, through force of will, made the man care about him and relate to his situation. He pulled out all the stops to convince the executive to sign him - and the man did.
"I told him, 'I'd rather cut off my arm than leave here without a contract,'¡" Campos recalled. "He said, 'You mean leave the country?' and I said, 'No, your office.'¡"
Campos went on to spots or recurring roles in a range of series, including Suddenly Susan and ER. He also gained his first regular role as the neighbor and love interest of Christina Applegate in Jesse. Nip/Tuck is his fourth series and he has also acted in four films and one play.
Despite achieving star status, Campos is still learning and growing as an actor. The bottom line for him is be a professional: leave personal stuff at home, be prepared, have a good attitude and work hard.
He also talked about the process of success and told students that it is never a static achievement.
"There's always moments where you have to stand up and put yourself on the line," he said. "Even for me. I'm not fighting for next week anymore but still for the things I care about."
"There will never be a day when you're done," Campos said.