Actor Blake Cooper Griffin spoke about the SAG-AFTRA strike and its impact on the film and TV industry, and beyond.
Cooper is known for his roles on HBO Max’s Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, AMC’s Preacher, TNT’s Animal Kingdom, and Ryan Murphy’s Dahmer — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story.
He was also the star of Beerfest: Thirst for Victory, which was CW Seed’s first original film. His film work includes Standing Up, Helen Hunt’s Ride, Life of a King with Cuba Gooding Jr., and Love Is All You Need?
SAG-AFTRA strike
“This strike is a powerful and important moment,” he said. “The industry has completely changed. Let’s get real, streaming is the new cable. I’ve been the lead of a ‘streaming’ project for a major network.”
“The work is just as rigorous as any other acting job— long hours, hard fought, highly competitive— so why should the pay be less, even as the cost of living rises? Especially as the platforms that house our work rake in more and more money,” he elaborated.
AI and the future of the entertainment business
“I’m sure I don’t yet understand all the implications of AI, but I do know we’ve got to be thoughtful and strategic,” he said. “It’s not just the entertainment industry. I’m concerned about the broader economy as well.”
“What happens when the majority of service jobs can be replaced with machines? Clearly, we’ve got to have thoughtful legislation put forward to regulate AI protect people’s livelihoods. And who wants to watch their favorite movie acted by robots? Hard pass,” he said.
The digital age
On being an actor in the digital age, he explained, “It feels…. complicated? I love that we can tell more stories to larger audiences. And, at the same time, actors and writers need to be paid fairly for their work.”
“It’s a completely different model from even just 10 years ago. Writers and actors spend years and years studying and honing their skills. Pay them,” he said.
Taking on new hobbies as a result of strike
“Well, as you know, actors are on strike,” he said. “So, I’ve got some new hobbies. I’ve been cooking…working on my grilling skills. Proud to say, no one has gotten sick yet. And sometimes, my meals even taste pretty good. I’m reading a lot more. And not just coloring books. I’ve also had the opportunity to travel a bit, which has been really fun.”
“The best was spending two weeks in Europe,” he said. “It was a trip of firsts for me, including getting to see Italy. I rarely travel out of Los Angeles for more than a week, but as I was riding a Lime scooter down the streets of Paris, I thought to myself, ‘hmmm, I want to do this more’.”
“I’m looking forward to college football season. Oh also — register to vote,” he told his fans.
Staying fit in this industry
Griffin discussed the importance of staying fit in the industry, even when he is not working as an actor. “I’m not a natural gym person,” he admitted. “I played a lot of sports growing up, so a pick up game of basketball, running outside, and being competitive are things I love. But, making time to plan a workout and run on a treadmill is not something I naturally want to do. But I go. Because it’s good for me.”
Cooper continued, “In a way, sticking to a workout plan has been a great teacher. Do I feel like running on a treadmill? No. I feel like watching a movie and eating nachos. Which I do sometimes. But, if I wait to ‘feel’ inspired to do something, I won’t get very far.”
“I think inspiration and rewards in life come from action, commitment, showing up, and working to align with a larger purpose. So, I try to push myself in and out of the gym with that in mind,” he said.
Advice for hopefuls in acting
For young and aspiring actors, Cooper remarked, “Be a person. Watch the news, live a life, ask yourself what you want to say with your auditions. Then when you get a job, what do you want to say with that character? Not, what do other people would want you to say.. through your lens.”
“Also, and I can’t stress this enough, surround yourself with people who care about you outside of your work,” he added.
Success
On his definition of the word success, Griffin said, “Success is a state of mind, I think. One that simultaneously allows for challenging yourself, growing, seeing tangible results that motivate you while maintaining a sense of groundedness.”
“Some of the most successful people I’ve met also usually have an interesting similarity—they can laugh at themselves,” he said.
To learn more about actor Blake Cooper Griffin, follow him on Instagram.
