Actor and producer Eric Guilmette chatted about starring in “Campus Rivals,” and serving as a producer.
‘Campus Rivals’
On his experience in “Campus Rivals,” he said, “Producing and starring in ‘Campus Rivals’ wasn’t just good… it was remember-it-forever good. Simply put: I got to work with my friends.”
“We had so many people come to set and be a part of the cast that were just friends of mine or other members of the team—most of them just doing a favor and happy to be a part of something that felt so special. And it was and is… special,” he elaborated.
“The show has been out a month now and I feel really lucky to have been a part of creating something everyone on the creative team is proud of,” he added.
Playing Xavier Brooks
On playing Xavier Brooks, Guilmette said, “I know it’ll sound strange, but I like that he is flawed. He lies… mostly for good reasons, but still, he isn’t perfect.”
“So, many of the vertical male leading roles are billionaires and are seen through this lens where they are perfect, rich and exactly what should be desired… And they are completely unrelatable,” he elaborated.
“Xavier was fun to play because I knew he was human, and had human qualities. There’s something beautiful about playing a character who you feel like you’ve met before,” he added.
Lessons learned from ‘Campus Rivals’
On the lessons learned from “Campus Rivals,” he reflected, “It was a beautiful reminder of several reasons why I chose this path in the first place: have fun, make something I am proud of, tell good stories and work with your friends.”
“It’s so easy to get caught in the hamster wheel of it all where you bounce from project to project and can sometimes lose sight of what you truly value. I want to elevate the space. I want to lift up my co-stars and crew-mates and make them shine,” he elaborated.
“I want the fans to feel that warm tingly feeling when they watch the stuff I produce. I want to make all of this better… not just for now, but for the future,” he noted.
“For every show that comes out two years from now where the scripts are good and the atmosphere on set is collaborative and uplifting. I want everyone to work on things they’re proud of and be happy doing it,” he expanded.
“I want my friends to be a part of everything I do in this space, and ‘Campus Rivals‘ was the perfect reminder of that,” he added.
Partnering with the Vigloo app for this project
He praised Vigloo for being a “fantastic app” to partner with. “Bomi Song, our executive producer from Vigloo, was so phenomenal to work with. She really let us cook and was open to hearing our ideas. I think the creative team really came together on this,” he said.
“Brielle Yuke Li, our head producer, jelled really well with Adam Santa Cruz, my co-creative producer, and myself,” he noted.
“Adam was the writer for this and when we discussed producing this show together and bringing ‘Campus Rivals’ to life, we knew collaborative energy was going to be a big part of what made this show more than just another vertical,” he elaborated.
“Our director, Tingting Lyu had such a beautiful vision in her head of how to tell the story of a college girl who struggled to navigate a love triangle with two opposing fraternity brothers,” he said.
“At its core, this was a story about being in your 20s, falling in love (and lust) and making choices that weren’t always right—but learn from… not always in the easiest of ways,” he explained.
“From the camera team led by Daniel Farnam to the production design, led by Marcel Andre to every aspect of the show, everyone did what they needed to do… and Vigloo gave us the stage to tell a story that needed to be told,” he added.
Future plans
On his future plans, he shared, “I have a lot! I have several other shows in different stages of production. I think the show I produced that everyone is so excited for and has been very patiently waiting for is Love & Blood. Release info will be coming soon.”
“I sound like a broken record saying that, but it will be worth the wait,” he reassured his audience.
Guilmette continued, “I have a few other shows that are either in pre-production or late development and I’m very excited to make them. ‘Campus Rivals’ really set the bar for how every show I get to produce, or be a part of the creative team for, I want to mean something. I will not produce something that doesn’t help lift the space.”
“I also have several features I filmed this year that are coming, tons more verticals on the way and the thing that is coming, likely the soonest of all, is my debut poetry book,” he elaborated.
“I can’t wait to share this with the world and officially launch that chapter of my life,” he added.
Advice for young and emerging actors
For young and emerging actors, he stated, “Love the process and be patient. It’s not going to happen all at once. You’re not going to book right away. Stay the course, find your niche and enjoy every step of the way!”
Closing thoughts on ‘Campus Rivals’
For fans and viewers, he expressed about “Campus Rivals,” “I just hope they enjoy it.
“We want to make a sequel to ‘Campus Rivals’ so if you like it, let us know and hopefully we can figure out when ‘Campus Rivals’ 2 will start classes again,” Guilmette concluded.
To learn more about Eric Guilmette, follow him on Instagram.
