Jeffrey Pierce is mostly known as an actor, his most known recent role being Tommy Miller from the Last of Us Part 2, but did you know that he is also an author? Pierce recently wrote his first novel “The Reckoning (Book One): The Anointed Angel Comes”. I had the honour of having this outstanding actor and new author answer some questions

Has writing a book like “The Reckoning” something you’ve always wanted to do?

Becoming a novelist was a fantasy when I was a kid. I loved books, the Lord of the Rings series, anything with swords and sorcery, but it was easier to believe that I could become an actor than it was to believe that I had it in me to write.

Have you always had a passion for writing?

For reading, yes, but not writing. I didn’t embrace the idea that I could be a writer until I was in my mid-20s when a friend gave me his spare laptop and told me he thought I had a story to tell. It’s amazing what a  little generosity and belief will spur. Without that moment of support, who knows if I ever would’ve found the courage? 

How did you come up with the initial story?

I dreamt the initial kernel of it and ran with it. 

How long did the book take you to write?

It started as a script. When I couldn’t find anyone interested in taking it on, I decided that I might as well write the whole thing. It took me three months to write the first draft, and another three to edit and rewrite.

Did you struggle finding a balance between writing the book and your schedule as an actor?

Yes, but there is plenty of downtime, even when I’m working. I try to make my own detailed schedule, especially when I’m not working so that I can stay productive. I can write effectively for about two hours first thing in the morning. After two hours, the critical part of my brain wakes up, and then it’s really difficult to create new material. I spend another hour or so, using “the critic brain” to edit what I’ve written.

How long have you been an actor, where did you start out?

I had my first professional job at 17, so almost 32 years. I did theater to start. Almost all Shakespeare from 1990-1995 with a handful of rep companies. It was a great education and created a strong base to work from. I miss it. Those were special times with lovely people who remain friends to this day.

How has the (acting) industry changed since you first started? Have things gotten more professional as the industry has grown?

The level of quality work available has changed vastly. From HBO to Netflix, Amazon, etc, etc, it has created a whole world where really top notch acting is possible. When I started out, it was episodic television, or feature films, and the TV world did not even try to compete, as far as substance, with films. Now, films struggle to do the kind of artistry the streaming world creates on a daily basis.

Do you think yourself personally have matured as an actor?

I hope so. And I’d like to think I can continue to. I realized recently that I’m much more at home doing character work than I am as a traditional leading man, so that subtly shifted what I’m targeting. A teacher once told me that acting is the one job that you can get better at every day until the day you die. I aim to. Here’s hoping. 🙂

Is there any characters you’ve played where you have a personal attachment to? (If so who)

All of them, at least the ones that I’ve played well. Without a personal attachment, there’s very little to hold onto.

Do you have any advice for any aspiring authors?

Write. Every day. With reckless abandon. Do it poorly. Then fix it. Then get up and do it again. 

Do you have any advice for any aspiring actors, Advice to younger self?

Same. Read plays. Read screenplays. Find a gang of like-minded individuals and fuel each other in pursuit of your dreams. Watch great films, great series, and iconic performances. Work to understand why a piece that moves you is effective. When COVID is beaten, start a theater company. Write your own material. Shoot it with an iPhone. Edit it. If you want to do film, study cinematography. Sing. Poorly, if need be, but sing. Train your voice. Take a dance class. Even if you’re terrible at it. Exercise. Learn how and what to eat, not to stay rail thin, but so that you have energy to do the mountain of work that being an artist and pursuing a career requires. Don’t chase money. Money will come. Or it won’t. It does not define you as a success or a failure. Pursue your career with joy. Treat everyone you meet with kindness and respect. Disregard and avoid anyone who doesn’t treat you (or others) with those same attitudes. Don’t worry about yesterday. Don’t spend too much time thinking. Instead, take actions. Set goals that you can accomplish without anyone else’s say-so. Chart a simple, concrete course of actions that you can take self-sufficiently, then when the bell rings in the morning, get up and do them. Check them off as you go. Get a good night’s sleep, then get up and do it again with as much joy as you can muster. Life is short, but it’s never too late. Some days, it’s easy. Some days (most days) it requires sweat and blood. Learn to enjoy both kinds of days equally. Celebrate the small victories. Celebrate the massive failures — because those are the moments that are the best teachers. Do your best to not fail the same way twice. When in doubt, when in despair, play Johnny Nash’s “I Can See Clearly Now” or The Clash’s “Rudie Can’t Fail” really loud. Both songs drop doubt in a bathtub and drown it. And take Spike Lee’s advice, when given the choice, do the right thing.

Onward. 🙂

JP