225BatonRouge.com

How did you get into acting as a kid? And what was your first job?

I went to see Back to the Future with my parents, and I said, “That’s what I want to do,” and they said “You want to be a time traveler?”

And I said, “No, I want to be an actor,” and so I started doing local plays. My mom got me an agent in Miami, and I started booking commercials. My first job was the play “The Nerd,” which was done by Burt Reynolds.

What role did you play in Parenthood, and do you have any stories about meeting famous actors?

I played the role of Matt, the bully on the baseball team. Clint Howard, Ron Howard’s real life brother, played my movie dad. Famous people are surprisingly normal when the cameras stop rolling. They read books and play computer chess and eat junk food with the crew. Well, maybe not all famous people, but Steve Martin anyway.

You haven’t been in Baton Rouge a full year yet, but what is your impression of the city? People always seem to talk about our food, LSU sporting events, and politics—what are your initial takes on these big aspects of Baton Rouge culture?

Full disclosure: I’ve been a vegetarian for 12 years. However, Louisiana has turned me into a seafood eater. I have really learned to enjoy the abundance of fresh fish and seafood. I even tried boiled crawfish. But I think the crab cakes from Primo’s have been my favorite. As far as LSU sports go, I’m pulling for Southern. Louisiana state politics are obviously very different from California’s, and I’m still getting used to them. However, Kip Holden is a mayor with a tremendous vision, and is in the process of doing great things for this city.

What do you miss about living and working in Los Angeles?

The weather. The Governator. The movie stars, although we are bringing those to Baton Rouge.

Did you think you’d be a CEO before you turned 30?

When I was a kid, my friend Travis and I used to pick mangoes in the backyard and sell them on the street. On a good day, we would make $7, which is about as much as I would have earned making smoothies for one hour at the local smoothie shop. But I had much more fun selling my own mangoes than making someone else’s smoothies. So while I didn’t know I would be a CEO by 28, I have always known that I prefer working for myself.