Josh Brener: From "The Internship" to "Silicon Valley" and Beyond
Josh Brener is an actor who has worked alongside some of the biggest names in the industry. He's known for his roles in 'The Internship,' ‘The Big Bang Theory,’ ‘Scandal,’ and most recently ‘Silicon Valley,’ among many others.
Early Aspirations and Influences
Brener's interest in acting began early in life. He recalls, "Pretty much. Or at least since I realized that professional baseball player probably wasn’t in the cards. I did my first play when I was about 12 and that was kind of it." He credits two teachers/mentors, Larry Dachslager and Gail Silver, for teaching him "everything I know and inspired me to chase the dream."
Memorable Roles and "Pinch Me" Moments
When asked about his favorite part of his job and the most rewarding experiences, Brener references his stage work: "Probably Nathan Detroit in Guys and Dolls or Moonface Martin in Anything Goes."
"The Internship": A Crash Course in the Tech World
Brener's role in the film "The Internship" provided him with a unique introduction to the world of technology. He admits, "I am really not a tech person at all; I'm a kind of a dummy when it comes that stuff, but by virtue of looking like someone who does know about tech, I had gotten exposed to it a fair bit just through acting." He adds that working on "The Internship," which was about Google, "definitely gave me a crash course in what the world was like up there."
The film itself, starring Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson, tells the story of two 40-something wristwatch salesmen who find themselves unemployed in a world dominated by smartphones. Billy McMahon (Vaughn) inexplicably lands them an interview for a coveted internship at Google. In a funny scene, they defy the odds and talk their way into the internship. They find themselves on a team of intern misfits trying to land permanent jobs at the company. Brener played Lyle, a team captain/supervisor.
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"Silicon Valley": A Satirical Take on Tech Culture
Brener is widely recognized for his role as Nelson Bighetti, also known as "Big Head," in the HBO series "Silicon Valley." The show, which premiered in 2014, is a satirical comedy that follows the ups and downs of a fictional tech startup, Pied Piper, in the heart of Silicon Valley.
Brener describes his character as "just a guy looking to snack well and avoid conflict or any real responsibility." He also notes that one of his favorite things about Big Head is that "he doesn’t really seem to care one way or another. His change in dynamics between being a multi-millionaire to some guy on a couch doesn’t change him."
He contrasts his own understanding of technology with the world depicted in the show: "I am really not a tech person at all; I'm a kind of a dummy when it comes that stuff." However, he acknowledges that "by virtue of looking like someone who does know about tech, I had gotten exposed to it a fair bit just through acting."
Brener also spoke about meeting real-life figures in Silicon Valley: "You sort of expect people who are like Craig, or other names you would recognize, to have big CEO personalities and to be very polished. They are not that. They’re odd people in odd clothing choices, and they’re amazing -- really nice and wonderful people.”
He credits the show's writers, Mike Judge, Alec Berg, and their staff, for the success of Big Head's character. "I have to give most of the credit for Big Head to the writers… because when we started the show, it wasn’t really clear what the character was." Interestingly, Brener initially auditioned for the role of Erlich Bachman, which ultimately went to T.J. Miller.
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The Authenticity of "Silicon Valley"
One of the most remarkable aspects of "Silicon Valley" is its connection to the real tech world. Brener notes, "That's definitely been one of the most fun things about doing the show - this feedback loop from people in the real Silicon Valley watching the fake Silicon Valley, and people from the show Silicon Valley going up and doing research in the real Silicon Valley and meeting the people they've been making fun of, and the people they've been making fun of loving the show and not necessarily realizing that the show is making fun of them."
He believes that the show's authenticity stems from the writers' thorough research. "Our writers do such a good job researching the show and so I think the authenticity they bring to the scripts makes people really like it."
Serendipity and the Hasty Pudding
Brener shares a story about a serendipitous moment in his career: "I went to college at Harvard, and I was in this weird theatre group there called The Hasty Pudding, which is this really bizarre theatre group where guys are dressed in tights and high heels and do big dumb sh- it's really silly and crazy. But after I was out here for a few years, I ended up auditioning for a role on this show, House of Lies…and the role was to play a recent Harvard graduate talking about The Hasty Pudding." He adds, "It just blew my mind; I couldn't believe it."
Collaboration and Future Projects
Brener expresses gratitude for the opportunity to work with the talented cast and writers of "Silicon Valley." "Going to work with some of the funniest people on the planet is equal parts inspiring, humbling and intimidating," he says.
He also mentions his collaborative writing efforts with his wife: "My wife and I are writing partners, so we’re busily trying to get projects started on that front as well. It’s a grind out here, so you take whatever advantages you get, and ‘Silicon Valley’ has had more happen to us than we’ve had happen to it. We’re really lucky."
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Advice for Aspiring Creatives
Brener encourages aspiring actors and creatives to "Make something. Make lots of somethings. Shoot videos, do a podcast, tweet, vine, start an open mic, put up an improv show. Just make something. Anything."
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