Interview by Vassilios Nicolaos Vitsilogiannis
(IG: @vassiliosvitsilogiannis)
Tyler Gallant is a multi-talented American actor and former professional ice hockey player. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, he discovered his passion for acting at a young age, while also excelling in ice hockey. After spending four years as a popular pro hockey goalie, he pursued his love for film and acting. In Los Angeles, he honed his acting skills at various specialized drama and acting institutions, delving into techniques such as the Chekhov and Strasberg methods. Inspired by actors like Johnny Depp, Gary Oldman, and Viggo Mortensen, he has starred in several films, including “Alpha Wolf,” “Rootwood,” and “Follow Me.” Gallant is known for his dedication to his craft and has expressed his love for the Michael Chekhov acting technique, which has helped him grow as an artist. In addition to his acting career, he has a background in professional ice hockey, showcasing his versatility and passion for both sports and the arts. Outside of his professional pursuits, Gallant has also expressed his love for Greece, both as a place to visit and as a potential collaborative opportunity.
Who have been your industry influences?
I have a few actors who have always inspired me and acting from their style to their acting techniques. I feel these guys can play the leading man, but also play character actors, which is what I want to be known for as well. Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell, Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, Clint Eastwood, Paul Newman, Marlon Brando.
Do you have any interesting behind-the-scenes experiences you can share?
Being a former professional athlete, and having trained in kickboxing and fight choreography for years, I really enjoy the physicality of doing my own stunts. On my new movie “Obscura” that is coming out soon I was doing a big fight scene with my talented costar John Camp. When he went to pick me up and slammed me, in one of the sequences, I cracked one of my ribs. It was early on in the day of filming and we had to continue the project so I sucked it up and powered through. Definitely my athlete’s mindset helped me carry through and deliver a performance that I was proud of and keep the production moving.
How would your best friend describe you?
I think my best friend would describe me as very focused, hard-working, determined, strong-willed, artistic, kind. Have always been a very focused and determined person, I’ve always been a strange dichotomy of being an athlete but also an artist.
Can you tell us about your unique acting career?
I started acting when I was seven years old doing home movies with my cousins and friends. My cousin, Dennis Hurley, who is in the film business as well was writing and shooting them, and he needed a child. Actor I got the call. From there I did acting on screen and on stage up until now. I have played the hero, I’ve played the villain, and I’ve played the characters in between.
What inspired you to pursue both acting and professional ice hockey?
Acting was my first love, hockey became a passion when I was 12 years old when I first started playing goalie. Hockey got me a scholarship in college but I studied acting. I was the rare theater regular in school but I loved it. I ended up getting the opportunity to play professionally after college but I still kept acting in theater and doing commercials or student films in my free time. After my hockey career ended, I went full-time and acted but I still coached aspiring hockey players and actors.
How do you balance your passion for acting and sports?
Being an athlete has been a huge godsend in acting as well. I met so many wonderful people through hockey who ended up becoming important people in my life in Hollywood. I also learned hard work, discipline, teamwork, focus, and time management.
What are the challenges of transitioning from a pro ice hockey player to an actor?
As an athlete, you have a very strict schedule, as an actor, your schedule changes with new jobs and looking for new jobs all the time. As an athlete, you get your schedule and your regiment and you power through it. Acting is definitely a different schedule.
What does each form of acting, cinema, theater and television, mean to you?
I love all forms of acting and entertainment styles. I feel that right now is the golden age of TV, I feel television series have never been better than they are right now. I feel that film has become the most creative medium, especially in the independent world, where artists get to tell original and new stories. The theater is where actors get to really hone their craft and feel the energy of a live audience. I feel amazing and important.
What advice would you give to aspiring actors?
I think the most important advice is to learn, explore, and hone your craft as much as you possibly can. As an artist, I don’t feel anyone truly masters any art form, we are always developing learning and transforming. The next part is never giving up, this business is more of a marathon, not a sprint. The more life you live, the better artist you become.
How do you incorporate your Indigenous American/Canadian heritage into your work, both in acting and sports?
I got to play my first native character in my upcoming movie “Obscura”, which I was so honored and excited about playing. It’s so nice to see more native stories and native artists getting on the silver screen. I hope it is a trend that continues to grow because natives are wonderful storytellers.
Where can people follow you?
The best way for people to follow my journey is to follow me on Instagram:
