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Braeden De La Garza is a talented actor, musician and singer who was born and raised in Grapevine, Texas. Braeden’s passion for entertaining others started at a young age, and he has been pursuing it ever since. Braeden was raised by a family that is entertainment-oriented. His cousin is singer/songwriter Demi Lavato. He caught the acting bug at age eight having already performed in multiple stage productions and acted in numerous projects both large and small, so he is no stranger to show biz.
Braeden‘s most notable work in acting includes playing the role of Prince Emmet in the Disney+ Emmy-Award winning series The Quest, as well as That’s Showbiz Baby, Run Hide Fight, Vecinos: The Movie, Frankly, and Moonlight Dancer. Recently, Braeden co-stars as Brent Chambers in the latest season of Hulu’s popular TV series Cruel Summer which first premiered on the Freeform network.
However, Braeden does more than just act. He records his own music by producing, mixing, and mastering everything on his own. His creative journey is just beginning, and the young rising star is excited to share all he has in store with the world.
Robin Hood to the Rescue
Braeden’s interest in acting actually began at age 11 when he performed in a school play about Robin Hood. He says, “I first realized I wanted to be an actor when I was about 8. I used to sit and watch TV with my mom, and it’s like one day I suddenly became aware that everything on the screen was made up. That’s when I knew I wanted to be an actor, but it wasn’t until I was about 11 when I played Little John in my 6th Grade school play, Robin Hood: The Next Generation. Shoutout to the director, Ms. Galt!”
The Texas Connection
Although Braeden lives in California now, Texas is in his blood. “Texas will always hold a special place in my heart. My entire family still lives in Texas, and though I live in LA now, it will always be home to me. My favorite memories were just the mundane, everyday things like getting a Whataburger after baseball practice or getting friends together to go to Six Flags. No matter what, I’m a Texan at heart!”
Varied Interests
Braeden’s entertainment interests extend beyond just acting in TV shows, though. “I’ve always held that I want to end up in films. I feel like film gives a lot more creative freedom to an actor, as most of the time you know that once the shoot is over, you can completely move on from the role. That’s not to say TV is terrible, but I think creatively actors can get burnt out after multiple years as the same character. I’ve been blessed to work in TV thus far, but on projects that have finite finishes, and with the rise of limited series, I think the opportunity for variety that film has is slowly creeping into TV.”
Cruel Summer
Braeden’s popularity as an actor grew when he landed the role as Brent Chambers in Hulu’s highly successful TV series, Cruel Summer, which first premiered on the Freeform network. The show is an American teen drama and mystery thriller anthology series. Braeden says, “I think Brent, at least on the surface, is a guy that everyone has seen before. He’s the slightly older brother who knows he’s looked up to, and he revels in it. He’s stronger, more widely liked, and less anxious than Luke, and it definitely causes a rift between the two. I don’t think I’m too much like Brent, but I really had to try my best to relate to him in order to give an authentic performance. The most important thing for me to remember was that a real human rarely acts maliciously just for the sake of being malicious. Brent can be abrasive, offensive, and downright brutal to his brother Luke at times, but internally he doesn’t see it that way. I found the motivations for everything he says and does, both good and bad, and at the end of the day most of the time he’s just seeking validation, or trying to nudge his brother in the right direction, even if he doesn’t really know how to do it nicely.
“I don’t have a super specific routine preparing for the role of Brent either. Each role I play is new and I have to approach it in a unique way. The most important thing for me to keep in mind for Brent was that rarely does a real human act maliciously just for the sake of being malicious. Brent can be abrasive, offensive, and downright brutal to his brother Luke at times, but internally he doesn’t see it that way. I worked to find the motivations for everything he says and does.”
Off Camera
Braeden’s spare time is limited, so he spends most of it pursuing his other passion – music. “I love to play music. I can play a bunch of different instruments, and if I’m not working, or sleeping, chances are you’ll find me either writing music or trying to get a new instrument down. I honestly don’t know where my musical interest comes from. I guess I was just born with the ability to teach myself how to play music. Funny enough, it’s 100% just a hobby of mine. I have no plans to release anything, and I don’t really have goals as a musician right now. I just like to play for myself!”
A Worthy Cause
Braeden supports an organization that focuses on suicide prevention efforts among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning youth. The organization, called The Trevor Project, is an American nonprofit organization founded in 1998 that celebrates a community that shows up for each other, providing support, affirmation, and inspiration to help each other be the best they can be. “The Trevor Project focuses on creating a safe environment for people in the LGBTQ+ community to be themselves. I’ve seen firsthand how hard it can be for those who aren’t accepted for who they are amongst their peers, and sometimes even their own families. Everybody, no matter how they identify, should be able to have a place that they feel comfortable in, and The Trevor Project is constantly working towards that goal.”
Good Advice
Braeden advises others who may be interested in an acting career: “The only way to make it in this industry is to truly believe that it’s a matter of when, not if. There’s a lot of rejection, and you have to be extremely persistent. If you don’t completely believe you’re in the right place and aren’t sure what you’re meant to do, you’ll drive yourself crazy.”
SOCIAL MEDIA
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Cover photo Storm Santos.
Bob Valleau is a regular entertainment contributor for Texas Lifestyle Magazine.
