Andreas Robichaux is a rising actor primarily known for his roles in “American/Indian”, “Scandal Made Me Famous”, and “Jennie Lee and the Whirlwind”. Andreas has experience both in classical acting and modern-day film. With 17+ film projects, his love and effortless talent for acting shows on camera and in all his work. Read below our exclusive Q & A with Rising Star Talent Andreas Robichaux.
Q: Where are you originally from and where are you located now on the map?
Andreas Robichaux – A: I always find this question of where I’m from interesting, as I feel like I am kind of “from” a lot of places. Or, I guess it’s probably more accurate to say there’s a few places I lived that I feel have been pretty instrumental in forming who I am. I was born in Irving, Texas, just outside of Dallas, but we moved to Anaheim, CA, when I was 3 and so I typically say I grew up in SoCal. When I was 12, I moved to Cambridge, UK, and that started a life-long love affair with a country and region that continually has called me back. I’ve found that although I’m a California boy with some southern roots, there’s a part of me that was formed in England and I’ve gone back there at key points in my life, often culminating in major life transformations. Currently, I’m living in London – my favorite city in the world, in a little neighborhood you might recognize from the hit film named after it, “Notting Hill.” I’m absolutely in love with it here, the vibrancy of the city, the nightlife, the arts—and I’ve been blessed to be able to move and study the classical technique of acting to pair with my film and screen acting background from the more American schools of modern acting.
Q: Andreas, what motivates and inspires you to be the best at your profession and what do you love most about film?
Andreas Robichaux – A: This is such a cool couple of questions, thanks for asking that. You know, I think at my core I have a set of values in which I want to always do my best. It’s something I was raised up to do as a kid, and was surrounded by parents and siblings who patterned this behavior. I’ve really had to learn the importance of balance—recognizing that growth often comes from embracing imperfection and the lessons it teaches, and the growth we can glean from failures. This journey in my craft is about evolving through both successes and setbacks. Moving to London and studying the classical technique has allowed me to explore a deeper sense of meaning for what it is we do. There’s a truly, well, I believe, important spiritual and almost therapeutic side to film and storytelling in general. There’s a service that we do when we can remove ourselves and our ego from our work and simply be, in order to tell a story that allows others to experience something deep and meaningful in themselves. To me, that’s one of the most beautiful and powerful ways I can not only serve others around me but also express myself.
To the second point, I really love most aspects of film. I love how it’s such a young art form, burgeoning and still sort of figuring itself out. It feels a bit like a 2 year old, an age I think is so full of life. You see these toddlers kind of trying to run away from their parents, but then looking backwards full of joy as if to say, “look at me go!”. They want to both feel their freedom and create space, but also want to acknowledge and see who brought them here. Film, to me, is like that. A bridge between the cherished traditions of theater and the exciting unknown of storytelling’s future. I’m drawn to roles that allow me to explore this dynamic, blending classic techniques and modern approaches.
Another thing I really love about film is the collaborative nature. There’s an electricity to it. I love the fact that you get a little village of people together and everyone has a specialty, an intense amount of knowledge, craft, expertise and you all come together to contribute to this thing that is still forming. There’s a vision and a director, but ultimately, it’s being built as it goes and you aren’t quite sure exactly what it will be until the very end. It’s a lot like a startup in my opinion. At BetterUp, where I’ve been helping build the world’s first psychology startup, we often say that an early stage startup is like both flying an airplane and building it at the same time in the air. I think film feels like that sort of electric adventure and it’s a joy to be a part of it with people who feel the same way and are so full of talent and passion.
Q: Do you have a top 3 favorite actors, filmmakers, or directors you want to work with in the business?
Andreas Robichaux – A: Wow, there’s so many. It’s humbling to even consider where to begin, but also, as a dreamer, I think it’s important to believe it can happen, so again, thanks for the question and the opportunity to dream a little dream.
For directors, I’d say at the top would be Christopher Nolan. I’ve always grown up in a pretty cerebral environment and his films not only explore the form of film and how it can be turned on its sides but also a deeply philosophical and cerebral nature that I find satisfying. Recently, I’ve watched several older French films by Cleuzot, and although he’s not with us anymore, I feel I could have really learned a lot working with him. And of course, I’d be remiss not to mention Spielberg, one of the formative voices in Film that I grew up with and a master of his craft.
For actors, I really would love to work with Denzel Washington. I think he is kind of the epitome of top-class American acting, but he is not doing it out of ego. There’s a way that he reveals himself that is so elegant and beautiful and it doesn’t really matter the genre or the film. It’s always real, light, and authentic.
On the up-and coming side, Melissa Guers work in “The Girl with a Bracelet” was absolutely beautiful, courageous and bold. I would love to work with her.
I also have really enjoyed seeing Florence Pugh’s work lately, I think she’d be a lot of fun to work with and brings a ton of versatility, as does Greta Gerwig as a director. She’s someone who has a pretty amazing ability to have a strong vision and bring it to life, but I get the vibe that she’s a highly collaborative creator who balances her vision with bringing out the strengths of all the players on her team.
Lastly, being in the UK and really appreciating more and more the classical technique, I’d really love to work with Idris Elba or Brian Cox. Both of these guys, in my opinion just produce work that always works; it is kind of like top class English acting in their own ways, but they stand and deliver the work and I just believe it and want to know more about their characters and ultimately more about them.
What would you say is your favorite genre in the roles you play( Drama, Comedy, Crime, Action, a little bit of all) ?
Andreas Robichaux – A: That’s tough for me. I feel like when I read a script, genre aside, I just know if have that feeling, that like, “Ooooh I HAVE to be in this.” It can be really any array of genres. Sometimes it’s a classical piece or sometimes it’s a historical figure that I feel I could somehow relate to and want to bring to life, as I’ve always loved history and the classics. But a lot of times it’s something unique and original, like a new way of telling a rom-com or a crime drama, that somehow I can see in my mind is kind of going to unlock things within the current collective consciousness. It’s really hard to know; I feel like I probably like moving around through genres.
Q: Can you share with us something people may not know about you? Any hobbies or other secret talents you have and or like to do in your spare time ?
Andreas Robichaux – A: I think probably my special skill so to speak, would actually be a bit more of a meta-skill of learning new things. I have a pretty voracious appetite for learning so I’m always on some sort of kick trying to level up a new skill. This year, for example, I’ve been learning Greek (I actually got my Greek passport finally! As my mother is from there, that’s a whole other story) and I learned to ski, which was a lot of fun. I actually kind of love it and can’t wait to go again. And then I randomly kind of got into learning how to read tarot cards, and I find them just so fascinating as a means of storytelling and freeing up your mind to create stories from the energies around you. Part of me wonders sometimes if Shakespeare was just pulling cards and like “give me 3 acts for a play about a guy who is prince in Denmark.” I mean, probably not, but it’s a funny idea to me. I’ve taken up learning boxing as well and really have been enjoying that as well as, of course, training in the classical technique of acting which is a whole different set of muscles from what I was used to. So, yeah, I guess my special skill or something that I may not necessarily broadcast when you look at me is that I’m kind of like a robot, just programmed to always be learning something new.
Q: What are some projects that you’ve just wrapped up recently?
Andreas Robichaux – A: Recently, I’ve had the opportunity to work with the up and coming director Peter Pardini and established screen legend, Wes Studi. That was like a truly incredible experience. Just spending time with Wes and learning from him was a masterclass in itself. I’m really excited to see what happens next, but hopefully American/Indian will be coming to a screen near you soon. Keep an eye out for sure. The other projects, well, you’ll have to wait a bit to find out the exciting news there, but I’m feeling very blessed and grateful.
Q: What are your official social sites on the web we can follow ?
Andreas Robichaux – A: On instagram you can follow me on @imadreday – it’s lots of my travels and behind-the-scenes when i’m out and about in the world or living my life in London, and, well, lots and lots of delicious looking food. I know I’m that guy, what can I say, but hey, they used to do Renaissance paintings of fruit, so we’re not too far digressed, are we?. Also, I do have an acting website www.AndreasTheActor.com. There’s also my YouTube, which is linked on my main acting site and occasionally I’ll put some looks at some of the classical work I’ve been working on.
