Man from Butler finds consistent acting opportunities in Western Pennsylvania
It pays to be about the same height as actors like Finn Wittrock, Alan Ruck and Matthew Rhys.
Bryan Vavro, an alumnus of Butler Senior High School, has been a stand-in on filming sets for each of them and more, and continues to work as an actor when not performing duties behind the scenes.
And this isn’t all the way out in Hollywood. Vavro finds steady work in film and television production right here in Pennsylvania, especially Pittsburgh, where studios make movies, TV shows and commercials regularly. On screen and behind the scenes, Vavro has made a career in entertainment in Pittsburgh.
In fact, eagle-eyed viewers can see Vavro in a series that is still running.
“I worked on ‘Mayor of Kingstown’ the past four years,” Vavro said. “I've been probably five or six characters on there: a prisoner, a yacht party guest, a dance club member, an FBI agent.”
In addition to working on ongoing shows like “Mayor of Kingstown” and “Watson,” Vavro worked on the upcoming film “Hershey,” a narrative story that dramatizes the history of the Hershey Company, its founder, Milton S. Hershey, and his wife, Kitty. The movie was shot around Pennsylvania, including in Butler County, Ligonier and Pittsburgh. Vavro said his on-set roles were behind the scenes this time.
But he has not been pigeonholed into strictly stand-in work, Vavro himself has appeared in movies, TV shows and commercials for years, with the actor finding steady work in Pittsburgh since seriously entering the field as a junior in high school.
“It's not as big as Hollywood or the New York market, but if you apply to things, you'll definitely be booked if you keep at it,” he said. “The last five years is when it really kicked off for me.”
Vavro said his parents got him involved in acting and modeling when he was young. He appeared in commercials for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Shop ‘n Save, and got a work permit in high school, so he could do productions that would take more time.
One of his first big projects happened when Vavro was a junior at Butler Senior High School. “Adventureland,” a 2009 romantic comedy starring Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart, started filming at Kennywood, and Vavro was able to land a job being an extra in the film shoot.
The final movie has at least one appearance by Vavro.
“You can definitely see me in the movie. I'm wearing a pink shirt,” he said.
After high school, Vavro attended the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, where he studied video and film production. In addition to acting, he learned how to use microphones, program lighting kits and more, which Vavro said are skills that help when working on a film set. Knowing what other members of a production are doing throughout the 12- to 14-hour days helps Vavro be a part of the action.
“Being on set, it's not easy … but it's a well-oiled machine,” he said. “When you're on a professional set you have to know what you're doing, because you could easily get booted off.
“Knowing how a film set works and functions it definitely came into play.”
Working in a place that Vavro and some others in film production call “The Hollywood of the East” has led Vavro to meeting some famous and well-known actors, some of whom he was star struck by at first. But after years working in production, actors become co-workers.
“Early on, I did, (but) now not so much. It's like a normal person to me,” Vavro said of feeling nervous around famous actors. “Alan Ruck was cool to talk to. I'm a big ‘Ferris Bueller’ fan.”
When he is not working with productions meant for the big screen, Vavro maintains jobs with the Pittsburgh Riverhounds and the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation, both of which involve him working on behind-the-scenes production. These jobs keep him employed while films are not in the works.
And while Vavro has considered making a leap to a place like Los Angeles or New York City to pursue more acting opportunities, he said the work he has found in Pittsburgh has been consistent and pleasant enough that he’s not seeking such a move.
“For a while I was trying to aim for LA or NY, and I realized those markets are very saturated and it’s difficult,” he said. “Pittsburgh, I feel like there's more opportunities. I kind of made a name here already.
“It feels good coming on set and the director says, ‘Good morning.’”
