Acting Career On the Up Take After A Small Role In Downsizing
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| Damiãn Garth Brown outfront of the Scotiabank movie theatre in Toronto |
By Stephen Weir
At 6ft 2, Damiãn
Garth Brown is a really big man for a very small part in a new Hollywood blockbuster.
But, come to think of it, so is principal star Matt Damon, who, like Damiãn, is
only five inches tall in the new Lilliputian comedy Downsizing.
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| Damiãn Brown on his way up |
Set in the near future, scientists have discovered how to shrink humans
to five inches tall as a solution to overpopulation. Matt Damon and his wife Kristen
Wiig decide to abandon their big world stress filled lives by getting small and moving to a new downsized
community — a choice that triggers life-changing adventures.
The 37-year Jamaican Canadian plays an orderly who helps Damon adjust
when he wakes up small in Downsizing. “This was the first big budget film I
have worked on – I even had (albeit briefly) a trailer on set at the Pinewood
Studio in Toronto. I met Matt Damon before
we started filming and he truly is a very nice guy.”
“ For me, the big break was in working with director Alexander Payne
(Election, About Schmidt, Sideways, The Descendants, and Nebraska.). He said I
had charisma and encouraged me to never give up. He had me ad lib most of my
lines (with a Jamaican accent) while the cameras rolled.”
" Downsizing " is director Payne's most expensive project to date, costing an estimated $65-million US. So far the movie has only recouped about half of that amount since its opening two weeks ago.
Made
for the most part in the GTA, the tiny village where the little people live was
filmed in Kelso Quarry Park in Milton near Damiãn Brown’s first Canadian home that he moved into twelve
years ago.
Listening to
Damiãn Brown talk about how he overcame the hardship of growing up poor in
Jamaica’s Kingston and Spanish Town to become a UN spokesperson, a Restorative
Justice practitioner and now an emerging actor, one realizes the depth of his
talent and drive.
“ I grew up poor
and when violence broke out in Spanish Town it was a very scary life. I was the
oldest of five children and as often is the case, as the first born I had to
take care of everyone else. It continues
to this day, I don’t go home to Jamaica much because I would rather send the
$500 I would have spent on my airfare, back to my mother.”
Although brilliant
in school, the inability to pay for a college education drove young Damian
almost to the brink. A meeting in
Jamaica with Thoraya Obaid the then Head of the United Nations Population Fund
(UNFPA) soon found him travelling the world talking about child empowerment. “
In a very short period of time I went from living without hope to being the
voice of Caribbean youth.”In 2005 he came
Canada, and moved in with his aunt who lived in Milton. Thanks to a scholarship from York University
and a grant from the United Nations he earned a degree in political science
with a minor in acting. While pursuing theatre acting, he was also
very active as a Restorative Justice practitioner at a Youth Court in downtown
Toronto
He soon was
acting evenings and weekends with Marcia Brown Productions, a Toronto troupe
that perform plays for the Canadian Caribbean Community. Small parts lead to
starring roles, and television and film roles followed. He is now known for his performances in
Doggy Daycare: The Movie, Kim's Convenience and now Downsizing.
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| Damiãn Garth Brown |
“My mother said when you are in the ghetto
you don’t want to get comfortable, that’s when it is time to get out of your
comfort zone. I followed her advice and
moved to Vancouver,” he told the Caribbean Camera. “There aren’t a lot of
Jamaican actors in British Columbia’s booming film industry. I have been lucky
and I continue to get work.”
Currently Damiãn
is bi-coastal living in and working on projects in Toronto and Vancouver. While
in Vancouver, Damian recently had the job of stand-in and photo double for
Idris Elba in his latest movie “The Mountain Between Us”. He has handled blocking (stand in) roles for
the made-in-Vancouver shows Flash and the Arrow.
Like most rising
actors, Damiãn Garth Brown has many irons in the fire. Back in Milton for the
holidays to see his aunt and attending the opening of Downsizing he also met
with his writing partner Lise Moule to work on a one-hour drama TV series. When
he has time, he works on perfecting an American accent!
If another Downsizing Role comes along? Even when one is 5 inches tall Damiãn says of
course he will grab it because in his life “there are no small roles”.
- Pictures were taken by Stephen Weir at the Scotiabank Cineplex Theatre in downtown Toronto.
- Marketing poster for the movie Downsizing
- An edited version of this story appeared in the Toronto Caribbean Carnival newspaper (left)
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