Written in Partnership with Amir Bakian
Troy Bronson in Berkeley, California (Photo by Michelle Castillo)
No matter the quality or extent of training, genuine performances cannot be learned within the confines of art school or college– they are learned through experience, empathy, and compassion. Troy Bronson, though he attended Santa Monica College prior to UC Berkeley, embodies this understanding that broad, varied life experiences produce compassionate stagecraft.
Troy has succeeded in melding his passions for acting and music together, playing the role of ‘Elton’ in “Clueless” (1995) themed and over 1-Billion viewed music video by Iggy Azalea – Fancy, featuring Charli XCX. In a High School set-up, Troy presents Elton as a problematic character who treats others poorly. He is cocky and feels he can get away with anything, a complete contrast to Troy’s performance in “+380”, demonstrating the acting range he possesses at a young age.
Bronson’scurrent culmination of experiences and achievements comes with the acclaimed Ukrainian Short film “+380,” produced in Kyiv, sitting at over 100k views. The short film premiered during the Berlinale – Berlin International Film Festival, a few days before the start of the war. This production highlights Troy’s simple yet expressive artistic talents.
“+380”, in typical Bronson fashion, began with his desire to scour the globe, ticking another country off his list, developing a project in which he location scouted and co-directed the film.
An accomplished musician, Troy’s singles have reached more than 350,000 streams on Spotify. Bronson testifies that his musical journey is embedded infrequent tours to Europe for professional purposes, attending concerts and music festivals primarily of techno music, laying the foundation for his current and future success. No better expressed are these experiences than in his eclectic, soothing, and high-tempo single “Schizo.”
Bronson exemplifies his generation’s passion for documenting the world, from natural landscapes to the beauties of human creation, doing so with sincerity. This passion for art has also brought Bronson acclaim for his photographic eye, often employed as a location scout. Troy’s natural photographic talent does far more than record his travels beyond his home state of Mazatlán, Mexico, extending to 41 countries.
In “Station 2020: Journey Unfathomable, Bronson’s book published in 2020, he actively chooses not to reveal where he is going; he knows there is a journey for which he is ready, but he does not wish to pinpoint a destination. Bronson does not seek to resist his nature, which speaks volumes about the challenges and experiences he has faced.
So, where does Bronson go from here? Although presenting himself simply as a college student, Bronson is a world traveler, first working in photography, then turning to writing, becoming a DJ, but now, as an actor, he’s unconsciously found the form of art that’s been his goal all along.
Advertising disclosure: We may receive compensation for some of the links in our stories. Thank you for supporting LA Weekly and our advertisers.