Chillin’ With Shaun Brown

Shaun Brown can be seen in the film Wilson, opposite Woody Harrelson, and Heart, Baby.

Tell us a bit about the projects you have coming up.

I had a major role in a movie called Heart, Baby that premiered at the Newport Beach Film Festival and will hopefully go into theaters. It’s a true story set in a Tennessee state prison in 1984, where there was a man who was an incredible boxer. He was knocking out everyone, and word got out that he was unbeatable.

When the champion at the time, John Tate, came to fight him, even he was knocked out in less than 60 seconds. This impressed the Olympics Committee, and they made a deal to exonerate him if he performed in the Olympics, but he turned it down. You have to see the film to find out why. I play his best friend in prison named “Bug,” who’s described as a “Southern boy with big eyes and an even bigger heart.” I also did an action film with a good-sized role called FFC coming out later this year, where I had to don a British accent.

With your busy schedule, what do you like to do with your downtime?

I’m a big movie buff, so I like going to the cinema and seeing everything from the obscure, art-house films to the major studio films. I also enjoy writing my own stories that I hope to tell in the future.

When you go out to eat, where do you like to dine? 

I rarely go out to eat. I like to chill at home and catch up on all the shows I’ve been missing because of my schedule. There’s a Shake Shack right below my apartment, so I treat myself to that once a week as a cheat meal. When I go out with friends or have a date night, it’s either Bon Vivant in Glendale or Asanebo on Ventura Boulevard near CBS studios.

What types of dishes do you usually order?

I usually ask servers what they suggest, and based on my initial reaction of the description, I order that. So if a server is describing a dish and my mouth starts to water, I just order that dish. That method hasn’t steered me wrong yet.

Do you cook?

I used to, before things got really busy for me. Now I just tend to meal prep and eat the same thing for every meal. Breakfast always consists of eggs and oatmeal, and lunch and dinner is always salmon, brown rice, and veggies. Sometimes I’ll substitute chicken instead of salmon. It’s boring, but I never get bored of it, really.

What types of drinks do you order when out? 

My go-to previously was an Old Fashioned, but now it’s tequila soda with lemon. Don Julio 1942 is my favorite, so if the bar has it, I always get that. It’s a low-calorie, simple drink that still tastes pretty great.

Do you prepare drinks at home?

If I drink at home, it’s very basic: white wine if I have fish, red wine if I have a steak. Joel McHale is big on wines, so I just get whatever he tells me to get. Besides that, I’ll do whiskey or tequila on the rocks. I have a bunch of different whiskeys and tequilas, so it depends on my mood.

Do you own a home bar? 

Not yet, but when I finally decide to pull the trigger on buying a house, I will make sure to get one. I like to entertain friends and family, so it’s high on my list of things that are essential in a home.

If you do not own a home bar, if you did, what would it be like?

Nothing too fancy—a chill area with some swag to its décor, perhaps. Sexy enough to set a mood, but chill enough to make it accessible to get whatever you like.

What is your favorite cocktail?

An Old Fashioned has never steered me wrong yet. That has been my go-to for the past six years. I’m waiting for something else to draw my attention.

Have you ever been a bartender? 

I was, for a very short period of time. I was a cocktail server, but the restaurant I worked at was horrible and my friend at the time was the bar manager who didn’t know what he was doing. Basically, he was pocketing a lot of our tips. It was pretty messed up. But when we got swamped or if it was super-slow, I would bartend. I enjoyed the times I did it. I liked engaging with the people that came in and setting a relaxed atmosphere. However, that place closed down and that was the last time I worked at a bar!

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