Interview with Actor/Rapper, Bernie Van Tiel (BVT)

Full transcript of Interview with Actor/Rapper, Bernie Van Tiel (BVT).

0:04KT: Bernie Van Tiel, BVT is a writer, songwriter, actor, beatboxer and rapper that brings a much needed energy to the so called Australian arts and creative space. Bernie has been seen on screens in Class of '07, Erotic Stories, and soon to be Swift Street. The Casting Guild of Australia come together to identify a group of extraordinary actors they believe have the potential to break out on the world stage, the CGA Rising Stars. And we have the opportunity to chat with one of this year's recipients. BVT. Thank you so much and welcome to the For Your Reference Podcast.

0:40Bernie: Thank you so much for having me.

0:42KT: This is like my most anticipated interview. I've loved getting to proverbial know you and research about you, and there's no way, there's so much in, in the art that you create and you breathe into this world that I want to talk about and potentially the best parts of us that potentially are using. and commercial spaces. But before we even, before we even get to that, um, I guess I want to talk about the CGA Rising Star. First off, congratulations. And how, how does it feel?

1:13Bernie: Um, I, I feel like, you know, I'm supposed to say it feels like this. Um, I don't know, I don't really know how to articulate it, but it's kind of one of those things where I'm like, um, it doesn't feel real yet, therefore it doesn't exist, um, but I think as soon as I step into the room, uh, And just get a sense of that energy and everything, it'll, it'll really sink in. Um, yeah, that, that's kind of how I am though, with everything, even when I perform, I'm very much like, well, this doesn't exist yet.

1:54KT: And you, but you also seem like a very immersive sort of person. You're in the arts, you're in the creating of it. You want to accolade me? Cool. But I'm over here.

2:03Bernie: Yeah, very much that. Um, I think, you know, accolades are such a, an interesting thing because You know, art, art is, is for expression, art is for, you know, storytelling and passing on, um, cultural stories and, and, um, meaning, you know, and identity, um, and to receive accolades is such an interesting thing because it Um, and I think it's really important to recognize that, um, I think it's really important to recognize that that's not the way to It's not the way to do it. And I think that's one of the things that, that puts it in this competitive environment that makes it a little different. Um, on the other hand, you know, It's nice to be seen. Yeah. To put your representation out there, your culture, your identity, your intersectionality out there. And it's nice for people, uh, who have some sort of.

2:52Bernie: Power or footing or, or deep roots in the industry to look at you and go, Hey, this is great. This is really great.

3:03KT: But creating the best art can be vulnerable as well, right? You're putting your whole pussy and your whole foot into it. There's a certain sense of exposure and I guess it's also making sure you and everyone around you is also safe in the industry.

3:17Bernie: Absolutely. Um, I'm very big on, on bringing the fam with me as well, you know, like I feel like if you come from the village and it takes a village, bring them with you, you know, if you are one of the fortunate few to be able to burst the door down, make sure it stays open.

3:38KT: Yeah, yeah, yeah. We're keeping the door open.

3:39Bernie: Yeah, don't lock the fam out, don't lock the fam out. Yeah, exactly.

3:43KT: Um, well, because you've done so much and even leading to acting you've done so much, but um, one of the roles that I want to spend a bit of time on is Erotic Stories. Um, because we, we got like the screeners or like the SBS screeners and I think at the time they had only released a few episodes, so I was like, where's BVT? So I was watching like the Wait, one. All of them. All of them are great. Um, and then it finally released. And then I saw your episode and I'm like, we need to talk about this, especially especially Cal and, you know, talking about, I can only imagine you brought your whole self. To it. So I kind of want to understand, I guess the sort of performance that you bring, is it bringing a bit of yourself?

4:35KT: Is it keeping sort of a distance so you can carry on the next day? Like, what is it like forming that? Because there was some realness in Cal's character.

4:44Bernie: Yeah, well, as my partner would like to say every day, when I came home from shoot, she'd be like, Basha, shout out Basha. Yeah, shout out Basha. Um, she'd be like, babe, did you put your whole bussy into it or what? I'm not watching unless you put your whole buss into it. I'm like, yeah, okay, you know, pressure's on. But it is a little bit of both. It's, it's breaking down the common ground between you and the person you're portraying because In actuality, you should be telling the truth, whatever that means in that moment. You should be telling the truth. Otherwise, you know, the camera is so cold. It's going to see through that. Um, and then by default, that's what the audience receives. So, you know, I feel like there are parts of Cal that I identified with, um, still identify with to this day. And then there's parts of them that I feel like I've.

5:39Bernie: Evolved from since being in my quote unquote fuckboy era, um, but you know, like, I think, I think, um, yeah, I think you'll be method, you know, I was being method. Yeah. I think it's just like, you know, using primary. Experience and secondary experience to, to break that down with, with Cal and, um, also having empathy for your character is so important. I think the moment you start judging who you're portraying, you, you lose the humanity in them and then they just become this, this intangible property that you're exposing. And I don't really. I don't really like that. I like to understand them a bit more and, and bring some human to them.

6:32KT: Yeah, because yeah, Cal definitely had some very human moments. I guess if I'm being very generous, I'm like bit of backhand. Yeah. Yeah, no, you know, is it a conflict of like learning to love the character or is it you, you are just in it and this is how Cal would be?

6:54Bernie: Both, you know, there were moments where I would read it and be like, what the fuck is this person doing? Why? Why? Oh my God, this person's me. Why, you know. And then I'm like, okay, well I need fuck, if I need to love Cal, I need to love myself. Um, mm-hmm. So that was a bit confronting at times. I, I, I've mentioned it before and I mentioned it to our writer, um, Jean Tong. Brilliant, by the way. Mm-hmm. Um. I was like, bro, I feel so read by this script. I feel read down. We all need a reading every now and then. Yeah, we need a humbling every now and then. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

7:27KT: A warning would be nice.

7:30Bernie: Yeah, thank you. Um, yeah, so it was, there were moments like that, but other times I was like, you know what, I'm just in this and this feels, this just feels like a fact of life. And this is, this is my job, you know, so just carrying that out and carrying it through.

7:51KT: I think even the collection of roles that you have are all quite varied. You've got like, you know, big names like Class of '07 and then you've got something so insular and so personal and something that we don't really see on Australian screens in Erotic Stories as well. Is that, is that a blessing of just like roles that you're allowed or you're given access to? Audition for, or what does it look like? Is it a conscious decision on, I'm going to choose this sort of role. I'm going to choose this sort of role now. Yeah.

8:19Bernie: So it's really interesting. Um, for, for a long time, my, and I'm not complaining. I love this. Um, for a long time, my type of cast had been, you know, edgy chick, chip on shoulder, very likely queer, um, which, you know, is. Is me, I guess, in many ways I'm just playing myself, but I guess when it came to things like Cal and Class of '07, especially I got to expand beyond that and introduce some other nuance, um, and other facets that, that are a part of me or other sides that I really had to dip into for the first time that I'd never experienced before.

9:02Bernie: With Tegan in Class of '07, um, I, I was actually cast in A Beginner's Guide to Grief at the time. And you're in the mix for Heartbreak High. Yeah, and I was in the mix for Heartbreak High. I did my homework, you know. Oh, good, good, good cheer, good on you. I love that. Um, yeah, so there was a lot going on and a lot of those roles were dramatic. And that was what I was used to and what I'd played up until that point. And then the writer director slash creator of Class of '07, Kacie Anning, um, said in one of my callbacks, she was like, look, Bernie, we, we, we need to just. Be honest with you, we love you and we want you and we understand there's so much going on for you, but drama is always going to be there.

9:50Bernie: Good quality comedy isn't. And I was like, God damn it. You sold me. Um, so I had to say. Goodbye to, um, Beginner's Guide to Grief, which broke my heart a little bit, but I understood that this was an opportunity to expand my comedic chops and, um, provide a new face to the world as well. Um, and it was something that made me nervous, which I think is a good thing. If you're a little bit scared, it means you're about to be a little bit brave. Yeah. I was really thankful for that and I'm glad that I, I, I did it.

10:30KT: But you're like, you did it so naturally. Would you describe yourself as a funny person?

10:37Bernie: Um, I would describe myself as a goofy person. I don't know. Like, I feel like people who are funny, my type of humor is quite witty, um, and, um, a little bit silly, but yeah, I, I don't know. I find that maybe I think I'm over the top if I'm trying to be funny, but I don't know. I make my partner laugh and. Every day I'm like, ah, I get to make the pretty girl laugh. I'm so happy. Yes. You know, I did something. Maybe I am funny, but yeah, I guess that's up to viewers discretion if they think I'm hilarious or not.

11:11KT: Maybe we can hang out in person and kiki down together. But it's like, as soon as you turn up on the screen and cosplay so I'm like, we're in for a good time.

11:21Bernie: Okay, okay.

11:25KT: I don't know how much you can talk about but I would love to talk a little bit about. Swift Street, or even the fact that Class of '07, like, you have like, legends that have been around in the Australian acting scene for ages, and Cliff Curtis gets all my kisses. Um, but what, what was it like working on Swift Street, and I guess what can you say, if you can say anything?

11:45Bernie: I loved it. Swift Street. I, I feel almost emotional actually. Wow. Weird. Um, I love it so much. It feels like a piece of home, a piece of family, a piece of community to me. And that's because it is, first of all, it's completely BIPOC run. Um, you know, shout out Tig Terera, our creator, writer, director for the first block. Um, and then you have. You know, black and POC people as strong lead characters, um, that are telling very real stories.

12:28KT: With dimension, or at least it looks like it from the trailer.

12:28Bernie: Absolutely. And it feels so good to come home is what it feels like. It feels good to come home because I think if we're going to say that this is truly a safe space, I think the Australian industry is still. Not quite open yet. Yeah. You know, I feel like it's still very white. It's still very like, I don't know. Uh, I think I need help articulating this here,

13:01KT: but I think if I can, if I can assist, um, the Australian industry kind of still feels like it needs to have a seat. Your. Story and your life.

13:15Bernie: Yeah, I feel like we don't want to come to the table anymore. In fact, it's not built for us. No. In fact, you come be a guest at the fucking cookout, check out how we get down, check out what we're doing, what we're up to, and be a guest in our house for a change. Yeah. You know, wipe your feet before you enter our house for a change and, and listen and understand that this is This is us, this is who we are, and we're phenomenal, and we're beautiful, and we're stunning, and we deserve just as much screen time, just as equal pay, just as much accolades, just as much fun as everyone else that is already portrayed in this industry, and we can't be Thank And the whole point about coming to our house, being a guest there, and sitting at our table is that you're not writing the stories for us.

14:06Bernie: You're not pigeonholing and stereotyping us into what you think our narrative should be because It's still backwards. It's still twisted. And so when I walked into the casting room for Swift Street, when we were doing our first ever table read and they had the, um, pictures up of everyone's headshots, I nearly cried, bro, because I had to squint so hard to look for a face that didn't reflect my own people, you know, my community.

14:39KT: It's a, it's a re-centering.

14:41Bernie: It is. It was just. That's when the penny dropped for me. I was like, Oh, shit, we're doing this and I'm part of something so much bigger than, than me, my career, whatever it is. This is, this is big. This is a pioneering step towards a very positive future for. Other creatives in this industry that want to see themselves reflected in the faces they see on their screens.

15:10KT: Absolutely. And if I like our collective ancestors, black, brown, indigenous people, we've been storytellers. We don't need you, we don't need you to tell the stories. That part, exactly, exactly. Like you can come into the room, but you don't get a stage and you don't get a microphone, but you're welcome to bask in the glory of who we are.

15:32Bernie: For sure, just don't put raisins in the potato salad, it's fine. But, you know. Yeah,

15:38KT: let's get Karen,

15:38Bernie: Jim.

15:39KT: Yeah. We could, we could talanoa for so many more hours and I'm so glad we could Tokoni like come together and talk but um, I guess summing up because you do so much. This will technically already come out of the pre saving, but shout out to God Bless the Trap. Is that the film? Yeah. Is, is that the, is that the music video that you were directing as well you said? Yeah, yeah.

16:07Bernie: So I had a lot of help with, uh, from Kate Cornish who co directed with me and shot the whole thing, but this is, I guess, my directorial debut and, um,

16:17KT: Hype Williams on the way, I see it. Andy Rockwell on the way, I see it. All right, all right.

16:25Bernie: But yeah, this is a love letter to, um, another, uh, Part of the, my community and, and the people that I love. So, um, God Bless the Trap was all I got to say. It's, it's going to be fab.

16:40KT: Well, thank you so much for your time and you really went there with me and I really appreciate that as well.

16:45Bernie: Thank you for holding that space. I appreciate it.

16:49KT: Thanks so much.