IN CONVERSATION WITH PILOT BUNCH

interview by JANA LETONJA

Pilot Bunch is quietly emerging as one of the most promising young actors of his generation. At just 19 years old, he has already amassed an impressive range of credits across film and television, appearing in acclaimed projects including The Outsider, The Righteous Gemstones, The Walking Dead, The Wonder Years, Red One, The Unbreakable Boy, and The Hill. Next, he stars in Netflix’s comedy Little Brother, premiering on 26th June, where he plays the son of John Cena and Michelle Monaghan. With a career that has developed alongside some of the industry’s most respected actors and filmmakers, Pilot represents a new generation of performers balancing early success with a genuine passion for the craft. As he enters what feels like a breakout chapter, he brings both an impressive résumé and a thoughtful perspective on navigating Hollywood before turning twenty.

You began working professionally at a very young age. Looking back, what do you think those early experiences taught you about storytelling and performance?

The biggest thing I learned growing up doing this professionally was work ethic. I was balancing work, school, good grades, and a social life. Most of my childhood was spent in taping rooms, audition rooms, and on a rehearsal schedule. I loved it more than anything. But I think work ethic was the biggest takeaway. And more importantly, about storytelling, I got a deeper understanding of what it really means. Starting at such a young age, while still fully immersed in childlike innocence and curiosity, on top of building a foundational understanding of the true methods behind storytelling, really helped me. It also taught me to bring everything you have to the table and be moulded, rather than having a performance pulled out of you.

At only 19, you've already worked across prestige television, studio films, independent projects, and major franchises. How has your understanding of acting evolved through those different environments?

I think the biggest thing is the ability to read a team and understand how fast a set is moving. Each environment is different, and they've taught me how an actor can control that space and truly change the world with story, no matter how big or small. Features have taught me patience, while TV shows taught me speed and how valuable timing is. In a simpler explanation, traveling through different environments allows you to understand how to adapt to the project you're in and the people around you, to deliver what the show or movie needs. Each one comes with its different challenges, so if you know how to navigate both sides, that's an invaluable edge. That's still something I'm learning today and will probably be learning for the rest of my life.

Little Brother places you alongside John Cena and Michelle Monaghan. What was it like stepping into a family dynamic with actors who bring such different energies to the screen?

Stepping in with Michelle and John was incredible. I've grown up watching both of them, and I learned so much from each side, both on screen and off. They both bring such different energies on screen, but that's like any other family. It balanced out and played into the story.

What initially attracted you to Little Brother and to the character you play within the story?

What initially attracted me was getting to play this crazy older brother in a funny comedy movie. I'm the oldest of four siblings, and there's just something about getting to tell that story. There's nothing cooler. I was very grateful and very excited, because I understand that dynamic in its extremities and also its duller moments.

Comedy often requires a very different rhythm than drama. Did this project challenge you in new ways as a performer?

I've been doing comedy for a while, so I have an understanding of what it takes in terms of timing and all that. But yes, it did challenge me, and the entire cast was extremely good at what they do. There were definitely a few times I had to pull it together. But that's part of the fun of it, and that's how you get better. I couldn't be more grateful for that. I think the biggest challenge with comedy is keeping time, because that's where the gold is. The reason it was so hard was being surrounded by people who are masters at it. You've got to keep it all together.

Having worked with such a wide range of actors throughout your career, what qualities do you find yourself most inspired by when watching other performers work?

I'm most impressed by their authenticity off screen. You can be an incredible actor and master your craft, but if you're not a genuine person off the screen, what kind of person are you? When someone can pour everything into a character or a performance, and then on their lunch break still take the time to speak to those around them and genuinely connect with the people making the production work, no matter who they are, that's the most impressive thing. But in terms of performance, watching someone truly transform into a character and almost wield it like a weapon on set is absolutely incredible to watch. It's commitment.

Many young actors face the challenge of growing up in public. How have you managed to stay grounded while building your career?

I think the reason most young actors have trouble growing up in this industry is because they don't have good people around them. They don't have a good support system. Without that, you're done for. It'll ruin you. Everybody has something to say, something to give you, something they want you to do differently, something in your ear. Without a solid support system of people that truly love you and believe in you, it'll be a miracle if you survive. That's the only reason I am where I'm at today, just because of the people who have supported me.

You've been part of projects ranging from The Walking Dead to The Righteous Gemstones. Is there a genre you feel particularly drawn to at this stage of your career?

Drama, but not in the sense of your stereotypical knight-in-shining-armor, fair-maiden-in-distress, screaming-and-crying kind of drama. I mean movies like American History X or The Outsiders, coming-of-age movies that rattle you to the bone and change you, that also educate you on a subculture or a part of the world you know exists but have never truly experienced before.

What role has curiosity played in shaping your choices as an actor?

Curiosity shapes every choice you have as an actor. If you're not coming at this through a lens of curiosity, what are you doing? You're not discovering, you're not finding new things to experiment with. Curiosity is the base of it. This entire career is curiosity. You're discovering and exploring people's lives and what makes them tick. That's the most important thing about it. Without curiosity, we have nothing.

What excites you most about the current generation of young actors and filmmakers?

The thing that excites me most about the new generation of filmmakers is that they don't really care about what other people say. They're going to do what they're going to do, and they're going to make a ruckus. We're hungry. And sooner or later, we're going to eat, because if we don't, we're going to starve.

Beyond acting, are there other creative disciplines that influence the way you think about storytelling?

I have a few core ones. Skateboarding, playing guitar and writing music, writing poetry, photography, and breakdancing.

With skateboarding, it teaches you discipline and brings you to a state where everything else goes quiet and you can actually think. It resets that sense of drive, especially when it comes to acting. You're constantly auditioning and putting your work out into what feels like a void. Skateboarding is the same thing. Trick after trick after trick, all for that one moment where you land it, and then you perfect it.

Poetry is an insurgent art. A lot of people think it's just sonnets and ink-stained desks, but poetry is songwriting. It's your thoughts, your hopes, your dreams, not only for yourself but for the world that comes after you. It's also a reflection of the world around you. It's all art.

With photography, you're archiving history. The people around you, where you are, how you live at this moment on Earth. At the end of the day, all you have left is memory, so being able to capture those moments is one of the most important things you can do.

And breakdancing is similar to skateboarding. It's basically slamming my body on concrete over and over, sending myself into a state of flow you don't get anywhere else. It lets me channel everything inside of me. All the ideas, the energy, the needs and wants, all of that power. It requires everything from you. It's beautiful.

What kinds of stories do you hope to tell as your career continues to evolve?

I want to tell stories that people don't get to see. I want to give voices to causes, experiences, and stories that never get told, to play roles that you watch and it almost resets your entire perspective. There are so many beautiful cultures around the world, but there are also so many beautiful cultures within your very own city. So many people, places, experiences, and adventures happening right under your feet that you have no clue about. Films like Mid90s, Kids, or American History X draw the curtain back on worlds that are going on right under people's eyes without them even realising it. They expose and illuminate cultures that are deeply misunderstood. That's the kind of storytelling I want to be a part of.

Having already achieved so much before turning twenty, what keeps you motivated creatively?

It's a weird crossroads to be at. Everything I've done has been a privilege beyond any other, and the opportunities I've had are once in a lifetime. But at the same time, I can't get enough of it. This is what I love to do more than anything else.

What keeps me creatively motivated is the thought of getting to create with so many other beautiful people and learn so many beautiful things I never would have otherwise experienced. Studying Film and Television at Savannah College of Art and Design has only deepened that appreciation, because I'm constantly surrounded by people who are passionate about telling stories from completely different perspectives.

The thought of living so many different lives. But also, one day, telling stories that are important to me about people who are important to me. I think that's incredibly important. Stories are the lifeblood of humanity. Without stories, we learn nothing. We are nothing. Nothing gets passed down. To be a storyteller in itself keeps me creatively motivated.

TEAM CREDITS:

photography TJ BAKER