VALLEY VIBES: JIMMY TATRO TALKS 'THE REAL BROS' AND HIS COMEDIC EVOLUTION

BY: IRVIN RIVERA

PHOTOGRAPHER: IRVIN RIVERA, FASHION STYLING: JOSHUA ALAN CLARK, GROMING: CHRISTOPHER MILES, DIGITAL TECH: PHIL LIMPRASERTWONG, PHOTO ASST: ANDREW LOPEZ, PRODUCER: JESSE ZAPATERO

Jimmy Tatro, a multi-talented actor, director, and writer, has made significant strides in the entertainment industry. Known for his versatility and comedic genius, Tatro has captivated audiences through various mediums. In addition to his acting, Tatro has released "THE REAL BROS OF SIMI VALLEY: HIGH SCHOOL REUNION" on Roku this July. This film marks his directorial debut & a continuation of the beloved series he co-created, directed, and starred in.

We had the honor to chat with Tatro about his insights into his creative process, challenges, and inspirations. Reflecting on his character Xander from "The Real Bros of Simi Valley," Tatro discussed how the character was designed as the quintessential “valley bro,” a persona vastly different from his own. Despite the differences, Tatro found relatability in Xander's vulnerability to the success of his contemporaries, which he skillfully brought to life on screen.

As Jimmy continues to balance his acting career, he remains focused on creating projects that resonates with his audience. His advice to aspiring actors and comedians emphasizes the importance of taking initiative and making things happen independently. With a career that spans YouTube, television, and film, Jimmy Tatro's impact on the entertainment industry is undeniable. His ability to blend humor with heartfelt moments and his dedication to his craft continue to entertain and inspire audiences worldwide.

Suit by Perte d’ ego and shirt by Goodfight

Hey Jimmy, how are you? Have you done anything exciting and creative recently?

I’m good! And yeah, the first movie I directed just came out on Roku a couple weeks ago so I’m pretty excited about that.

Congrats on "The Real Bros of Simi Valley." How did you develop the character of Xander for "The Real Bros of Simi Valley," and how much of yourself do you see in him?

Thank you. We pretty much wrote Xander to be the quintessential “valley bro” and built the squad out from there. I don’t really see any of myself in Xander which was one of the reasons he was such a fun character to write and play.

What aspects of Xander’s personality do you find most relatable, and how did you bring those traits to life on screen?

I think the most relatable aspect of his personality is the way he lets the success of his contemporaries affect his opinion of himself. Besides that, he’s not a very relatable guy with the exception of the way he responds to things. He’s very bizarre but when you stick him in a familiar situation, he either responds in a way that’s not too far from how you might react or he responds the way your intrusive thoughts would.

Shirt and pants by COLORS

Can you talk about any specific scenes or moments in "The Real Bros of Simi Valley" that were particularly challenging or rewarding to film?

There’s a scene at the very end of the high school reunion, where a monster truck pulls in and like 20 of our characters have a showdown. Acting in that scene while directing and trying to make sure we were getting all of the lines and the trucks were pulling in the right way was a challenge. And for some reason the monitors were like 100 yards away that day so I’d yell cut and then sprint over to watch playback while the monster trucks were resetting, to hopefully not slow down the pace. You never feel like you have enough time but that day we had to move extra fast.

How do you think Xander has evolved from the start of the series to the movie adaptation?

I think one of the themes Christian and I have really enjoyed playing into, is that the characters really never grow or change. A lot has happened to him; he had a kid, he got married, he took over his dad’s auto body shop. But no matter what happens and how much growth it seems like these characters are about to experience, they always end up going back to what’s comfortable, and I think that’s hilarious.

How do you balance the comedic elements with the more serious or heartfelt moments in the show?

The goal with this movie was laughs so even the most serious and heartfelt moments in the plot were designed to be funny. There’s a lot of humor in people who take themselves seriously, so moments that are serious and heartfelt for our characters can still be funny to the audience. Some of our most heartfelt moments are punchlines, so you’re killing two birds with one stone.

What has been the fan reaction to Xander, and how do you feel about the character’s impact on the audience?

They love Xander’s lingo and they really love his soul patch. We introduced it in season 2 because we wanted Molly to hate it and fully intended to have him shave it to appease her (and also because it was super itchy on my face), but when season 3 started, it just didn’t feel the same without the soul patch. It had become such a staple of the character that I couldn’t not have it. It was one of those things where the second I put the soul patch on, and the sunglasses and the white tank top, I immediately started talking like Xander.

Were there any specific inspirations or real-life influences that you drew upon when creating the show?

Christian and I both went to high school in the San Fernando Valley so there were definitely some guys out there that we pulled inspiration from. I knew a guy in high school who wore his hat so low that he could barely see and he always kept both ears tucked, so that’s something I definitely wanted to infuse into all of the bros styles. During season one I’d yell out ‘tuck your ears!’ before we started rolling.

What do you hope viewers take away from Xander’s journey and experiences in “The Real Bros of Simi Valley Movie”?

At the start of the movie, Xander and all of the characters are super content with their lives as they always are. It’s not until another squad pulls up in a cooler truck, with a cooler house and cooler Instagram accounts that they start to compare their lives and feel down. That’s the main thing that I would say is super applicable to life right now. Our phones are a window into literally everything and everyone, so if looking through that window is making you feel shitty, maybe stop looking at it.

Shirt and pants by Keiser Clark

Can you share the inspiration behind "The Real Bros of Simi Valley" and how the show evolved from YouTube to a Roku film?

We initially created the show as a way to parody reality shows. I’ve always gotten a kick out of the fact that once you film someone for long enough, you have an unlimited library of audio clips and footage that you can edit to make it look like anything is happening. You can add music, dramatic sound effects and snap zooms to edit a pleasant lunch into a dramatic, passive aggressive argument. That’s what we did with season 1. The whole idea of season 1 was that nothing really happens but we made that nothingness into a dramatic reality show. Season 2 we actually started to really develop the characters and storylines and by the time we got to the movie, it was a full blown world.

How did your YouTube channel, LifeAccordingToJimmy, help shape your career as an actor and director?

It really gave me an understanding of everything that’s necessary to turn an idea into a real finished product. At first, my sketches were just a concept, filming and editing. Then I started writing scripts. Then I realized I needed better audio, better cameras. Then I realized I needed lighting. Then a crew, and so on. It was a gradual learning experience of how productions work that has been super helpful and applicable to everything I’ve done since. Directing and editing makes you a better actor. Acting, editing and writing makes you a better director. The more you understand the big picture of what’s happening, the better you can be at your job and the more fulfilling it is to complete a project.

What were the biggest challenges you faced transitioning from YouTube to mainstream television and film?

Coming from YouTube doesn’t necessarily translate to people trusting you to make movies and tv shows so you need to constantly prove yourself. It wasn’t until I self-financed The Real Bros of Simi Valley and actually just made it, that we had the chance to make it into a full length show. And it wasn’t until I had acted in a few smaller roles in movies and shows, that people believed I could act and I started to book bigger roles. The process of getting things made in mainstream TV and film is also obviously a big switch up from YouTube. With YouTube you have an idea, you just go do it. With mainstream TV and film, half the battle is selling people on the idea you have so they allow you to make it, which can take years. It requires a lot more patience.

What is it like working with your long-time collaborator, Christian Pierce, and how has your creative partnership influenced the projects you’ve worked on?

Having worked together for over a decade now, it’s a creative relationship that I’m super proud of. Him and I were the only two people in the writing room for all three seasons and the movie and that was really helpful for maintaining the specific voice of the show. By the time we got to the movie, we were so on the same wavelength it was like we didn’t even need to use words to communicate sometimes. Like I’d type a word and he’d go “Oh and then we could-“ and I’d go “Interesting. But if Bryce walked in here-” and Christian would go “Yeah. That’d be funny” and that would be it. And it’d make perfect sense to us but I’d laugh at the fact that if someone else was in there they’d have no idea what just happened.

How would you describe your comedic style, and who are some of your biggest influences in comedy?

I think there’s a lot of humor in the normal things that happen every day and when you infuse a little bit of imagination, they can become really funny. I grew up watching Seinfeld and SNL so the observational humor of Seinfeld and Andy Samberg’s digital shorts had a big impact on me as a kid. In more recent years, I was very inspired by my experience on American Vandal and I learned a lot from the creators Tony Yacenda and Dan Perrault. Same with when I did 22 Jump Street and Grown Ups 2. Being able to work with Phil Lord, Chris Miller and Adam Sandler before I turned 22 was eye opening to say the least.

You've voiced characters in animated films like "Smallfoot" and "Rumble." How does voice acting differ from your other acting roles?

It’s definitely less stressful in the sense that you can show up wearing Ugg slippers and basketball shorts but it’s harder than I thought it would be. I seem to always end up voicing big, deep voiced monster characters which actually take a lot out of you and leave you lightheaded if you roar too much.

How do you balance the demands of social media with your acting career, and how do you manage to keep your content fresh and engaging?

I haven’t been great about balancing the ‘demands’ of social media lately. I used to rush to shoot a bunch of videos so I could edit them and maintain a weekly upload schedule on YouTube even when I was out of town shooting movies or shows but that wasn’t sustainable when I started to get busier with acting. Lately I’ve been focusing on making the things I want to make and I post on social media when I have time.

What are some of the biggest life lessons you’ve learned from your career in entertainment?

If you have an idea and don’t act on it, someone else will. Having good ideas in your head means nothing unless you turn them into something that’s real.

How have you grown personally and professionally since starting your YouTube channel?

I started my YouTube channel in college when I was 18 so my life and mindset is completely different than it was back in 2010. I thought I knew everything back then and I actively didn’t want to watch any tv shows, movies, etc. because I didn’t want to subconsciously absorb anyone else’s ideas. The older I’ve gotten, the more I’ve tried to educate myself on the people who came before me, and my barometer for whether or not I consider a project to be a success has a lot more to do with how much I’m able to learn from it.

What advice would you give to aspiring actors and comedians who are looking to break into the industry?

It’s really up to you to make it happen for yourself. Don’t wait for your chance to come, go take it. Do things yourself instead of relying on others to do them for you, especially early on.

Can you walk us through your creative process when developing new content for YouTube or for television?

For me it’s a matter of choosing the idea that’s really calling to me at the moment. I’ve had ideas that have sat in my notes for years and I’ve never been passionate about and then suddenly one day it becomes clear that’s the one that needs to happen. I’m a very visual guy so once I start writing I use a lot of whiteboards and need to be able to see things in front of me.

What do you believe is the role of comedy in today’s society, and how do you use humor to address serious topics?

I think comedy can be great for addressing serious topics in a digestible way if you aren’t setting out with the goal of talking about something serious. If you have an opinion on something that’s funny or unique and allows you to talk about it in a way that everyone can respond to or laugh at and broaden their perspectives, no matter how they feel about it, that’s powerful. When people make comedy just to tackle issues, I don’t usually find that funny.