Pulling double duty

November 21, 2006 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I) News Release

New Orleans VooDoo FB/LB Henry Bryant has been a busy man this off-season and he's starting to get pretty good at signing contracts. He inked a free agent deal with the VooDoo after two successful seasons in Austin and just recently signed a contract for a recurring role on NBC's hit football drama "Friday Night Lights," which airs on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. (ET).

If you're not familiar with the show, here's the cliff notes version. Expanding on the hit feature film "Friday Night Lights," the series centers on the small rural town of Dillon, Texas, where the coveted state football championship rings are held in the highest regard. Dillon's promising high school team, its star quarterback, and newly appointed head coach Eric Taylor (played by Kyle Chandler) feel the mounting pressure of the town's pride and honor riding on their shoulders as a new football season kicks off.

The show features a number of young, up-and-coming actors, including Scott Porter as team captain and first-string quarterback Jason Street; Gaius Charles as feared running back Brian "Smash" Williams; Taylor Kitsch as running back Tim Riggins; Connie Britton as Taylor's supportive wife, Tami; Zach Gilford as third-string quarterback Matt Saracen, and Minka Kelly as Lyla Garrity, Panthers cheerleader and Street's girlfriend.

Bryant was originally slated to be an extra for the show, but recently auditioned and signed a contract for a reoccurring role as Junior Servio - Smash's best friend who goes to school in a different town.

"My name was in the system," Bryant said of how he first made contact with the show. "A year or so ago I put my name in for a casting call in Austin and they called me a few weeks ago. I read my lines in front of the director and they liked me."

According to the storyline, Smash and Henry's character grew up together in a rough area, but Smash moved to the town of Dillon because of the football program.

"(My character) grew up with Smash in the hood," Bryant said of Junior's relationship with the show's star running back. "Smash left to go to the good high school (Dillon) and Junior stayed home. Smash comes to a barbeque at Servio's house in one episode and in another episode the two face off on the field." (Crossing the Line, Tuesday, Nov. 28)

Getting the chance to show off his acting skills is a dream come true for the 6-foot, 250-pound Bryant, who grew up in South Florida and played football at Garden City (Kansas) Community College and Kansas State University before spending three seasons playing Arena Football (Wichita Stealth of af2 in '04 and Austin Wranglers from 2005-06).

"I took drama all through high school and was in plays and stuff like that," Bryant said of his acting background. "But, I prepared for it. I studied my lines and I practiced. When I was at Garden City I did some stuff too - commercials and all for the football team."

But, appearing on the set of a hit television show is pretty far removed from the campus TV station at Garden City.

"I really need to thank my guidance counselor at Spanish River (Boca Raton, Fla.) High School for putting me in drama classes when I was a freshmen," he said. "She did it because I was a very shy person and it really helped me feel comfortable talking in front of people.

"My friends joke around because in college I kept telling them that I was going to be on TV or in the movies someday. They are all going bananas right now because they know how shy I am in real life."

Bryant spent two years at Spanish River High School before transferring to Olympic Heights Community High School, where he excelled on the football field. Football has opened a number of doors for him so far, but he's excited about where his blossoming acting career may lead.

"I've finished everything with the show now," he said. "I have a role in next three episodes and they said my character could possibly be coming back for next season.

"I'm just going to see how this acting thing goes and hope it takes off. I had gigs last season that I had to turn down because of football. NBC understands my football and they know that football comes first."

Playing in front of more than 50,000 faithful on Saturday afternoons at Kansas State and a two-year stint in the AFL have prepared Bryant for the limelight, but he admits he was a little nervous the first couple of days on the set.

"I did get nervous a few times because the camera is right in your face," he explained. "But, Smash (Gaius Charles) helped me out a lot. He really made me feel comfortable in front of the camera and helped me settle down and get through some of my nervousness, so I need to thank him for that."

When asked if he thought having to remember a playbook full of formations, running and passing plays helped him develop a skill-set for acting and remembering lines, Bryant laughed off the comparison.

"(Learning football plays and lines are similar) a little, but any guy can remember football plays," he joked. "When you are acting, you have to know your lines, your character and what the other person is going to say so you can respond."

So far, the response to Bryant has been great. Even the other actors on the set were thrilled to work with him.

"Everyone on the show was very nice, but I think they were more excited to see me than I was to see them," he said. "It was neat because most of them have been in movies and stuff like that, but they were more excited to meet a professional football player."

Bryant isn't the first Arena Football League player to go Hollywood, as many AFL players have had roles as extras in recent football movies like Any Given Sunday, Waterboy and The Longest Yard. But, Bryant is doing more than just 'acting as a football player' and contributing in football action scenes.

"Being an extra is cool, but if I was going to do the acting thing I wanted to go all out," he said. "I didn't just want to be a body."

It's ironic that his TV debut comes on the football field - a place where he still calls home.

"I definitely still want to play football," he said. "In my heart, I've always wanted to play football."

But, you can also tell from the passion in his voice that the big screen may be his true calling.

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