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We’re excited to be speaking today with acclaimed Emmy and Tony award-winning actor and producer Eric Nelsen; greetings and salutations, Eric! Before we dive down the celluloid Q&A rabbit hole, how goes your 2023 thus far?
Honestly, couldn’t be off to a better start. Both my kids are healthy and happy, which is number one. My wife is doing wonderfully, and work has been nonstop. Plenty to be grateful for.
You’ve got so much to talk about regarding your prolific and distinguished career as an actor, but before we talk about that, I want to wish you major congratulations on your partnership with Bucking Bull Bourbon, for which you’re also serving as a Brand Ambassador! Can you talk with our readers about the genesis of your involvement with Bucking Bull Bourbon and how it all came about?
First of all, thank you for the kind words. It means a lot, and I appreciate it all. Bucking Bull Bourbon is not just a company I am a celebrity face for. It’s a company I am partnering with and will continue to help grow from not just a media and publicity angle but from a business angle as well. I’m utilizing my years of Texas and Hollywood networks to help get into every restaurant, bar, and drinking venue possible. It deserves to be. It’s the best bourbon I’ve ever had, and the best part; it’s Texas-based and family owned and operated. The true American dream bourbon.
I first learned about the company at the 2023 Celebrity Horse Cutting Event held at Will Rogers Coliseum in Fort Worth, TX. It’s a yearly event that benefits Careity Cancer Organization. This year it was the cast of 1883 vs. the cast of Yellowstone. We competed in front of 5,000 people for the coveted “Grand Champion” title. I happened to win the entire thing. A moment I will never forget. Bucking Bull Bourbon was in attendance and was one of the sponsors of the event. They gifted each of us celebrities with a bottle of their Bourbon in our gift bags.
It was there that I got the chance to meet Phil and Sarah, the BBB owners and founders. They are lovely people, and I was taken by their generosity and kindness from the first ‘hello .’Luckily for me, my business manager was at the event with me, and I was able to get them linked together. I knew BBB was a brand-new company and would need help expanding and getting the recognition it deserved. So, we took some meetings, and the rest was history. We both had the same vision and ideals, and it was a match made in heaven. Months later, here are launching for the world and becoming available to the public in early April!
Some folks reading this might wonder what precisely makes Bucking Bull Bourbon a drink that they would want to check out, especially with so many choices out there for them to pick and choose from. What makes Bucking Bull Bourbon the only brand that they’ll ever need or want?
That’s easy. I’ve got three words to define why… Taste, Family, and Texas. Our bourbon packs a punch! It’s 100 proof, aged five years, and cut and blended in Texas. Family-owned and operated. It’s smooth yet sweet and silky. It’s the perfect premium bourbon for veteran bourbon lovers to beginners. It hits every note. It also BUCKS hard. We cater to thrill-seekers. We celebrate your epic adventures.
Bucking Bull announced that their newest Texas Whiskey, Bucking Bull Bourbon, will be available in Ft.Worth, TX bars and retailers as of this April 1 and then throughout the state of Texas before the end of the summer of ’23. Is this the beginning of what will be an even wider expansion as time marches on?
Yes. We plan to have our major footprint in the Dallas/Fort Worth areas and then branch out from there. The sky is the limit in terms of growth. We want everyone to be able to have access to BBB.
One of the official taglines for Bucking Bull Brands is “Making whiskey fun again.” Do you think there may have been a time when there was an incorrect presumption from some folks that whiskey was anything but fun?
No, whiskey was always fun. However, I think there may have been a presumption that bourbons catered to an older demographic and a more refined crowd. Not necessarily targeting younger generations and new whiskey drinkers. Our Bourbon is doing just the opposite. We are looking for new young and boisterous generational drinkers. Giving them a bourbon to grow old with, not the other way around.
If we could segue for a few questions to some of the amazing work that you’re doing within the field of acting: You delivered a star turn in the brilliant Yellowstone prequel 1883! Have you been surprised by how this series has taken on its own sort of popularity, rivaling in many fans’ minds Yellowstone itself?
It was a dream come true! An opportunity of a lifetime to be a part of a story that depicts such a pivotal point in our country’s history. The American frontier, the Organ Trail, and the expansion of the west are a part of Americana that will always be somewhat unfathomable to us in today’s age. A journey almost unimaginable.
Going into 1883, there was a lot of pressure for us to live up to the greatness that is Yellowstone. The fan base was already massive, and the expectations for our show were set very high. Which, in turn, ended up being the fuel we all needed to produce the show we did. We were able to take what Yellowstone created and build on it. Altogether, we spent from the end of July-January crafting and filming our season. It was the greatest experience I’ve ever had on a set. The bond we formed with not only our cast members but the animals we worked with was life-changing. If I could do it all over again, I’d do it in a heartbeat. Even though we literally had blood, sweat, and tears poured into each and every day, the hard work didn’t even seem like work. It was just way too much fun. That’s a true testament to Taylor Sheridan. He was the best director, writer, producer, leader, and friend we could have ever asked for.
As soon as you were approached about Yellowstone: 1883, did you know that this was a production you wanted to be a part of?
Yes, 100%. I was a massive fan of Yellowstone before I even knew 1883 was a concept. So when the opportunity came to me to read for it, I knew I had to do whatever it took to land the job. Funny enough, I was originally asked to audition for the role of WADE, which went to James Landry Hebert. After I sent in my WADE tape, they immediately wrote back saying they thought I’d be better suited for ENNIS. Then I re-auditioned and found out within days that I was one of the top choices for the role.
What can you tell cinephiles about two recent films which you just wrapped, Holly By Nightfall and Shakey Grounds?
I’ll start with Holly By Nightfall. A feature I shot in Houston, TX, in October. I live in Fort Worth, so whenever I get an opportunity to work in Texas, it’s always a big draw for me. It was a ton of fun to work on, mainly because of the fact we were all the same age in the film. It’s a young ensemble cast of all late 20’s/early 30’s actors. That doesn’t happen a lot. So the energy was high, and bonding on set all happened very quickly as we are all at the same stages in our life. Which is basically what the film is about. It encapsulates what it’s like to be navigating adulthood at that age. It’s beautifully told, and our director Andy Delaney is such a creative mastermind. He has a real knack for seeing art and beauty in even the most simple and mundane of things.
Shakey Grounds, on the flip side, is a love story about an up-and-coming rock n roll star and the struggles that come with going toe to toe with the music industry. I got to play electric guitar for the movie, and I sing and perform three songs in the film! It was my first time getting to sing songs on a movie soundtrack. It was an incredible experience from top to bottom. My musical and performance inspirations for the film were Kurt Cobain, Eddie Vedder, and Machine Gun Kelly.
What can you tell us about the Top Secret production of The Will Rogers Project? As a confirmed card-carrying fan of the wit and wisdom of this 20th Century raconteur, I’m very intrigued about this one!
Oh man, I wish I could tell you everything! It is such a special and long-overdue story to be told! I am so excited to be a part of the team that gets the chance to share it with the world. At this time, since we are still in the developmental stages of the project, I can’t share much, unfortunately. I can say, though, that I will be starring in the project and am helping produce it as well. We also have Brian Kelley of Florida Georgia Line on the producing team as well as Johnathan Brownlee. Keep your eyes out; we will have further announcements on the project coming in the upcoming months. We are thrilled to shoot this project in Texas and Oklahoma.
Rolling back around to the Bucking Bull Brands, at the end of the day, what do you hope folks walk away with after experiencing Bucking Bull Bourbon?
I hope they’ll find their new favorite spirit. A spirit they can proudly say, we were there when it all began! Because the fans who join with us now will be able to follow our journey and see us grow from the very beginning. That’s a rare opportunity with alcohol brands you love. Most have been around and successful for 10s if not 100s of years. Help us become the next big story! The next household TX bourbon. We’re ready, are you??
Bucking Bull Bourbon: https://buckingbullbourbon.com
Eric Nelsen’s Official links:
https://www.instagram.com/ericnelsenofficial/
