BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) \u2014 Matt Anspach\u2019s acting life came full circle Friday night when he traveled to the Regal Edwards Bakersfield to see the feature film \u201cAll Is Merry & Bright.\u201d The Bakersfield Christian graduate recalls how when he was young, he saw the Will Ferrell movie \u201cTalladega Nights\u201d at that same theater and knew at that moment he wanted to be an actor.<\/p>\n
That wasn\u2019t just the whimsical thinking of youth but the start of Anspach\u2019s career path that resulted in his acting in numerous TV and film roles. One of those roles is in \u201cAll Is Merry & Bright.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s always, I think, going to be just a pinch me thing,\u201d Anspach says of seeing his work on a hometown screen. \u201cI never want that feeling to go away. And so, when I saw the movie for the first time at Edwards here in town, I couldn\u2019t help but think of that feeling I had that has been 15 years now in the making.\u201d<\/p>\n
Anspach points out the new holiday is the second his work has been shown on a local screen. He was in the 2021 film \u201cGod\u2019s Not Dead: We the People\u201d but that production only played for three days.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll Is Merry & Bright\u201d will complete its week-long run in Bakersfield on Thursday night. If you can\u2019t get to the theater before it departs, the film will be available through streaming services in December.<\/p>\n
The film focuses on Jessica Tannen\u2019s (Emily Rose) whose plans for an ideal family Christmas are about to get laughably out of control. In what may be the last holiday with the family all together, Jessica strives to pull off a perfectly jolly Christmas. A never-ending task list, a sibling grudge reigniting, and mounting mishaps, makes the holidays less jolly.<\/p>\n
Anspach plays Nick Tannen, her young son. The cast also includes Eric Close, John O\u2019Hurley, Sally Struthers and Doug Jones.<\/p>\n
Anspach describes his own family holidays as being a little more laid back, but he could relate to the chaos in the movie. He has 11 cousins on both sides of his family.<\/p>\n
\u201cI come from a very traditional family. The movie actually kind of reminds me of \u2018Cheaper by the Dozen\u2019 where just everything\u2019s so out of control,\u201d Anspach says.<\/p>\n
Anspach\u2019s journey to the acting world started when he was young. While at Bakersfield Christian he split his time between athletics \u2013 being part of the football and baseball teams \u2013 and theater. He eventually opted for the stage over the diamond and began landing big roles in musicals such as Conrad Birdie in \u201cBye Bye Birdie\u201d and Gaston in \u201cBeauty and the Beast.\u201d<\/p>\n
Once he left home to attend Cal State Northridge, Anspach opted to be a music industry major. He does have a musical background with his country-rock\/pop musician band.<\/p>\n
He loved that \u201cAll Is Merry & Bright\u201d gave him the chance to do a little singing. The ideal acting job for him would be one where he could both act and perform music. If those types of opportunities don\u2019t come along, Anspach will be content to focus on acting.<\/p>\n
Along with his current film, Anspach appeared in three episodes of \u2018S.W.A.T.\u201d plus roles on \u201cYoung Sheldon,\u201d \u201cGrown-ish,\u201d and \u201cMiddlehood.\u201d<\/p>\n
His chasing of an acting career has had to deal with some major hurdles such as the COVID epidemic and numerous strikes. Those have been frustrating but not deterred him from the acting world.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been able to do some really cool projects since I was 18 years old, but once you get the job, you\u2019re back to auditioning and you\u2019re trying to fight every other actor for the next role too,\u201d Anspach says. \u201cThat\u2019s just the name of the game.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not handed to you. Right now, I\u2019m auditioning for a lot of good stuff. But it\u2019s not guaranteed. Nothing\u2019s guaranteed in this industry. You get the role, and you really soak it all in.\u201d<\/p>\n
Anspach has seen how tough the battle for acting roles can be as performers can be rejected for the most illogical reasons. He knows the one thing he can control is the work he does, and he wants to make every performance as strong as possible.<\/p>\n
And when he isn\u2019t working or auditioning, Anspach returns home.<\/p>\n
\u201cI come straight back to Bakersfield because it keeps me grounded,\u201d Anspach says. \u201cI go do the job and then come back and live a completely normal life because I can\u2019t control whatever else happens after I go do the job.\u201d<\/p>\n
Having \u201cAll Is Merry & Bright\u201d in theaters \u2013 especially one in his hometown \u2013 has a massive impact on Anspach when he begins to feel the first pangs of frustration. He describes being able to see himself on the big screen as giving him the fuel he needs to keep going.<\/p>\n
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