Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Trinkets’ Brandon Butler

Brandon Butler is back reprising his role as Brady Finch in the final season of Netflix’s Trinkets.

Delivering yet another transformative performance as the antagonist in the series, Brandon took us inside the mindset of an actor and shared how he prepared to step into Brady’s shoes and the actions of his character in Season 2.

We also chatted about the overall filming experience and played a fun game of cast superlatives.

PC: You and the cast found yourself in a really unique situation heading into Season 2 knowing that this would be the final chapter. How did that impact the overall filming experience?
Brandon: That’s a great question. Like you just said, knowing that it was the last time and there was no possibility of getting renewed or seeing where the story might continue on from there, it was very much bittersweet going into it. We were like, “Ah, man. This is actually the last time we’ll be playing everyone’s respected character and role.”

It’s hard not to get attached, especially with the group that we had. It was great just hanging out with them, and I really enjoyed my time there. It was very bittersweet, but on the flip side of the coin, we really wanted to end strong. We really wanted to do justice not only to the characters, but to the story as well, as far as what everyone’s dealing with in the season and how it’s going to end.

It was one of those things where it was very bittersweet, but at the same time, it was almost nice knowing that it was the last one, rather than being bummed out or getting that call saying that we weren’t returning. Then, you’re hoping that you could have done A, B, or C. Knowing it was the last one, we put all of our energy into it.

PC: The last time that we spoke, you said that music played a huge role in helping you get into character. Did you follow a similar approach heading into Season 2? What was on that playlist?
Brandon: Yeah, I did. It was interesting: in the very beginning of Season 2, I didn’t quite know where Brady’s arc was headed. I didn’t know if he was going to have a redeeming quality or a redeeming arc.

Once I found out early on that he was literally the antagonist this season and he wasn’t letting up at all, I knew what path I was taking; I was going to put the foot on the pedal as far as being the bad guy this season. With that came the music, like you mentioned. That was a really big thing for me last season.

For this season, I had a lot of songs. I’m trying to think of a few. The Decemberists was one. It was their song, “Severed”. It was kind of crazy: I heard that song around that time we were filming Episode 1 and Episode 2. I was in the makeup trailer and they had music playing in the background. I asked the makeup artist what was playing because I liked the energy of it. It felt like Brady.

Every single time I drove to set, I listened to that song. I had a lot of Queen, a lot of ACDC, but the main one was “Severed” by the Decemberists. That was my go-to.

PC: In Season 1, Brady stirs up a lot of trouble, but he takes it to another level in Season 2. For you as an actor, what is that preparation like getting into his mindset and playing a character who really doesn’t have a moral compass?
Brandon: I knew early on, even back in Season 1, that Brady and I are two completely different people as far as our morals and who we are. So, to get into that mindset, especially for this season where he was full force an antagonist and wanted revenge, I tried a lot of different things. I like being around people—I like having that company—but I tried to be very secluded. I guess I was quarantining before quarantining happened.

Odiseas [Georgiadis] and I got along great. He’s my guy. We hang out all the time. We filmed maybe one, two, or three times a week, so the times leading up to filming, I tried a lot of certain things where I stayed inside. I didn’t go out. I really wanted him this whole season to have an intense look, so I felt having that time alone to myself with my thoughts and a little journal writing stuff down for Brady and what goes on in his mind was important. We don’t really ever see a scene with him alone in his thoughts and what’s going on in his mind. I have a lot of theories about Brady and what goes on throughout his day.

Obviously, days when I had off and I wasn’t filming, let’s say three or four days in a row, I would hang out with friends and the rest of the cast. We’d go out to eat and whatnot. But, on definitely days where they were all filming and I had time to myself, I would seclude myself and stay in the apartment.

I thought, “When am I ever going to have the time to be a full-throttle antagonist?” I really wanted to play around and see what would work. Like I said, music definitely helped, secluding myself and quarantining away from the cast, not really seeing them for a while, as much as I could because I loved hanging out with them. Especially with this being the last season, we wanted to hang out and do as much as we could. That being said, I left a few days, especially leading up to filming where I was like, “I’m going to keep to myself and be in my own thoughts.”

PC: What did you learn about yourself as an artist and actor playing somebody who is so far from who you are as a person?
Brandon: You never really know what’s going on in someone else’s mind. That’s one of the fascinating things. One of the things that I truly enjoy about acting is getting into someone else’s mindset, stepping into someone else’s shoes for however long you film. I really wanted to be unlikable this season because it not only helps the antagonism, but it also makes you root for our three leads even more so. They’re already likable enough, so I thought and figured if I was extra unlikeable, you would root for them even more.

I think Brady’s turning point was at the end of Season 1. I had a lot of thoughts and ideas and that changed in Season 2. We get a glimpse in Season 2 that he doesn’t get the attention he desperately wants and needs. He acts a certain way at school where he feels like he doesn’t want to show that weakness or feel that on school grounds, so he fakes it. That’s why he aggressively acts out or acts like someone that he’s definitely not.

The turning point from Season 1 is when Tabitha’s family shuts the door on him, literally and figuratively, at their home. I think Brady viewed Tabitha’s family as almost his, in a weird way. I think he was getting that love, he was getting that attention every single time he would show up, even though obviously the parents had no idea how big of an a-hole he was to Tabitha. He still felt that love or affection. Every single time he came over, it was like, “Oh, Brady’s over! Come on. Sit down,” where I felt like that’s what he felt he didn’t get at home. Once they shut the door on him, literally and figuratively, at the end of Season 1, that’s when he had that switch. He looked at them as family and felt he couldn’t trust anyone. I’m not excusing any of his actions or what he’s done at all.

Cast Superlatives

PC: Life of the party?
Brandon: Kiana [Madeira].

PC: Class clown?
Brandon: Brianna [Hildebrand] is really funny. You might not think she’s witty or has stuff up her sleeves, but she is one of those who I would show up on set and I was like, “Who said that?” And it was Brianna and everyone was cracking up.

PC: Most likely to be on a reality show?
Brandon: Odiseas.

PC: Most unique?
Brandon: Quintessa [Swindell].

PC: Most similar to their character?
Brandon: Everyone is kind of not like their character, which is cool. Odiseas is a great musician and artist. He doesn’t play sports, but he’s supposed to be an athlete. He does a great job. Kiana is a sweetheart. With Moe, she’s a little more rough around the edges. If I had to pick one, let’s go with Brianna. She’s great at singing and she sings in Trinkets, and she’s a great artist as well.

To keep up with Brandon, follow him on Instagram. Watch Trinkets on Netflix today.