Playing it safe has never been actor Sunkrish Bala’s style. From his days of ducking theatre classes as an undergrad at UCLA, (where a no audition policy is strictly enforced), to landing his role on ABC’s hit comedy Notes from the Underbelly as Eric, a neurotic thirty-something parent at the age of 21, Sunkrish Bala doesn’t let the pitfalls of most young actors stand in his way of success. Age, experience and typecasting are just some of the hurdles Sunkrish has quickly overcome, and his work challenges the stereotypical cookie-cutter casting in Hollywood, paving the way for more actors to follow his lead.
Born in Bombay, India and raised in San Jose, California, Sunkrish discovered his love for acting at the age of six, and began working steadily in local community theatres.
By the time he reached high school, Sunkrish had already experienced typecasting of his East Indian descent. Challenging the limitations of typecasting, he and some of his fellow students created a non-profit theatre company, A ‘Shore, meaning “Noise” in Hindi that gave voice and attention to South Asian perspectives and culture. Not long after Sunkrish moved to L.A. to pursue his theatre degree at U.C.L.A. and shortly began acting in a starring role at the prestigious East West Players production of “As Vishnu Dreams.”
A self-admitted worrier, Sunkrish didn’t let UCLA’s academic prohibition against auditioning slow him down. In between classes, Sunkrish hit the streets and booked several guest roles on hit television series such as Will & Grace and CSI: NY. This accounted for many “sick days” from school, and Sunkrish adds, “Given a choice: take a week’s worth of midterms or do an episode of Grey’s Anatomy…which am I going to choose?”
But Sunkrish admits there were many roles he refused because of the limitations of stereotypical casting.
“I’ve had to turn down a lot of roles. That’s of course much easier to do now, but when you’re just starting out and you can’t afford rent, it’s heartbreaking to have to say "no" to any acting work. Looking back, I’m so glad I’ve steered clear from those kinds of parts—the cab driver or the convenience store guy with the funny accent. I can sleep at night, you know?”
Shortly after graduating, Sunkrish developed a fan following and caught the eye of television net work executives in his reoccurring role as Bashir from the Showtime series Barbershop. It wasn’t long before he was approached by ABC for the role of fussy perfectionist soon-to-be-Dad Eric on Notes from the Underbelly. The primetime series centers on a group of friends hysterically trying to juggle their lives as expectant parents.
For Sunkrish, the role of Eric was doubly challenging. A natural rule breaker himself and a recent grad and bachelor, Sunkrish didn’t let lack of experience stop him from delivering one of the funniest, uptight characters of the ensemble cast.
Sunkrish told LATP, “Eric is so very, very different than me. I started playing Eric on
"Notes" as I was finishing up my senior year of college. Playing a thirty-something with a wife and kid when I was 21 and single was actually a bit of a challenge. There’s so much life experience that Eric has and I don’t. I think I learned the most about him over the course of the two years that we filmed the show. There really is so much to being a responsible parent that I had no clue about.”
The last couple of years have been busy for Sunkrish. He recently starred opposite Indian screen legend, Anupam Kher and Dee Wallace in the feature film, “American Blend.” Sunkrish plays a young man assimilating in America but struggling to connect with his father’s Indian cultural views. He has also finished shooting indie horror flick, “Albino Farm” shot in the Ozark Mountains, starring a college student that stumbles on some cave dwelling mutants ala “Deliverance” meets “The Hills Have Eyes.” Both films will be released later this year.
Fans of Notes from the Underbelly can breathe a sigh of relief now that the WGA strike is over. The cast, the crew and of course the writers are back to work and Sunkrish is glad to be back. Already playing well beyond his years with a comedic maturity and an infectious enthusiasm, Sunkrish Bala has already proven he’s got the chops and the guts to play any role in any situation and is an actor to watch for on the small and big screens.
In an exclusive interview with MR Hunter of LATP, Sunkrish Bala shares his acting experiences and some of his other odder jobs.
MR Hunter: Do you consider yourself to be a perfectionist like your character Eric on Notes from the Underbelly?
Sunkrish Bala: About certain things, definitely. I’m a worrier. I constantly play out elaborate, imaginary disaster scenarios in my head. About inane stuff though, like: "What if my clothes aren’t ready at the drycleaners on time?" or "Did I over-inflate my front tires?" I may have mild OCD.
MH: How did it feel when you were first approached by a fan?
SB: Awkward. Because half of you wants to "play it cool" and the other half wants to be all excited that someone actually recognizes you, and what comes out is a weird amalgam of the two feelings. This is still very new to me!
MH: You recently starred in the film “American Blend” with Indian screen star Anupam Kher. What was that like to be working with such a legend?
SB: Amazing. Surreal. I was a sophomore in college at the time, and I had never worked professionally before. It was the first film I ever did, and it was opposite a man whose work I had grown up watching. He’s such a pro, had so much energy, and the man’s been in almost 300 films! I hope I have that kind of spirit and love for this work when I get to where he is.
MH: Another film you worked on is a horror flick called ‘Albino Farm’ which is about cave dwelling mutants. Are you a fan of horror? What are some of the challenges you face as an actor working in horror?
SB: Actually, I’m squeamish. I hate the sight of blood, and horror movies give me nightmares. I’m man enough to admit that. WORKING on a horror movie was a very eye-opening experience though. I finally understand and appreciate the appeal of these movies. They operate on a more visceral level than any other genre. They elicit the most basic of our emotions.
MH: What are some of the challenges as an actor working in TV vs. film? Do you have a preference?
SB: Well I haven’t really done a lot of film yet—a couple of indie features. I definitely think each medium presents its own challenges. What I like about TV, though, is the opportunity to gradually build complex characters over the course of a series. I like that we learned increasingly absurd details about Eric episode after episode.
MH: Do you plan to do any more theatre in the near future?
SB: I’d love to. I’m always on the lookout for good projects on stage. It’s the medium I know best, and I miss doing it. I’ve actually just optioned a stage play that I wrote, and hope to get it produced very soon.
MH: Do you have any plans do start a similar theatre company like the one you started in the Bay Area (A ‘Shore) here in Los Angeles?
SB: Wow, I actually hadn’t thought of that. I’ve been in college for most of my time in Los Angeles, and after that had been occupied filming Notes. I will give that some serious consideration. Though, there are fantastic nonprofit theater companies doing excellent work here already. Cornerstone Theater comes to mind.
MH: When you’re not acting, what else do you enjoy doing?
SB: Trying to say active. I love tennis, and have been playing for years. A buddy and I are currently trying to figure out golf, and I’m TERRIBLE at it. And whenever I can, I’m a big fan of travel. I love doing unabashedly tourist-y things—even within Los Angeles.
MH: What other odd jobs did you do while you were a student?
SB: I contributed my tears to an eye research lab on campus. That involved putting raw onions in a blender and then sticking my face in the onion fumes three times a week. Good times. Highly recommended
