gt.com: how would you say you were "bitten by the acting bug?"

BRET: I've been involved in it since I was a little kid...I was in cheesy plays and things like that, but I never thought it would be my career! I got an acting coach, but it was always a hobby. The acting coach recommended me to an agency in Portland, and I was booked for a few things, like TV movies that never made the air! Well, she kind of persuaded me to move to L.A.

gt.com: how did you manage to score the acting stint on the Fox series, Grounded for Life?

BRET: I ended up going down to Los Angeles and hooked up with an agent from my friend Alex Solowitz who played Mickey on the 2Gether show on MTV. I did a movie here in Portland with him. So, I called him up and said, "Hey, I'm in L.A.! Can I get a meeting with your agent?" I ended up going out on a few auditions, and then I booked a guestspot for "Grounded for Life" and turned into a series regular! You never know how it's going to happen. People are like, "How did you make it?" and have their own stories. I just think it's great how [I was] a guest star turned into a series regular.

gt.com: love it! tell us   about your character on the show, Brad.

BRET: I play Brad O'Keefe, and he's a very over-the-top, crazy character. Extremely fun to play! He doesn't really understand a whole lot...he takes things completely the other angle. A lot of times when I'm studying my lines, I want to say things a different way, but Brad just doesn't get it! He's totally in love with [his next-door neighbor] Lily.

gt.com: do you see yourself relating to him at all?

BRET: Not really, but there are times when I'm being a dork that come out, and they're for real! I mean, I think everyone's a dork in their own way. But in one way I relate to Brad because he definitely goes for what he wants a hundred percent -- nothing will stop him and nothing will get in his way. I feel like that with my acting, I knew I wanted it, so I went after it...and it panned out into something like this!

gt.com: do you tune into the show to watch yourself  or is it too weird for you?

BRET: I totally watch myself! I don't believe actors that say they don't watch themselves...they have to! I kind of critique myself every now and then, but for the most part, it's fun to sit down and actually watch the complete show. I want to see the final product!

gt.com: you'll be appearing in the movie "Orange County" early next year. tell us more about that.

BRET: I have a smaller role, but I play a really good friend of the main character, played by Colin Hanks [Tom Hanks' son]. I play Lonnie Munsack, a crazy surfer kid, the wild one who always goes after the biggest waves!

gt.com: did you know how to surf before you scored that gig?

BRET: I didn't! I got the call from my manager and she goes, "Orange County, the movie, wants to know if you know how to surf! Do you?" And I'm like "Yep, I do, I know how to surf!" When I heard I got the part, I ran out and got a surfboard and started surfing all the time. I did okay, but when it came time to shoot the movie, I didn't even need to surf at all! They had a stunt double from Hawaii doing all the surfing!

gt.com: doh! okay, what was the driving force to convince you to come to L.A. in your senior year of high school? any regrets?

BRET: I don't have any [regrets], actually. My acting coach really persuaded me -- we had been juggling with the idea for awhile. I had most of my classes done anyway, and what I didn't finish I could "study abroad." It was really scary to leave before everyone else, not go to college...I got a teeny apartment in the ghetto part of L.A. I lived off of Top Ramen soup for a year!

gt.com: not too different from the dorm life! do you have plans to go to college?

BRET: I've been wrestling with the idea of taking classes on the weekends. I've always wanted to keep studying, but it's tough when you're working 12 to 14 hours a day. I was thinking maybe I could do a night class, but even with that, you never know when you'll be doing exterior shots at night for a movie. So I've been looking at taking one business course on the weekends!

gt.com: put our readers in your shoes. what's it *really* like to be an actor and call Hollywood home?

BRET: It's the most amazing job! For me, it's the greatest thing...exactly what I've always wanted to do. My dream come true! But that's for me, because I have such a passion for it. And I advise people that if they truly want something that bad, go for it, don't let anything stop you. But at the same time, just because I think it's great, doesn't mean the next person does. You don't want to go into the acting business for the wrong reasons, otherwise you'd just be wasting your time. There are so many people out there. It's tough to break into!

gt.com: has it been harder for you to meet women as an actor, or has it made it easier?

BRET: I've had a girlfriend through the whole thing, so I've kinda steered clear of this. But I can imagine it's easier! There's a lot of parties and celebrity events you get invited to with people your age.

gt.com: what's something important you have learned about showbusiness in the past year?

BRET: To focus -- and I'm still learning this now! To be focused on what you've got going on now, instead of trying to jump to the next thing. Actors are always trying to get the next movie or that next big break, and I keep reminding myself how lucky I am right now to have a sitcom to work on everyday. I'm so thankful for that. I think it's very important to live for today.

gt.com: good point! what do you do when you step away from the limelight?

BRET: I go to Portland and see all my old friends, I play guitar, hang out with my roommate in Los Angeles. He's a musician and has a big recording studio set up in our dining room right now, so we're always jamming away and playing guitars. Just having fun, hanging with friends!

gt.com: do we foresee a switch from acting to music?

BRET: Maybe, I hope so! It's more of a hobby right now -- I used to have a band in high school, and I still play with my roommate, but maybe a long time away.

gt.com: okay, rockstar -- back to the acting. if you were given the choice to work with *any* actor -- dead or alive -- who would take the spotlight with you?

BRET: Probably Tom Hanks! He's the man, such a great actor! I've had the pleasure of working with his son Colin, but not him...yet!

gt.com: what's a television show currently airing that you watch religiously but are afraid to admit?

BRET: Dismissed on MTV...everyone's like, "That show is so lame," but I catch myself just watching it like, "Oh god, that is so embarrassing." Either that or Temptation Island!

gt.com: speaking of those...what are your views on reality television, like Survivor?

BRET: I honestly don't watch that much television. I'm kinda bummed out that it's taking away from acting, but at the same time, I think it's a flash-in-the-pan. It won't stay for very long. But a lot of people are really into Survivor, and I think a few of the shows really work. I think L.A. is going a little too crazy with them, saying that it's going to be all reality on television. I think that's stupid, you know? Sitcoms and episonics are where it all started.

gt.com: what do you have planned for the holiday season?

BRET: I'm going back to L.A. on December 13th, and I stay there for a week to shoot an episode [of Grounded for Life], and I come back to Portland the 19th to be with my family. I love coming back to Portland for the holidays, because it's a bit colder; there's more of a season change here in Oregon.

gt.com: as an actor, you must travel a lot. have the attacks of September 11th influenced your mode of transportation?

BRET: I had a fear of flying before this happened! At the same time, though, I don't think we need to stop our lives -- we need to keep going. I do fly from Portland to L.A. a lot, but every time I go on the plane, I get nervous!

gt.com: anything you want to say to your fans?

BRET: Keep your head up and go for your dreams!

gt.com: very inspirational! thanks for the chat!