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Known for his quirky characterizations, Bottrell is probably best known for playing the creepy “Lincoln Meyer” on season three of “Boston Legal”. Other memorable work includes recurring and guest star work on such shows as “Modern Family”, “FBI: Most Wanted”, “Law and Order (2022)”, “The Blacklist”, “Rectify”, “Law and Order: SVU”, “Longmire”, “Mad Men”, “Justified”, “True Blood”, “NCIS”, “Criminal Minds”, “Castle”, “iCarly”, and “Days of Our Lives”. A former off-Broadway actor & playwright, his critically-acclaimed one-man show, “David Dean Bottrell Makes Love: A One-Man Show” consistently plays to sold-out audiences on both coasts.
How long have you been a part of the industry?
I can’t believe it, but I’ve been in this business for almost forty years now. It sure doesn’t seem that long. It’s been such an ever-evolving adventure, it feels like it all started yesterday.
What inspired you to pursue acting?
I guess luck is the best answer. I was very lucky because I had “early entry” into the industry. I was still in acting school when I got my first professional job. I was suddenly working with truly great people. They inspired me to see how far I could go in the industry. They also inspired me to try other avenues like writing, directing, and producing. Thank God they did. I’ve been very blessed that I’ve been able to make my living doing things that I LOVE to do.
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What work are you most proud of recently?
I’m proud of almost everything I’ve done, but at the moment, I’m really proud of this storytelling show I’ve been doing called DAVID DEAN BOTTRELL MAKE LOVE: A ONE-MAN SHOW. It started a few years ago in LA and it’s now playing a limited engagement in New York at the Triad Theater. It’s entirely made up of unfortunately true (and very funny) love stories from my life. It’s this wonderful merger of my personal and artistic life. I’m so grateful that it’s been so well received by critics and audiences. I’m playing in NYC through June 1st (Wednesday nights only). Tickets are available at TriadNYC.com
What advice would you give to folks in the industry?
Stay interested in the work. Stay curious about what might yet happen. Work harder than your peers. Keep learning. Find joy in the work. Never compare yourself or your career with others. That will kill your creativity faster than cyanide.
How do you stay motivated and active in your career?
Obviously, like all artists, I need to make a living. In my case, I mostly pay the bills by acting on TV. Some of that work is wonderful and very, very fulfilling. Some of it is not so exciting, but I’m grateful for it anyway. It’s my job, my responsibility to find or create work that I care about. Bitterness, jealousy, and sadness don’t tend to inspire good work. They are “weeds” that need to be pulled out of the garden as soon as I become aware of them. They do nothing but steal energy from what might happen next. Being an artist is a challenging job, but it can also be an amazing job if viewed in the right context.
What are you working on now?
In addition to the storytelling show. I’m working on some pitches for a few TV shows that I’ll hopefully get some traction on when I’m in Los Angeles in June with DAVID DEAN BOTTRELL MAKES LOVE: A ONE-MAN SHOW. I’m also about to start my first-ever novel. My first non-fiction book, WORKING ACTOR was published by Random House in 2019. It was a lovely experience. My novel is based on a true experience involving my family. It’s wonderfully dark and also funny.
Where can we learn more about you?
I try to keep an active social media presence on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram, but I also have a website: WorkingActorTheBook.com. I’m going to try to do a better job keeping it updated, I swear! I also have a new YouTube channel that has some fun stuff on it.
