Collin College alumnus and actor Andy Bean is part of a star-filled cast of It: Chapter Two, the sequel to the 2017 film based on the Stephen King novel, which came out in theaters on Sept. 6.
Bean attended Collin College from 2003-2005 and was part of the theater program at the college. Bean was in numerous Collin productions such as The Horton Foote Trilogy, The Shape of Things, and The Time of Your Life.
Bean has gone on to act in various projects in Hollywood such as Poor Boy, Power, Here and Now, and Swamp Thing, now available for streaming on DC Universe.
Cougar News recently spoke with Bean about his time at Collin College, his career, and his upcoming projects.
Where are you from?
I was born in Chicago but raised in Carrollton, Texas.
How did you first get into acting?
I got into theater through my sister who was a stage manager for our high school. I was a techie/carpenter for years and fell in love with the theater from the wings. The acting thing came out of a joke/promise of a free hotel room if a friend and I entered this acting tournament. We just wanted a break from bolting sets down, and the idea of some school-paid, extravagant weekend sojourn at a Holiday Inn in Granbury was too good to pass up. We randomly picked a play and did it. We happily surprised ourselves, and I’ve continued that trend for years, fooling everyone I meet that I actually know what I’m doing.
What brought you to Collin College?
When I was in high school, I saw a Collin College production called Sideman by Warren Leight and it was a lightbulb, benchmark moment for me. I was blown away. I wanted to do what they just did up there.
Other than the chance to act, what were your favorite aspects of Collin College?
I enjoyed the community of like-minded artistic individuals. In the theater wing, we very much had a family vibe.
How did Collin College help you in your aspirations to become an actor? What aspects of your training at Collin College do you go back to in your current work?
My professors were of such high caliber, as teachers, professionals, and human beings. They created this beautiful incubator for any artist who wanted to dive deep and experience and learn. Making theater here felt like making magic. I try to remember that.
Were there any professors that really made a positive impact for you?
There were many. That was the allure of the school. The amazing force that is Robin Armstrong, who directed me in my first production, promoted unbridled joy and precision. Shannon Kearns, Craig “Yo” Erickson, Tom Hull, and of course, the one and only Gail Cronauer. She is it. I learned more from her than she’ll ever know. She turned it from “the thing” you did to “the thing” you are.
Did you attend any other schools after Collin College?
I attended the acting conservatory at SUNY Purchase in New York.
Which of your projects are you most proud of and why?
I am proud of all of them. They were kind enough to let me [act].
Talk about your most recent project coming up, It: Chapter Two. What was it like to be part of that production?
It felt like I was rectifying some past trauma from the first time I experienced the TV movie as a kid, which did not go over well with my imagination. To portray one of the Losers in this Stephen King classic was really cool to say the least, surreal even. We shot in Toronto for close to three months. Everyone involved is such an incredible talent, a delight to be around. I am very lucky.