Biography

Jeremiah O’Brian is a faculty member at the USC School of Dramatic Arts. His exceptionally diverse background – from gritty nuts-and-bolts firefighting to film and theatre credits and accolades – is bolstered by his several graduate degrees, including an MFA from the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television and will be, in the near future, pursuing a Masters in Entrepreneurship (MSIE) at the Marshall School of Business at USC. Among his colleagues, mentors, and friends are Mel Shapiro, David Bridel, Jean-Louis Rodrigue, Bobby Morseco, Larry Moss, Antwone Fisher, Alfred Molina and the late, great Gil Cates.

O’Brian’s passion is working in the community, especially his own community of Compton and Long Beach. He conceived, wrote and performed his graduate thesis about Father Greg Boyle and Homeboy Industries, located in East L.A. There, he has tutored ‘homies’ fresh out of gangs, prison or jail working towards a new life beyond the neighborhood. It is O’Brian’s great joy and privilege in life to pay forward his good fortune in education and entertainment by helping to provide similar opportunities to others, especially those who are on the “downside of advantage.”