Andrew Keegan: 7th Heaven, 10 Things I Hate About You, Teen Heartthrob

Added: 2026-05-12

[00:00:01]This is the McBride Rewind, the show that takes you down memory lane with your host Josh McBride.

[00:00:08]>> Josh McBride. McBride.

[00:00:10]>> Welcome to the McBride Rewind today.

[00:00:12]Very excited to have somebody who shaped the late 90s into the early 2000s. Some would say a heartthrob. Most would say a heartthrob of the time, maybe continuously a heartthrob. Andrew Keegan, welcome to the McBride Rewind.

[00:00:23]>> Thank you for having me. very excited to have you here because I think when we think about late 90s, early 2000s, I think people immediately go to your face.

[00:00:31]>> Well, I [laughter] I'm sure there's other faces as well, but I appreciate >> I but but when you think about your career and the shows and the movies that shaped sort of the millennial childhood, right? I'm a millennial. You continually pop up from Seventh Heaven to Camp Nowhere to 10 Things I Hate About You to Full House to to and the list goes on and on. Party of five like we still come back to you.

[00:00:54]>> It's interesting. I was I was popping into a lot of different worlds during that time as you mentioned uh all of those shows all of the the films that I've done. It was an interesting I would say about a 10year period of time which I got to kind of see that and of course we all kind of grew up together considering that people were watching these shows and movies. Uh it was an interesting time. Obviously, things are so different now for uh the generation that's coming up, but we had a pretty special moment in history, and that's I guess why we're talking about it.

[00:01:27]>> Yeah. What was your first job? Like, was it a was it a TV show? Like your absolute first job? A lot of people start in commercials. Or was it print modeling because you did a bit of that, too. And >> I did that as well. Actually, there's a I want to say Sears Robux with me. It was print and I was probably two, three years old and in the same photo is Jalia White at about four or five years old.

[00:01:50]So that technically would be something I guess would be the first. I think I did my first commercial when I was four >> and then the first what I consider acting >> 11 12 ironically I had forgotten about this but I they just started shooting Baywatch again in my neighborhood in Venice, California. And I did that at about 12 13 maybe 13. I should look it up. So that would probably have been one of my first like TV jobs.

[00:02:15]>> Did you ever have a job that was outside of TV or film or acting?

[00:02:20]>> Okay. So this is interesting. When the stri the strike, not the last one, but the the one before that, I started um I was a surf coach. Someone had to I'm a surfer and they said, "Hey, you know, you can make some pretty good money for two two three hours of work." So I started, you know, surfing. Take him out and take him for a surf. Did people go, I know him from somewhere?

[00:02:41]>> It it happened a few times. I mean, but it was through someone else. So, on the on the few occasions someone would realize what was happening or who I was, it was it but there was nothing going on. I'm like, "Hey, I'm an actor.

[00:02:54]Everyone's on strike. So, this is all I got to offer." So, that was my most real job, I guess.

[00:02:58]>> That's amazing.

[00:02:59]>> Yeah.

[00:02:59]>> Did you want teen fame?

[00:03:02]>> You know, again, I started really young.

[00:03:05]I don't know that I even understood what what fame was or what necessarily I was doing. You know, I'm a kind of person, hey, we want you to come do a photo shoot. Okay, great. You know, teen magazines. Little did I know what really came with it, you know. Um, so I don't remember the idea of fame being important as much as the idea of working and getting to get out of school.

[00:03:30]>> Yeah.

[00:03:30]>> You know, like, hey, it's like that felt good. Like, hey, I'm going to work with adults. I'm going to get to do this thing that I'm passionate about. My dad came to LA to be an actor and did act as well. So, it felt like, you know, making my parents proud, getting out of school.

[00:03:46]These were the things that were important to me.

[00:03:48]>> Fame was overwhelming when that started to happen. The fan mail was a a big thing. Of course, everything's social media now. Everyone sending you DMs, but back then, it was literally thousands of letters. the poor the poor post office.

[00:04:01]They used to have those those, you know, mail carrier crates. We have to go almost every week to take one or two of them from from and they would be mad like, "Hey, you got a bunch of mail here. We're in the middle of the valley in California." It's like, "We don't want to store this." And >> it would get sent to your house.

[00:04:16]>> No, no, no. To the PO box.

[00:04:17]>> PO box, right? That's a little >> No, no, no, no, no, no. It was the PO box. That's what I'm saying. The PO box.

[00:04:22]So, that you know, that was an era when people still wrote letters.

[00:04:25]>> When was the jump off point? Was it Camp Nowhere? I think it was Camp Nowhere.

[00:04:29]Well, like I said, you know, somewhere between Oh gosh, memories. U I you know, Baywatch somewhere within all of that, the teen magazine thing happened. I think it might have been some of the guest stars even even I think Camp Nowhere was the Yeah, Camp Nowhere would have been the first like studio film that I did. So, definitely after that, after that, then whichever guest star roles I did, >> I could tell in our house, Camp Nowhere was a huge one. My brother's only a year and a half older, so we grew up relatively at the same time, two grades older, but we grew up at the same time.

[00:04:57]So we watch Camp Nowhere on on repeat. I was telling him that you were coming on the podcast and he goes money mud >> money mud >> which is like only those that would watch that remember that and I was like my brother is special and >> so I have a 10-year-old daughter just this is for your brother and she watched the movie and she does that to me. Looks at me she goes money mud. I was like >> awesome.

[00:05:18]>> Talk to me about where where did you guys shoot that?

[00:05:20]>> We shot that in LA. We were um at the Placerita Canyon, which is where they did like the Dukes of Hazard and House on the Prairie, so it's considered the Disney Ranch. We uh we also just filmed around LA for the rest of it, but mostly on the ranch.

[00:05:35]>> And what's so crazy, and I was actually talking about it with our our staff here before, is uh Christopher Lloyd was in that movie, and he had just come off Back to the Future.

[00:05:44]>> That's right. Right. About a couple years later.

[00:05:46]>> Yeah. I mean, it's funny because at the time it What What year are we?

[00:05:50]>> It was like 94 93 that you did Camp Nowhere.

[00:05:52]>> 93. Yeah. So, not too far. Yeah. Not too long after.

[00:05:54]>> So, I was thinking about like coming in as this sort of new guy that's, you know, ex technically you because this is your first studio film and then working with somebody who had had sort of all of this fame and huge movies of Back to the Future and Back to the Future 2. You know, what was was that just amazing to have the I guess ability to work with him? I think for him it was not that great [laughter] in the in the senses of >> they were [ __ ] kids.

[00:06:18]>> That's what I mean. Like and in fairness, you know, you can understand that. He was very kind. We had a great time. But it was uh it was very cool of course for for us as the kids working with someone that's such an icon.

[00:06:30]>> Yeah.

[00:06:30]>> You know, to to kind of come full circle to be here now and doing doing a play that I'm doing and kind of referring to this reason we're talking like having iconicness with my career. It's kind of an interesting beginning point to the point that we're at now.

[00:06:45]>> That role really sort of set you up to be this because you were sort of like kind of a bully, sort of the heartthrob all the girls liked.

[00:06:55]Did you know that that was the role you were going for?

[00:06:58]>> I think in a lot of ways, you know, the this craft is is it's both bringing yourself, your your your mind, body, and spirit to the role, being authentic, if you will. Um, and there are elements of that character that are that are me. I think what is super important is, you know, being empathetic even as a bully or as a character that does things that are traditionally known as bad. But it's like I don't believe that there are bad people. I think people do bad things, but that doesn't mean they're bad people. So, how can you continue to bring that level of heart and authenticity to the character and and be yourself in in the senses of the character?

[00:07:39]>> Is that sort of when all of like I feel like everybody remembers you from a cutout, right? Like they like ripped out a page in Team Beat or they ripped out a page in J14. Like is that when all that sort of the opportunity to shoot all that came was after that movie >> after Camp Nowhere? Yeah, absolutely.

[00:07:56]that that was the big that was the moment when I think uh the career was the beginning of it solidifying if you will but being of that age about 16 uh and then the offers to come do a photo shoot which again not knowing what was coming with it thinking oh okay great they just want me to come do a photo shoot I'm an actor I'll do a photo shoot um of course there's some of those photos out there where they're like yeah why don't you just you know take your shirt off and I'm like sure I'm a surfer I'm at the beach all the time. I mean, I'm like 15 years old. It's embarrassing now.

[00:08:30]They're out there. I mean, maybe there's a day I can figure out how to scrub them all, but >> I don't know if that's going to happen.

[00:08:35]>> I don't I don't know. I don't know.

[00:08:36]>> Working on and we talked about it a little bit on Full House and on Baywatch and on uh Step by Step and and so many more. Sabrina, the Teenage Wedge and Party of Five.

[00:08:46]>> Was there a favorite to work on? We had Jodie Sweden obviously on the podcast and and she's a close friend. And I I remember the episode that you guys did together just from TGIF, you know, and and so many of these shows. You were seen so much across these different shows that made up so many of our our childhood.

[00:09:01]>> And also keep in mind that I was a fan at the time as well.

[00:09:04]>> That was my other question was like, did were you watching these shows regularly anyways?

[00:09:08]>> Oh yeah, absolutely. I mean it was like you said TGIF and all all the little splash commercials. Super excit. So, I mean, it was quite exciting to be a guest star on a show like Full House. In fact, what's interesting about that one is that episode that we shot was their very last, like the last one that they ever filmed. It didn't come in that sequence. I think it was two before the finale. So, however they um however they reordered or sort of played them was different, but it was literally there. I was there and watching this show of I think seven years and this cast and crew kind of have their final curtain call.

[00:09:41]Uh, so I guess in that sense being a part of that, but yet I also was never a regular on anything. The closest I think I got to was Seventh Heaven as reoccurring, >> right, >> back and forth. There was an opportunity to continue on that. I think it was just just after Jessica um Jessica Beal left and I and I just had that moment of like, what am I going to do on this show if she's not there?

[00:10:07]>> You played her boyfriend. I played her boyfriend and she was moving on to her acting career. So I I had opted to not continue and unfortunately like I think I think it would have been fun to do a little bit more at that time but you know you look back on it and make decisions going to go with it you know.

[00:10:22]>> Was there a favorite show amongst those shows at least before we get to Seventh Heaven that you that you were like this is just a great like this is I love this show. I watch it every week anyways at that time.

[00:10:32]>> Party of Five. Party of Five was really my jam and to be on that show was so cool. I mean the it was just a the vibe of that show, the drama. So I remember being on that show just thinking how how I'd really kind of gotten to a level to be able to be playing a guest star on this show reoccurring on that show actually.

[00:10:50]>> Did you continue when you when Okay, so I guess we're going to go a couple more years and then when you made it to Seventh Heaven and it was I think you did over 20 episodes I read there.

[00:10:56]>> Yeah, I think 20. Yeah.

[00:10:58]>> So that was almost a series regular I guess.

[00:11:00]>> Well reoccurring. So that was over four seasons I think. So I did seven seven or eight a year. Was that a show you always wanted to be on also? And did you know at the time that you were going for a role that was sort of consistent?

[00:11:13]>> It was a really I think it was >> on really one-offs, right? For the most part.

[00:11:16]>> Yeah. Aside from Party of Five. I mean, it's kind of interesting how things happen. I was doing Party of Five and Seventh Heaven at the same time. So, I booked both jobs. And so, it became kind of a bit of a conflict, if you will, scheduling wise because two shows, two different parts of the city. So I it was had two different productions kind of like we need him this day. No, we need him this day. So I was kind of like being run around town, you know. Seventh Heaven was a a different style. It was very um by the book. I remember one of the directors was a director from Gunsmoke. Gunsmoke was a show like the longest running TV series from like the 40s, 50s, 50s, 60s. Um I think it ran for like 20 years. So, you know, we had a, you know, that level of, you know, directing and and everything was just, like I said, by the book. Um, but I think I, like I said earlier, like I really enjoyed the cast on Party of Five as I mean, but all of it was great. You know, I don't have anything bad to say other than, like I said, I just enjoyed Party of Five. It was on the Sony lot in LA and you know Nav Campbell and Jennifer Love Hwitt and the It was I guess more of like a vibe that I was kind of into if you will at that at that age.

[00:12:30]>> Did you have to audition for each of these roles regardless? Oh yeah, >> you did.

[00:12:34]>> And did they call you in because they had seen you on the other projects a lot of the time?

[00:12:39]>> I mean I think that you know however at that time your name kind of rises to the top and it continues to happen. Your relevancy is important for different reasons. There's a trust in what you do as an actor. There's a value to your name, you know, i.e. the teen magazines.

[00:12:57]And uh, of course, that stuff cons continues, you know, to this day with how the system works, if you will.

[00:13:04]>> I asked Jod this question because I thought it was really important and like I can ask her horrible things also. Um, because we're that close. Do you do and and her answer was yes. Because you were a co- was it a co-star guest star audience? reoccurring.

[00:13:17]>> So hers is obviously different on Full House, but like do you get good residual checks because of all these things continuously running?

[00:13:23]>> I think it's really funny because I'll get different shows obviously, but I'll get 1 cent checks. It cost like 40 cents to send.

[00:13:30]>> Will it say the pro the the project >> in the Yeah. In the back log of it, it'll say which project. I don't I probably didn't even look at which project it was because of course one cent. It's not worth my time to look.

[00:13:41]>> You're right. I get it.

[00:13:42]>> Um but yeah, we get residuals. You know, I think 10 things are probably the biggest checks still, but there are >> obviously Yeah, >> there are still there are still residuals that come from all those shows. Yeah, they're just, you know, $10, 20, 50, 80. Right. So, >> having been when you were doing Seventh Heaven over the course of many seasons, was there people that you hung out with the most on that because it sort of become became this family? Um, so Jessica uh Beal and I had known each other actually before even she had auditioned or maybe when she was auditioning for it right right around that time like right when she came to LA. So we were friends throughout and you know we lived in the same area. So you know as far as the other cast I mean some were younger, some were older. So other than Jess I didn't necessarily have any real relationships with the other cast. I think seeing them later we went to a a 90s con and so getting to see the younger ones David and McKenzie grown up like it's wild because like last time I saw you you were like 10 or nine and seeing you know seeing them as adults all wonderful people.

[00:14:48]>> Had you only kept in touch with Jess at that point?

[00:14:50]>> I actually I I haven't seen Jess in probably a decade. I mean you know time has gone by and it's like >> everybody has their own life.

[00:14:58]>> Oh yeah. She's you know she's got a different life. I, you know, my life is very simple. I'm in Venice Beach. I I surf. I play volleyball. But of course, if we saw each other, it would be a big hug and, you know, great to see you.

[00:15:09]>> I think what was so great about Seventh Heaven, beyond the fact that it was Appointment TV, right? And it was for in our house, and again, we're it was two millennials, uh, we fell in love with the characters, but also fell in love with the idea of what family looked like, right? and the characters and each sort of, you know, there's there's there's always uh part that goes viral on social where she talks about uh who was the mom on Seventh Heaven?

[00:15:34]>> Uh C the name of the character, the mom, Cath.

[00:15:37]>> Yeah. Mrs. Camden, we'll call her, where she brings up the marijuana and like people make it such a big deal and it was such a big deal at the time, right?

[00:15:44]But in in I have to also say that when everything had come out about Steven Collins about uh admitting to obviously assaulting three girls, it was heartbreaking as a former viewer because you were like that is like everybody's dad almost like how Danny Tanner was in in Full House. And I think probably being on set and knowing him or having having done scenes with him, you probably internalize that maybe a little bit different than the viewers when we found out about it.

[00:16:13]>> Yeah. You know, it's interesting doing this off Broadway play here and kind of the play being about the industry. Um, what's good about it, what's not good about it. There's a part in the play with one of the other characters kind of says, you know, look, we're here with with the intention to to do our job to to, you know, create what we've created.

[00:16:35]And it's just it is just unfortunate how things have transpired, what things do, but we're, you know, it's like we're not responsible for it. And it it's it is does tarnish the the memory of what uh what we all did together of course and it's it is unfortunate and at the same time it's like you know [snorts] life kind of goes on and you just kind of chalk it up to life is not always doesn't always make sense.

[00:17:01]>> Yeah. Yeah. Did you I feel like I read in an interview that you said you were leaving Hollywood at one point. Did [snorts] you ever officially announce like I'm done acting. I'm done doing it.

[00:17:11]It's not that you ever leave. It's just that, you know, Hollywood kind of does in some situations leave you. And it and I'm not chasing it. You know, I have a life. I have a wonderful life. I I you know, at 20ome years old, moved to Venice Beach, as I mentioned earlier, and I play volleyball and I surf and I have a business and and I do work. I have a actually another film that's coming out this year called Mandate. Um, and uh, it's a comedy and I I have, you know, so it's like you you work when it's appropriate. You know, doing this play is is a passion project. Being on stage, first time on off on an off Broadway play, being challenged, you know, I was talking about this earlier, too. It's like the the the muscle of acting, you know, you know, reworking it and kind of doing it in this way in in front of a live audience is just the most thrilling kind of experience as as it relates to being an actor. So, I'm getting to do that literally tonight, tomorrow night, and from there, where it goes, it goes.

[00:18:08]>> Yeah. Uh, we haven't really touched much on 10 things, but we obviously have to.

[00:18:12]Uh, what a staple in so many people's lives, right? like and it's it's you I don't you probably get exhausted talking about it just like an artist might get exhausted singing the same song that they made in 2001 but it really has had this huge resurgence of fans from then who can remember every line to now where people are just watching it for the first time and like falling in love with it must be a good feeling >> as a parent of a 10-year-old what I always find really uh fun is when a a parent and their child are are sharing in the joy of this film, right? Meaning, like I get a lot of calls like people that I haven't heard from in, you know, 15, 20 years. Hey, man. Um, I'm here with my my 15-year-old daughter and her friends and, you know, they're watching 10 things. Can you say hi? And, you know, the the fact that this movie has been so timeless and a new generation can appreciate it the same way that the parent did. It's like we've done something that actually, you know, brings a parent and a child together to watch, you know, a Shakespearean inspired film. So >> what made it so popular at the time?

[00:19:15]Like I I I could tell you why I love it, but what do you think as the person that was in it? You know, what made it so popular at the time and then also having this resurgence, >> you know, it's just one of those things.

[00:19:26]I mean, uh, as it relates to the craft of film making, it's when everything just works together. It's like magic and that's what you're looking for. We had a great cast, we had great music, a great location, a great script. Always starts with the script. great writers, Karen and and Kiwi. And when your cast is great and talented, it it it it all just worked. It just really worked on that film.

[00:19:50]>> What do you remember most about shooting it?

[00:19:52]>> Let's see. We all sh We were all in this hotel. I want to say it was a It wasn't a Mary. I don't want If I say If I say the name of it, >> we're not sponsored by Mary.

[00:20:02]>> I was about to say we don't want to put any hotels in in any trouble. Um we we al you know, the cast got together. I mean, I've told this story before. We went, you know, we went to the top. They actually ended up putting us all together on one floor because we would we would smoke weed, you know, and we got high together and had a great time.

[00:20:21]Um, and we bonded. And I think being in Tacoma, Washington at the time, there was no other thing going on around us.

[00:20:30]So, we just had a hotel and the work that we were doing for whatever four or five weeks. But yeah, I think ultimately, you know, and of course Heath being who he is and um how how I mean he was like just when he came on set, he was the last to arrive. When he arrived it was just like okay this totally makes sense. The same joy that we shared off camera came across on camera and you know he that was his first film in the states he had not done anything. we didn't know who he was and of course of who he became. It's so, you know, so wonderful to have had that moment in time, you know, as an artist to be working with him and the whole cast.

[00:21:09]>> What do you remember the most about him?

[00:21:10]Because obviously, I'm sure that that was as it was heartbreaking for all of us who didn't know him personally. You did and you worked with him side by side in a lot of scenes and probably off camera like you just mentioned. Like what's the one memory you'll take with you that you'll cherish from working with you later?

[00:21:24]>> More than that, we spent once we once we finished the film, he came to LA. So, we spent a whole year together. You know, I I don't even think Trevor was out. His best friend, I think, was who's a a dear friend of mine, you know, has continued to be. And I think I talked to him yesterday. You know, spending time just going around LA, you know, you know, we went to I think it was Newport at one point. I was dating this singer at the time. So, I have so many memories. I actually, you know, the film is is hardly what I remember. It was more like spending a year, you know, working on auditions or, you know, just we just ran around. It seemed like every day. That's that that's what I really appreciate.

[00:22:04]It's kind of knowing him that whole year after 10 things, but really before he did anything else.

[00:22:10]>> Tough one to lose for sure.

[00:22:11]>> Yeah. Yeah. But at the same time, it's so interesting because he did so much.

[00:22:15]There's a documentary that we all went to that they put together and it's like so interesting. I didn't realize how prolific he was as an artist, whether it was painting, photography. I mean, I remember he was taking photos at the time, which of which I would I they're out there. I know I think they're, you know, they're doing I think they're doing a museum in Perth of all of his work. So hopefully one day I'll get to see if any of those any of the photos of me are in there somewhere.

[00:22:41]>> That's awesome. Do you think a movie like 10 Things could be remade today?

[00:22:45]And would you even be part of it?

[00:22:47]>> I think they've actually tried. I think they did a show and maybe a couple times now. Um, I don't I don't think so. I don't think so. I think, you know, sometimes things shouldn't be remade.

[00:22:58]Uh, if they did, I mixed feelings. I did I did hear they're looking to do a a Broadway show on it. That's different.

[00:23:05]That's different. I think that'd be >> Would you be interested in that?

[00:23:08]>> I would be. I would be. I mean, doing off Broadway now. Um, I just don't know that there, you know, I think the roles would probably be for a younger, you know, teenage cast, if you will. So, >> but incorporating you some way would be >> maybe, maybe.

[00:23:22]>> Did you feel at the time that you were typ casted in a certain way?

[00:23:26]>> Was that ever a thought that went through? Because I feel like so many actors get sort of tied up in this like one role that they sort of like replicate across whether it's different shows or whether it's as either the bully or the victim or the whatever. Did you ever feel like that? I think I was fortunate enough actually to go from show to show and actually play different characters. I mean, you know, um, in Seventh Heaven, I was actually like a single dad, kind of a sweet guy, uh, you know, Party of Five, a jock, and then, of course, the earlier characters were, you know, bad boy characters.

[00:23:58]>> We had a biracial storyline on the show Moisha. So, in a sense, it was it would be I think type casting is more related to being one character for six seasons on one show. That's where you kind of get the audience kind of knows you as one character. I was always on different shows, different characters. So, I don't know that I was ever typ casted for that reason.

[00:24:20]>> Okay. Well, I guess that's a good thing because who would want to fall into like that kind of trap of feeling like that?

[00:24:24]Also, >> I mean, listen, at the same time, being a serious regular meant you were making some serious money. So, you know, it's a trade-off. I I was getting, you know, guest star uh uh payments which aren't the same.

[00:24:36]>> Right. Right. Uh I want to ask this question because you've cleared this up so many times and I wanted it to be cleared up here. Do you know what I'm going to ask you?

[00:24:44]>> I have a feeling.

[00:24:45]>> Yeah. But I [snorts] had a friend who I said, "Oh, you know, uh Andrew Keegan's coming on on the podcast." And she said to me, what do you think she do you know what she said to me?

[00:24:54]>> It's cult related.

[00:24:56]>> Correct. She goes, "Oh, he started a cult." I was like, "No, he didn't. I don't think he started a cult." And when you go online, it's like one of the first things and it's Andrew Keegan started a cult in 2014, 2012, 2014 called Full Circle, but there's a stigma against what you did. And it feels like you started a community. Now, look, I didn't go deep diving into what this was. And I watched some videos and I watched there was a special that was done on it. I think ABC did the special.

[00:25:20]Was it ABC?

[00:25:20]>> Yeah.

[00:25:21]>> And can you just set the record straight? Is it really It wasn't really a cult, was it? It was a spirit like I led a spiritual community in the heart of Venice and yeah it was called full circle the press can you know say any you create any headline it's clickbait again a big part a big theme there's a lot of [ __ ] out there you know you do a good thing you you bring people together sure it's a church I'm an actor sure there are some horrific stories around people handling control and power and spirituality in the wrong way that is not at what it was. So, you know, it's it's it's unfair with the definition of what a cult is, but cult is also the core word for culture. And Venice is is is a culturally diverse and culturally rich area, but spirituality can mean a lot of things to people and it's important. Uh we had a saying at the temple, it's uh it's it's uh it's it's not serious, it's important. you know, people should look deep into themselves as they're, you know, growing uh in life to, you know, to heal because we all, you know, we've all had traumas and it was just a it was very simple in a lot of ways was just getting people together. You know, the more we're disconnected with devices and technology, the more we're missing what we're like what are what we really are, which is like we're we're a village, we're a community. So, we were we were based on a book that was about building community. So in in a lot of ways it was just a very cool you know community center.

[00:26:52]>> Did you feel like you didn't have community in your life and that's why you decided to start this?

[00:26:57]>> I mean I think you know growing up you know in the industry you you would have but again like I said I was never a regular or anything so I couldn't really like lean into what Seventh Heaven was for Jessica Beal and everybody else in the cast or any of these shows. So I kind of came I was always a little bit of an outsider. I don't know if it was as much as I missed like missed out on it as much as I just craved [snorts] the idea of like and and Venice was really inspiring for me too at that time. There was a lot going on. This was just after the Occupy movement. So, we were kind of there group of people and was like, "Oh, there's a place. Let's keep doing this."

[00:27:32]So, that would probably have been the more of the inspiration was was the Occupy movement.

[00:27:37]>> It seems like how you clear it up. Thank God because it's so much out there and I feel like a lot of people ask you that question and they always go cult and we we assume cult is negative, right? [clears throat] >> A lot of the times it is. Let's be honest.

[00:27:49]>> Yeah. No, it is. I agree.

[00:27:51]>> That you were looking for connection.

[00:27:53]Yeah.

[00:27:53]>> And for people around and in a story you every people used to walk in and they you guys say I love you and they say I love you back. I was watching this whole thing.

[00:28:02]>> Yeah.

[00:28:03]>> And it just it looks like it looks like community.

[00:28:05]>> Yeah. But it I don't know that it was necessarily for me as much as like something that I recognized and was as much offering as receiving if that makes sense. Meaning like hey we created a safe space where you know it's a lot of work. It was very I put a lot of money into it just to support the idea and it it was three years a lot you know a lot of um people even to this day I get messages you know how it was such a great experience in their life and there's a lot of things from sound healing to yoga to meditation it could you know we did we did a thousand events in three years so we really offered a lot and the benefits like I said you know for those who who participated were great and kind of transition. It's like an opportunity to kind of look at life in a different way. What's really important? Is it important to have your corporate job and work until you, you know, get sick and then go on medicine?

[00:28:57]And it's like life is more than that.

[00:28:59]And that's kind of the whole point of it is, hey, let's just get together.

[00:29:02]>> Do you feel like having grown up in this industry that the industry really protects young stars or even exploits them?

[00:29:09]>> Like did you find or was it somewhere in the middle?

[00:29:11]>> I It's so hard because I think everybody's experience is so different, right? It's just or it's just like, you know, you call in reference to it being an industry, but it's just like the world. It's like one show could be great, another show could be terribly toxic. I've so I've seen it all similar to I'm sure what you've looked into as far as child star experiences. I happen to have a have had a perfectly fine experience. You know, um it's hard. You know, there was hard moments. There was hard people to work with, but nothing that I couldn't handle or that was outrageous in my experience.

[00:29:45]>> Thank Thank God for that.

[00:29:46]>> Thank God. No, I mean, like I said, and to those who had harder experiences or different kinds of trauma, like you know, it's it is unfortunate, but I also think it's it's uh representative in the world as much as it is in the industry.

[00:30:00]>> Obviously, social media doesn't didn't exist then as well. So, do you think had it existed then it would have been a a benefit to you or or not really? Cuz I feel like you were everywhere as is of the places that we could see you, we saw you on our small screen, we saw you on our big screen, we saw you in our magazines.

[00:30:16]>> Yeah. I mean, >> we saw you sort of everywhere as it was.

[00:30:19]>> It's kind of surreal. I as far as I I I want to be better at social media, if you will, but I do my best. I don't know that. I think what was important is at that time things were just so real and you know I wouldn't want to change that.

[00:30:34]>> Yeah. What does success look like to you now?

[00:30:37]>> I think being happy in your life, being happy in your own skin, just I mean I'm a father too, so like I'm a I'm a volleyball coach to my daughter's team.

[00:30:46]Um these things make me happy. Surfing, playing competitive volleyball and so that's kind of where I'm at in the moment. So I couldn't be happier. Is there anything else on the bucket list in terms of this entertainment world? Or maybe not. Maybe continuing to be a surf instructor.

[00:31:00]>> Just gota just got to win an Oscar.

[00:31:02]That's it.

[00:31:02]>> That That's it.

[00:31:03]>> That's it. That's it.

[00:31:04]>> That but you very open to movies still, studio films, the whole thing.

[00:31:08]>> Of course. Yeah. I think what's interesting about being an actor versus say an athlete is I think you just get better because you've had more life experience. You know, I can play a dad even more authentically than I did on Seventh Heaven. I played a dad on Seventh Heaven. Now I have a 10-year-old. So you actually know how you actually am a dad. I mean, they were handing me this kid and I'm just like, "Okay, buddy. Here we go. Okay. A It's my son." So, you know, again, of course, it was appropriate for the show at that time. I just do have a lot to offer and, you know, I think there are roles out there and and I'll, you know, be just just just as excited to do them now as I was then.

[00:31:47]>> Something in Marvel, right? Like get into the Marvel universe.

[00:31:49]>> It's a good idea, >> right? Like that's we good petition for that. You'd have the backing.

[00:31:54]>> I think so.

[00:31:54]>> You'd have the backing for that. What do you think like the biggest misconception about you is? And is it that you were a cult leader? Because I was just >> I was going to say you answered my own you you're answering your own questions.

[00:32:03]Do you need me here? Can I go now?

[00:32:04]>> If and I [snorts] asked you this kind of but if Camp Nowhere if uh if 10 Things I Hate About You wanted to do a sequel and maybe you wouldn't maybe you'd still be the same role of course, but maybe you're now the dad that's sending the kid to school. Would you be a part of that? I'd be open to it. I mean, like I said, we had said earlier, I think it's it it's tough to do 10 things for obvious reasons. Um, Camp Nowhere could be fun, actually. You know what I mean?

[00:32:30]To redo. Yeah. That that that I'd be very open to.

[00:32:33]>> You see a lot of these people because you do '90s con.

[00:32:36]>> I've done one.

[00:32:37]>> Okay.

[00:32:37]>> Um, so it's actually interesting because we're talking about stage. That was the first time for us who have done film and television in that era to actually meet fans in that kind of way. And also >> they didn't have meet and greets.

[00:32:51]>> They again I was not a part of that. I was a guest star so I didn't ever really get to interact that much. I think there were certain kind of events at the time like there was the upfronts and well I guess that was more business related.

[00:33:03]>> So but the thing is also to meet people who were fans of these shows now at this time in life it's different because they're doctors. They're this you know what I mean? They would come up and >> they weren't in high school and middle school.

[00:33:15]>> Yeah. They're not teenagers anymore. and to to actually have that one-on-one interaction where they're how how these shows and how this this affected their life. It's very interesting to go to those cons. They're a lot, you know, it's a lot to do, but it was as close to kind of meeting the audience that you know, you never met back then and it was great.

[00:33:36]>> But I'm sure you engage with fans at the time back then, especially because you probably couldn't have walked around amongst at least teenagers or malls or Right. Yeah. Yeah. I think like I said, it's just different. But yeah, that would happen. But it would be generally, you know, a bunch of girls screaming.

[00:33:53]They didn't have the capacity to really talk. It was more like, [screaming] >> right? Is it weird when people come up to you and being, you know, and I started the interview like this. Is it weird though when people come up to you and say how you shaped childhood for them because you were such a part of what they did and what they watched and what they read and what they saw? It's interesting because it's like so far in the past and it's great to be have have been a part of someone's life without actually having been a part of it other than having done that work.

[00:34:22]>> Um it is interest it's an interesting again like it's like this out-of body experience like >> I I I don't think about it often when that happens. I'm just you know I'm very grateful that I've had had I've had a good life essentially and at the same time it's not over. So, you know, what to do next? We will see.

[00:34:42]>> I think there I think the reason I asked that and the reason I wanted to do this podcast was because there was such a a >> the time of late 90s, early 2000s was so so different. I sound really I'm sound like I'm 38. But it was so different in TV and film. It was appointmentbased TV, right? If you caught TRL, you caught TRL. If not, you you'll try to catch it tomorrow. But there was a there was a >> part of it was calmer. It was easier. It was a lot more simple. So I think people like you and the people that we watched regularly, right, the Jodie Swedens of the world shaped us, which we obviously as adults took something from, right?

[00:35:20]Because these are the people that we watched as kids and we that's you're you're a sponge as a kid. You're learning so much as a kid. So I think that maybe is why people feel such a connection to you as an adult now.

[00:35:31]>> I actually appreciate you explaining it that way because I don't know that it computes for me that way. Well, we Yeah, I was home watching TV. You were making the TV, right? And so >> No, and at the same time, of course, watching also watching TV in that same time. Um, but yeah, I mean, again, it's it's interesting to hear you explain it because I don't know that I have those conversations very often either. It's like we're here talking about the past, if you will. Um, but again, it was a simpler time. I mean, I was also a kid who had a bike, didn't have a cell phone, didn't even have a computer in the house until I don't even know until I moved out at 16. So, you know, we had, you know, the phones were so they had the cords on them still. Um, it was it and like you said, you actually had to watch the t you actually watch the show when it was on. This was even before to which now to even DVR. They're they're gone. you know, we've watched the complete transition in how we consume media and um again, we you know, we feel that the this what's exciting to me is to to doing a a stage play is closer to that because it's real. It's in real time. You got to see it. I mean, yeah, there's a live stream, by the way. There is a live stream. Um but it's not the same. It's in it's in real life. The you know, I found out what IRL means. So, I guess that's it's a little IRL.

[00:36:54]>> Uh yeah. And again, you know, I it's it's interesting to, you know, think about all of that work and and and in my daily life, it's not something that is, you know, top of mind, if you will. And um, you know, it's uh yeah, I don't know. It's just like you're bringing me back, man. I'm like, >> but there is such a and >> see it's called rewind. I'm I'm in my head. I'm like literally going through >> you knew what you signed up for. I think for me it's comfort >> is is what why I wanted to do this podcast and why I wanted to have people like you on because we gained comfort from going to school and coming home and watching 10 Things I Hate About You and watching Full House and watching Sabrina the Teenage Witch and watching Moisha.

[00:37:38]We watched these things and they were our imaginary families that were, you know, at the time untouchable, right?

[00:37:45]Very untouchable people. We're never going to meet them. I grew up outside of Boston and so we'd watch it and we'd fall in love with the characters, but these characters also shaped us. So I think that's why and I was going to ask you what why do you think there is such a resurgence? For me there's such a resurgence of of this space and the people that created this space and I would call you one of the creators of this space is because of the comfort that characters like you gave us in that time and we miss those days. I mean, I probably also would imagine that a lot of credit goes to the writers and the producers and the directors. You know, we're a vessel. We take the material that we're given and we play the role and, you know, it's a great compliment and of course, so very appreciate the the sentiment and of course, you know, I'm just another guy like you and I think that um having done all of this work, you know, it it this sense is that there's perhaps more importance. I'm just but I just feel so normal and I'm you know I I app I appreciate it but I'm I'm a little like I'm a little [ __ ] clamp. I'm a little [ __ ] clamp. It sounds it sounds like a lot. I think you know I was fortunately uh crazy enough young kid to want to do this and was fortunate enough to do it and find success in it. And you know the successes I I value now are you know being a dad uh being a coach to my daughter's team um you know being a good person in a sense and you know for all those reasons that's you know what's important to me. Doing this is something that I do and you know like I said doing this play is an opportunity to kind of flex that muscle again. the other opportunities that either come from it or don't come from it. Who knows, right?

[00:39:30]But, you know, the opportunity to to do what we're talking about again at this point in my life is is kind of exciting right now.

[00:39:36]>> What a blessing.

[00:39:37]>> Yeah.

[00:39:38]>> Andrew Keegan, thank you for coming on the MC. This was awesome. I I think to to put a button on it. uh thank you for shaping so many millennials, Gen Zers, Gen Xers, uh childhoods where we got to see you and and see your range of acting. We saw uh different roles, but thank you for for being a person for us to look to also as a as a millennial and as a person who maybe was trying to figure out what middle school look like, right? What did high school look like?

[00:40:09]What did a bully look like? What did uh a nerd look like? Right? like you, we looked at you and the characters that you played and a lot of them were middle schoolers or high schoolers or college also and we were able to see and and shape ourselves. I think uh based around the people that we watched I think you played an integral part in that.

[00:40:29]>> I appreciate that actually as you're saying that I'm remembering or thinking about the Broken Hearts Club. I think of all the films in television that I' that I've done, I think that particular movie was directed by Greg Bante was actually, you know, a movie that that's the one when someone comes up to me and says, "Hey, uh, you know, I watched this film and it helped me come out, you know, to my parents and so on." That that's what movie movies and television can do, if you will. And that was, uh, actually just as you were saying all of that, that that's the one film that I think meant the most meant the most to me. and and um yeah, appreciate you having me on the show.

[00:41:05]>> Yeah, we look forward to seeing more of uh what you're going to do next. Thank you.

[00:41:09]>> Thanks for listening or watching the McBride Rewind. If you like what you heard, subscribe and share this with a friend. If you love what you heard, leave us a review and post us on social media. Tag us at the McBride Rewind on all platforms so we can see it and repost.