5 Things I Learned Playing the Bad Guy in a Feature-Length Late-Night Comedy

In 2017, a film I was part of called Army & Coop hit streaming. It was a low-budget, late-night, raunchy, testosterone-fueled comedy set in Boulder, Colorado. I played the bad guy — the kind of antagonist you'd boo at a midnight screening. Looking back, it was my first feature-length role, and I learned a lot, fast.

Here are five lessons I took from playing a guitar-strumming, self-absorbed, pink-polo-wearing villain in a film that, for all its absurdity, taught me real things about acting — and myself.

---

A young actor just glad to be there.

---

1. Work With What You’ve Got

I was 23. The script didn’t give me much of a backstory beyond “entitled womanizer who thinks he's a singer-songwriter.” But clues were baked into how other characters treated me. The real gold wasn’t in my lines — it was in the world reacting to me. I realized then: your role is often defined by the silence around you. You can fill in the blanks and find your version of truth inside the comedy. Then, it's bad guy time.

Maybe I'll play a Goon next

2. Throw Out Your Idea of What It Should Be

You’re working inside someone else’s vision — a director’s, a team’s, and a bunch of other actors’. Sure, you bring your ideas, but the best moments were the ones where we threw out the blueprint and just tried to make each other laugh. A lot of our improvised bits made the final cut, and those scenes felt the most alive. The magic often happens when you’re just playing.

3. The Costume Locks You In — So Come Prepared

I was asking questions — who is this guy? I was a trained actor going through his process but this was my first professional set. What does he wear when he wants to look cool? Who are his heroes? Springsteen? Jack Johnson? I had ideas. But when wardrobe was picked — black slacks, pink polo — it was fast. Like, oh? That’s it? And suddenly, that costume became the character.

In retrospect, I just wish I’d brought more options and pushed harder for playtime. They trusted me to build the whole character from that foundation, but I didn’t fully realize how much choice I had in that moment. Now I know: costume isn’t just fabric — it’s tone, status, self-image. Come in with more than shirts. Come in with a vision.

4. Commit Hard — Even When It’s Ugly

To play a guy the audience needs to hate, you have to tap into what you hate: bragging, cheating, cockiness, false charm. Then double down. I hammed it up to 11 in some scenes just to make my screen partner crack. The worst takes? They made the final cut — because that’s what the film needed. And you know what? I looked like a total dick. Mission accomplished.

5. Be Someone Worth Rooting Against

You’re not there to be liked. You’re there to be watchable. I wanted to be the guy people hoped would get pantsed, punched, or arrested by the end. He had some serious Stifler vibes — and, like all good scumbag comedy villains, he gets his comeuppance. The key is: don’t worry about being likeable. Be memorable, be human, and if possible, be the guy everyone in the bar points at and says, “Ugh. I know that guy.” This was my first feature-length comedy role, and I didn’t realize how rare those would be, especially in Colorado. The fact that it was fun, collaborative, and filmed with an all-local cast and crew made it even more special. If you're lucky enough to get a role like this, make the most of it. Commit, create, and don’t be afraid to play the guy people love to hate.

Dick