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Brian Norris (photo by Theo and Juliet)
Brian Norris (photo by Theo and Juliet)
The second season of the acclaimed reboot of “Perry Mason” has taken audiences way beyond the ‘whodunit’ cases of the original.

Matthew Rhys, Juliette Rylance and Chris Chalk star in the noir period crime drama, seeking truth and justice which proves to be a complicated task with unpredictable twists and turns along the way.

Beginning with the “Chapter Ten” episode, actor Brian Norris recurs in the storyline as Twist, a local gun dealer in the sketchy part of town who gets caught up in a murder case.

Brian isn’t new to drama, he recurred as Paparazzo Felty ABC’s daytime soap, “General Hospital,” and appeared on the networks new police procedural “The Rookie: Feds.” Amongst his long list of TV credits are recurring roles on AMC’s “Halt and Catch Fire,” Hulu’s “Reprisal,” and DirecTV’s “Full Circle,” as well as single appearances on “New Amsterdam,” “S.W.A.T.,” “Into The Dark,” “Masters of Sex,” “Castle,” and “Mad Men.”

To find out more, Brian Norris answered some FanPop questions:

Tell us about your role as Twist in “Perry Mason.”

Brian Norris:
I play Twist, the gun dealer at the Hooverville who Paul Drake discovers rented the murder weapon to the Gallardo brothers. He definitely seems like a shady character. But back in a place like that, you had to watch out for yourself because no one else was gonna do it.

What would you consider your characters ‘best’ quality? And their ‘worst’?

BN:
Twist’s best quality is being resourceful. I mean, just getting all of those guns and bullets while being that poor takes a pretty enterprising fella. Not to mention managing the inventory and the desperate clientele. And his worst quality is that he’s angry. The world hasn’t been kind to him or given him a reason to be trust anyone. But that can make you pretty rough to the rest of the world.

How was it to work alongside this stellar cast?

BN:
It was incredible. When you work with actors like Chris Chalk and a director like Jessica Lowery, you’re getting to dig into the material with the best folks in the business. Every part is electric, from the first reads and discussions in rehearsal to the last take on set. Everyone knows their part so well, so when we break down a moment or try to pull off sometime during a take, you can fully trust your creative instincts.

Any interesting stories from the set you can share with us?

BN:
I remember showing up my first day and seeing the Hooverville and my jaw was on the floor! They built this whole town. Every building was so detailed and lived in. There were an unimaginable number of extras - adults, kids, animals. I couldn’t believe it! What a dream to play in such a fully realized sand box. When I got into Twist’s shanty I instantly made myself at home. When I found the trap door in the floor where the suitcase full of guns was going to hide, I got chills.

What’s the biggest lesson you learned from working on this project?

BN:
I’ve been watching HBO and film noir for my whole life, always loving them and dreaming about being a part of them. So I guess the most important thing I learned is that dreams can absolutely come true. That, and it turns out I’m not a bad quick draw.

And, now just for fun:

Who’s your favorite actor/actress?

BN:
I just rewatched Banshees of Inisherin and that whole cast blows my mind. This last time I was so taken with Barry Keoghan’s work.

What role from the past do you wish you could have played?

BN:
There’s an early Ryan Johnson movie called “Brick.” It was a modern take on film noir, funnily enough. The lead role was played by Joseph Gordon Levitt and I was always so jealous of that one. He’s incredible in it by the way.

Favorite movie or TV show from your childhood.

BN:
Growing up, my favorite movies were Anchorman and American Beauty. You could saw I was conflicted in my aesthetic.

Tell us one thing that would surprise our readers to learn about you.

BN:
I own and run an acting studio in Los Angeles called The Norris Studio.

How can fans keep up with you?

BN:
They can follow me on Instagram: @TheBrianNorris link and on my website www.BrianNorrisActing.comlink
Brian Norris and Chris Chalk in "Perry Mason" (photo courtesy HBO)
Brian Norris and Chris Chalk in "Perry Mason" (photo courtesy HBO)
Brian Norris behind the scenes on HBO series 'Perry Mason'
Brian Norris behind the scenes on HBO series 'Perry Mason'
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