Jan. 29, 2016. It’s a pivotal date for moviegoers, as well as day presenting another impressive notch on the belt of a rising superstar. It is on this day that the latest Marlon Wayans-inspired parody film, Fifty Shades of Black, opens to a nationwide audience. It will also serve as the day when actor-comedian Andrew Bachelor — popularly known as King Bach — will gain another opportunity to showcase to the world exactly why he continues to be one to watch in 2016.
After exploding onto the scene as a Vine superstar, Bachelor has shown that his time in the spotlight will be much longer than those 6-second videos allot for. The Canadian-born funnyman sat down with rolling out to discuss his rise to fame, and why he believes everything happens for a reason.
I thought King Bach was just a stage name, but your actual last name is Bachelor. Are you a bachelor?
It’s probably the greatest last name created. And yeah, I am. Every party I throw is a bachelor party.
How did you come up with the stage name King Bach?
I actually didn’t come up with it. I had a history project in high school, and it was about royalty, and I was the only one who dressed up. My teacher was like “Awww, look at King Bach.” And I was like, “Hey, I think you’re on to something!”
You also have a bachelor’s degree, and your parents are accountants. Was it your family who put education at the forefront for you?
I would love to say it was me, but nah. I wanted to come to L.A. right out of high school to pursue my dreams, but they told me I was going to need a backup plan. So, I went to college, and not only did I educate myself, but it was good for the experience of surviving, being out there alone, and not having Mommy and Daddy. It was a good stepping-stone.
You were one semester from finishing grad school and quit to pursue your dream of being an actor. How hard was that?
I did the master’s program, and it was two years straight from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., five days a week. I had one semester left, but I felt like it was getting repetitive for me, and I wanted to go out there and experience it firsthand. And that’s what I did.
Would you ever go back to finish that last semester?
No. Never. I would have to do a whole thesis project, etc. I don’t regret any decisions I make. Everything happens for a reason.
Let’s talk about the first videos you posted on Vine. Were they good, or even funny?
No, definitely not. But I was just bored, and I was like, “Let me start making videos.” So, I would just do selfie videos, film different objects, [and] eventually I tried to develop it into situations that happened in real life. That’s what people started to like. It wasn’t me coming up with ideas. … It was just me chillin’ and experiencing life. Then a situation would happen, and I just figured out how to tell that story in six seconds.
Now you can have anyone you want in your videos. Is there an audition process?
It’s definitely not an audition. If I feel like they are right for the video, I’ll just choose them. If I need a Black, angry girl, I’ll just look to see which one of my friends has something going on in their life, and I’ll just pick them because it’s not acting, it’s just them being themselves.
You’ve accomplished so much since you moved to L.A. What was the biggest goal you wanted to accomplish when you initially moved?
The goal was to be the biggest movie star ever. I didn’t know how I was going to get there, but I just put faith in God. I did it to show casting directors, and talent producers that I had talent and while doing that I created a fan base. Everything [just] started to fall into place.
Tell us about your role in Fifty Shades of Black.
It’s a crazy story. It’s, of course, a take on Fifty Shades of Grey. My character is a photographer, and I have a crush on [Kali Hawk’s] character, and it gets pretty wild. I’m willing to take the steps necessary to make her fall in love with me. And by love, I mean sex. It’s 2016 — who falls in love anymore?
You inspire so many people to pursue their dreams, but who inspires you?
I have a lot of people who inspire me: Jim Carrey, Eddie Murphy, Will Smith, Denzel Washington, Robert Downey Jr., Will Ferrell, Kevin Hart — the list goes on. You have to study the greats, and that’s what I did. I watched all of their movies, TV shows and concerts.
What’s next for King Bach?
I have three movies coming out this year. I did Fifty Shades of Black; I did another movie with Mike Epps called Meet the Blacks, which is like a parody on the movie The Purge. Crime is legal for a certain amount of time, and Mike Epps moved to Beverly Hills, so you have a Black guy from the ‘hood with all these White people who are doing crimes. I play his daughter’s boyfriend, and I’m trying to kill him, because he won’t let me date his daughter.
You seem to be doing a lot of movies in which you are trying to get the girl. Is there a special woman in your life?
If Halle Berry knocks on my door, I don’t care how crazy she is, I would date Halle Berry.
Who are your celeb crushes, besides Halle Berry?
It’s so hard to pick, I have so many. I like Jessica Alba. I love Beyoncé … I don’t have a type, but their personality has to be there as well.
Give us a few tips to follow in your footsteps and become the next big Vine star.
1. Have fun.
2. Be funny.
3. Take situations that happen in real life, and turn them into a story for that short amount of time.
Interview: Demi Lobo
Images: Dallas J. Logan
Groomer: Shiyena Chun
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Stylist: Neiman Tate
