At 6 years old Robert wanted to be a stuntman. By age 13 he found himself dreaming of being a director. At 15, his passion had turned to special effects make-up. Then as the fates would have it, a high school drama teacher forced Robert to play Barnaby Tucker in Thorton Wilder’s The Matchmaker in the school’s lunchbox theatre. Terrified for his life, Robert took to the stage on the opening day, barely able to breathe. When the ordeal was over he asked the director “What were they laughing at?” Dumbfounded, the director replied, “You, you idiot, it was hilarious!”
Robert is cast as David in Random Acts of Romance.
He never forgot that magical day, and although he took a few detours along the way, trying in vain to resist the call, the sheer thrill of moving that audience into fits of laughter—and the awakening of a previously-undiscovered vitality within him—became a major driving force in Robert’s life.
He traveled around the world for a year and a half at the ripe old age of 21, and returned to his native Calgary enlightened—and at the same time daunted by the uncharted road ahead, a depressing winter on the prairies, and a family in shambles.
Restaurant jobs provided the illusion of fun and the necessary quantities of alcohol to keep Robert numb and lost, but one bright spot came in the form of an amateur theatre company named Aurora Productions. Artistic Director Peter Spear cast Robert in Bent by Martin Sherman, and in Orphans by Lyle Kessler, experiences that taught Robert that the calling was real and he’d better take heed.
Finally, at 26, Robert was accepted to Studio 58, the Theatre Arts program at Langara College in Vancouver, and he began his training. Thanks to the unparalleled patience and dedication of the teaching staff, Robert graduated and began his professional acting career at the tender age of 30!
Since then, Robert has worked with some of the best in the business. Known for his impressive range and honesty, Robert continually brings a passion and a vulnerability to his portrayals that has gained him the respect of his peers and the admiration of audiences, whether on stage or in front of the camera.
Blessed to live in Vancouver, Canada, Robert is an avid outdoor enthusiast and environmentalist. When he’s not acting he can be found at the climbing gym, on the ski slopes, at the tennis courts, or supporting humanitarian or environmental causes.
Ultimately, it is Robert’s desire to be involved in telling stories that in some way challenge, enlighten, and inspire people—stories that shed light on our humanity and cause us to ask ourselves: “How can I be less selfish and more compassionate; how can I be happier and wiser; how can I live up to the enormous potential I have and be the best I can be?”
