The Lead On, Creatively series highlights TCU College of Fine Arts alumni, students and faculty who are putting their passion into practice.
We spoke to Quinn Moran ’19 about his successful career in the performing arts and advice to emerging actors. Moran recently made his movie debut in “Bunker,” which premiered at the 2022 Buffalo International Film Festival.
On the Silver Screen
After browsing theater and production listings, Moran auditioned for “Bunker,” a 2022 horror film directed by Adrian Langley. Moran received a call from his agent a few months later with the news that he had booked the project.
Quinn Moran ’19
Moran spent the next 10 days preparing for his role as a World War I British private and learninga dialect needed for his character. “There was one line about my character being from a specific town in England, so I spent those rehearsal days dialing in the dialect I had to create.”
Moran then headed off to Buffalo, New York, to film on the sound stages at Buffalo Film Works.
“It was surreal being on the same lot where movies like A Quiet Place Pt. II had been filmed,” he said. “My favorite part of the process was spending time in the trenches with the cast. It was a small ensemble of actors, so by day three, it felt like we’d known each other for years.
Now, after his movie debut, Moran’s schedule is busy with preparing to film “The Flash: Test Run,” a fan film based on DC Comics’ “Flash,” and joining Norwegian Cruise Lines to perform in “Footloose.”
“I never knew how collaborative film was until “Bunker,” and I cannot wait to be back on a set,” Moran said.
A Deep Dive with Quinn Moran
Why did you choose to attend TCU?
I pursued theatre when I was a junior in high school. I played lacrosse and football my whole childhood and had never considered acting or the fine arts until I had to sit out my entire sophomore football season with an injury.
Film poster for “Bunker”
The following season I felt like I was too far behind to get a starting position, and my mom suggested auditioning for the fall play. I watched “Breaking Bad” the previous summer, and for the first time, I felt compelled to do what I was watching on screen. I loved how Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul made me feel what they were feeling, and that’s what sparked my interest in acting.
I attended Unifieds, a weekend audition conference in New York City and Chicago, and auditioned for probably 50 schools. When the decisions came out, I chose TCU for the generous scholarship offered and Harry Parker, the former theatre department chair. He was so kind and welcoming to me, and when I toured the campus, I instantly fell in love with TCU.
What advice would you give to other students pursuing a career in theatre?
When you’re in school, soak it all in. The collaborative nature of theatre runs deep, and I’d encourage students to look beyond their immediate focus and see how everything comes together to create art; it will clue them into a world beyond their purview.
For a recent graduate, I would say hold your ground. Your art is not just your audition or voice lesson; your art is your experience as a human.