Biography
Who is Brandon Hardesty?
Early life and education
Brandon Hardesty was born on April 13, 1987, in Baltimore, United States. He grew up as the youngest child in his family, with parents Susan and Brent Hardesty, a pianist. He was home-schooled until middle school before attending local educational institutions including Oakland Mills High School, Baltimore Lutheran School, Stevenson University, and Towson University.
While studying at Baltimore Lutheran School, a teacher convinced Brandon to participate in the school theater productions. Before launching his professional career, he worked as a cashier at a nearby grocery store.
Rise to YouTube fame
On YouTube, Brandon used the username ArtieTSMITW, an abbreviation for a character from his favorite childhood television show. He published popular reenactment videos where he selected specific movie scenes and played all the roles himself. His well-known subjects included scenes from Full Metal Jacket, The Princess Bride, and Uncle Buck, alongside his series Strange Faces and Noises I Can Make.
Several of his projects gained mainstream attention. In April 2007, Geico Auto Insurance featured his third strange faces video in a television commercial. Later, he participated in YouTube's first live show in November 2008 by reenacting a popular scene from The Dark Knight based on viewer requests.
Documentary series and channel rebranding
In May 2014, Brandon launched a documentary web series titled No Small Parts, focusing on character actors in the entertainment industry. He covered performers such as Warwick Davis, Harry Dean Stanton, and Richard Kiel. In July 2018, he sold the brand to IMDb and rebranded the channel as The Back Focus.
After a period of inactivity, Brandon and his creative partner Kenny Johnson revived the channel with actor biographies and film analyses. By July 2026, the channel accumulated significant viewership and thousands of subscribers.
Acting career in films and television
In September 2007, a producer discovered Brandon's YouTube videos and cast him in a supporting role for the film Bart Got a Room. He spent three weeks in Florida shooting the project, which led to further auditions for television and film productions.
Brandon subsequently landed a lead role in American Pie Presents: The Book of Love and a supporting part in Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star. He also secured roles in Seven Minutes and The Scorpion King 4: Quest for Power, while also working on television pilots for CBS.
Birthday and age
Brandon Hardesty was born on April 13, 1987, which makes Brandon 39 years old today. That birthday falls under the Aries sign. Brandon shares the date with 30 other famous people.
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