The 6-foot-4-inch Brandon Molale is hard to miss.
The busy actor, who isn’t afraid to get physical and do his own stunts, is a former member of the Fresno State football team and stays close to the program.
As the start of spring football approaches, the Emerald talked to the affable Molale, who has appeared in multiple films by Adam Sandler and Rob Schneider, and is well-aware of the close games between Fresno State and Oregon the last few seasons.
“We’ve always played Oregon tough every year,” Molale said.
Molale found himself following Oregon’s run towards the championship game last season until quarterback Dennis Dixon tore his anterior cruciate ligament and the Ducks fell out of the race.
“It’s too bad he went down,” Molale said. “I was really gunning for Oregon this year to go all the way.”
Molale’s playing days have passed and he may never experience the rush of playing on the NFL’s biggest stage in the Super Bowl, but he did experience the next best thing when he traveled to Scottsdale, Ariz. in February and enjoyed the environment surrounding the nation’s largest sporting event.
“It was something any diehard sports fan, especially a diehard football fan should try to take advantage of, put that in their calendar and try to do that at least once in their life,” Molale said.
He attended parties. Molale helped with charities. He caught passes from NFL legend Warren Moon.
The latter activity came in a celebrity football game, placing Molale on the same field as Merrill Hodge, Daryl Johnston, and Raghib “Rocket” Ismail. Former Oregon State star Chad Johnson and Matt Leinart roamed the sidelines as coaches.
The game served as a memorable experience for Molale, who now makes his living on the big screen in Hollywood.
He gained as first-on screen role in Adam Sandler’s “Mr. Deeds,” as Kevin Ward, the quarterback of the New York Jets, who, upset with his contract, creates a confrontation and is punched by Longfellow Deeds (Sandler).
Molale’s acting career took off from there.
“Even though I’ve worked with some of the biggest names in Hollywood: Tom Cruise, Tom Hanks, Adam Sandler, Ben Stiller, Christopher Walken – I’m still allowed to be a fan,” Molale said.
“I have to be professional about it so on the inside I’m excited because I’ve grown up watching these who are my biggest influences but I still have a job to do.”
But even as a full-time actor, Molale remains a fervent fan of football from his playing days at Fresno State.
He filled the role of offensive guard from 1992 to 1994 under coach Jim Sweeney and recounts the memorable moments – beating USC in the ’92 Freedom Bowl and playing Colorado in the ’93 Aloha Bowl. He played with Trent Dilfer and watched former Bulldog Lorenzo Neal play in February’s Pro Bowl.
Molale, who tries to get back for a Fresno State game once a year, is always watching the Bulldogs, well-known for challenging football’s heavyweights.
“It’s a program to be reckoned with,” Molale said. “Pat Hill has done amazing things with that program. I’m really curious to see what’s going to happen with that program the next couple years.”
Molale is also well-aware of the success smaller programs Boise State and Hawaii have had the last two years with undefeated regular seasons and berths in BCS games.
“I’d just like to see – for one season – see Pat dial it down and take on one, maybe two BCS teams tops,” Molale said. “That’s it. Not three and four like he does every year.”
Molale, who earned a journalism degree at Fresno State, moved to Los Angeles after college. He took drama classes and worked as a radio DJ during his time in Fresno and fell into the acting business.
He served as a football adviser for “The Waterboy,” and created a lasting friendship with Sandler.
The same strict work ethic he maintains as an actor comes from his football background.
“I put myself through some of the most physical extremes – mentally and physically – playing football and it still helps me being an actor today because I get it,” Molale said. “I understand what preparations I have to go through – what I have to do to succeed. A lot of people don’t understand that. They don’t get that side.”
Molale has four movies coming out this year, including “Farmhouse,” “Hotel California,” “The Chosen One” and “Meet Dave.”
In “Farmhouse,” a psychological thriller set in the Midwest, Molale branches out from the comedy genre in the film that follows a young couple who are plagued by a horrible secret and try to escape their past and start anew.
“I create characters,” Molale said. “I create situations. Anytime I get to work it stimulates me as an actor.”
Molale also had the opportunity to work with comic genius Eddie Murphy in “Meet Dave.” Molale considers himself a fan of ’80s films and still quotes Murphy’s movies.
“I live a very blessed and fulfilled life and I have a lot of fun wherever I go,” Molale said.