Brett Claywell
ON SOAP OPERA DIGEST AND WEEKLY ONLINE
SOAP STAR STATS
Brett Claywell (Kyle, OLTL)
Vital Statistics
- Birthday:
- April 11
- Birthplace:
- Greensboro, NC
- Years On Show:
- February 2009-Present
- Marital Status:
- Single
The 411
Brett Quillen Claywell was born and raised in North Carolina, where his love of the spotlight was apparent early on. While appearing in a Greensboro Children's Theater production of Winnie the Pooh, he stole the show as a redneck skunk. "I guess I did the same thing I do now, like I put my own little spin on it, but I gave my character a really, really strong Southern accent," he recalls. "My family all remembers that every line I had, it didn't matter what it was, the entire audience just laughed because I was going so over the top with this accent."
After graduating from North Carolina State University, he moved to Wilmington, where he taped two episodes of then-resident teen series DAWSON'S CREEK and was cast in ONE TREE HILL pilot. For three seasons, he played frequent scene-stealer Tim Smith, but when Tim was shipped off to boarding school senior year, Claywell found himself without a job. He moved to L.A. and had a number of film roles, including Carl in Senior Skip Day opposite Larry Miller and Tara Reid, then wrapped a two-episode stint on DOLLHOUSE when he got the call to test for his first soap opera last fall.
After winning the role of Schuyler on OLTL, he experienced a strange turn of events when Scott Clifton (ex-Dillon, GH) was suddenly cast in the role. OLTL put Claywell on hold, and a few months later, he debuted as med student/lab tech Kyle, who turned out to be the younger brother of crazy Rebecca Lewis ... and the former lover of closeted cop Officer Fish. When word broke online that Fish and Kyle shared a romantic past, "Kish" became an overnight sensation. The heterosexual actor embraced the opportunity to be a part of Fish's tortured coming out. "I believe that we have an opportunity to either change people's opinions, to maybe help them formulate new opinions or reinforce the feelings they already have," he smiles. "An actor wants to tell a story that needs to be told."
Et Cetera
Five Random Facts
—He is left-handed.
—Although he was born in North Carolina, each person in his family (including his older brother, Christopher, and sister Traci) was born in a different Southern state.
—He loves to draw, and received his bachelor of arts degree in architecture from North Carolina State University.
—He played basketball on his high school's championship-winning team.
—He took acting classes with TRUE BLOOD's Mehcad Brooks, Kayla Ewell (ex-Caitlin, B&B) of THE VAMPIRE DIARIES and Jackson Rathbone of Twilight fame. "Maybe Kyle's going to turn into vampire!" he jokes.
Other Roles
TV Roles
DOLLHOUSE (Matt, 2009)
ONE TREE HILL (Tim Smith, 2003-06, 2008)
DAWSON'S CREEK (Set P.A., 2003)
DAWSON'S CREEK (Dancer, 2002)
Film Roles
Babysitter Wanted (Hal, 2008)
Legacy (Jeff Cook, 2008)
Senior Skip Day (Carl Smith, 2008)
The Final Season (Patrick Iverson, 2007)
20 Funeral (Hughes, 2004)
Stateside (Platoon 1021, 2004)
Memorable Quotes
"I've been blessed with much love in my life, and many beautiful relationships. I am a better man because of love, and not as good a man without it," — on relationships, Soap Opera Weekly, 9/15/09
"Tim wasn't gay, he just had low self-esteem, and part of that was an admiration of his best friend," — on being Nathan's doting BFF on ONE TREE HILL, Soap Opera Digest, 7/21/09
