Alumni Spotlight: Actor Ben Scattone

Ben Scattone

INA, Ill. (Feb. 17, 2021) - Ben Scattone tried welding. He got a degree in sport administration. He even interned for the Australian Baseball League. But those were more “plan B.” Scattone’s been a “plan A” guy since starring in a Kindergarten sock puppet show at East Side Elementary.

“We had a stage and everything,” he said about the shampoo-themed show.  “I remember thinking back then that this is a lot of fun. Entertaining people is pretty cool.”

The 2011 Rend Lake College graduate is working hard in Hollywood, booking auditions, and waiting for the callback that could be his big break. Scattone, a McLeansboro native, has worked as an actor in Tinseltown for more than five years now. He’s been in several series and films you’ve probably seen. Turn on Amazon Prime right now and you can find him as Berry in Dark Figures (2020), a horror film where five friends unwittingly unleash something evil while hiking in Arizona. He was in the Transformers spin-off Bumblebee (2018) and the biopic Ford v. Ferrari (2019). Scattone has immersed himself in the business
graduating from the legendary group Second City LA. He also had a one-year scholarship to study acting at the Beverly Hills Playhouse, which has an impressive list of A-list alumni, including George Clooney and Giovanni Ribisi. 

“It’s been an adventure,” Scattone said. “I can’t see myself doing anything else.”

Scattone said he went into welding at RLC because he thought that is what he wanted to do. He said training at Rend Lake was an influential part of his journey. 

“I really enjoyed my time at Rend Lake,” he said. “At the time I was there I was still trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. Everyone helped me with the path that I chose at the time, and I’m really appreciative of that. It was my path, and I’m only better for it.”

Scattone said he has always been knowledgeable of the television and film industry.

“I’ve always loved movies,” he said. “When we are discussing movies, I’m always the one who knows every actor's name and what they were in.”

Scattone said he hopes to be known in the industry as a hard-working actor who is able to convey a presence on screen. He said he looks up to actors like Ben Foster who are able to capture attention in any role they are given.

“I want to be known as a strong supporting actor in either successful television series or several films,” he said. “I want to work my way up to that tier that is a respected actor. You know what they are bringing when they are on set.”

Scattone said he is currently waiting on callbacks. A pilot he shot last year may also be released sometime this summer. While COVID created quite a disruption in Hollywood, Scattone said the industry is starting to open back up. Production on big budget television series, such as the Fox show “9-1-1” that are set in Los Angeles, have recently begun filming. All the actors and production crew are ready to get back to work.

“It’s what everyone out here is hoping for,” he said. “[COVID] was something that none of us could really prepare for.”

Scattone explained that in his experience, working as an actor takes a mixture of talent, patience and collecting a few connections along the way. 

“It’s definitely a marathon and not a sprint,” Scattone said. “In Jenna Fischer’s book, she talks about that for most people it takes 10 years to really make something in this business. For some it may happen sooner but for the rest it takes that long.”

Scattone encourages anyone wanting to pursue their dreams to do whatever it takes to make it happen.

“Believe in yourself,” he said. "If you really want to do this, you can’t have a plan B because if you have a plan B, what is the point of a plan A? I would much rather fail at this and be able to say that I tried.”

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