Actress Britt Rentschler Talks “Six” and “Shots Fired” Plus “Daytime Divas”

Britt Rentschler is an Alabama native who graduated from The University of Alabama at Birmingham, and has her MFA from The University of Central Florida in Partnership with The Orlando Shakespeare Theatre. She identifies heavily with where she came from, with strong Southern and family ties— especially when it comes to food and music! She is an animal lover that has been rescuing/adopting pets since age 15, and she enjoys volunteering with the Young Storytellers Foundation to ensure that the gift of storytelling and writing is given to children at a young age. She is a member of Women in Film, and is an advocate for gender equality in the film and television industry. Using her master’s degree, Britt loves coaching and teaching on a regular basis at John Rosenfeld Studios, and sees it as a space where she can aid clients in finding their most free, inspired, and authentic artistic voice. She is also a Reiki Practitioner and an advocate for Healing Arts.

We had an opportunity to speak with Britt about her latest projects. Check out the interview below.

Hi, Britt! Congrats on roles in “SIX” and “Shots Fired.” Let’s talk “SIX.” It is a war drama based off of real events of the Navy SEALs elite SEAL Team Six. You play the wife of SEAL Beauregard “Buck” Buckley. Tell us about your role.

Thank you! Tammi is a character that is very close to my heart. From the beginning, Bill and David Broyles were wonderfully up front about writing a military wife that wasn’t one dimensional. Tammi had some fire, and I loved that.

Did you have to do any research to play the character?

I felt like there was a lot to learn, and I wanted to know more about the military world from a spouse’s perspective. A 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health gave me a lot of insight into the mental health of military wives, especially those who become widows. Attributed to the hardships included with stress and grief, these women are rating higher in mental illness and drug or alcohol use, which is often used as a coping mechanism. But I also did a lot of searching for personal blogs run by actual military wives, so that I could have a better understanding of their experience from their own point of view, rather than just taking note from statistics. These are real people, and it’s my job to make sure that I bring to life someone who is as authentic as possible.

Do you have any family serving in the military?

Both of my Grandfathers were in the service, Captain James Robert Rentschler in the US Army and Willie Shippey, Petty Officer 1st Class in the US Navy. I was fascinated by the stories they told, and the moments when I could see that they were withholding from sharing. I have a great respect for the men and women that serve, and for the individual experiences, they go through themselves, and with their fellow soldiers or sailors, that civilians can never quite understand.

Tell us about your favorite scene in “Six.”

With the wonderful writing, they gave us, that’s hard! But if I had to choose, it’s a scene with Caulder, played by Kyle Schmid, as Tammi is saying goodbye. Caulder and Tammi experienced something together through grief, a shared grief. He’s lost a brother, and she, a husband. Neither of them really knows how to move forward cleanly, and it’s palpable.

Let’s talk “Shots Fired.” Tell us about Pierce.

I loved Pierce. After it aired everyone keeps saying to me, “What an Ice Queen!” But that’s what I loved. She was all business because she believed in her job. And the most rewarding moment with an ice queen is when you see her melt, which our generous director and writer, Reggie Rock Bythewood, gave me the opportunity to do in the last moment of Hour 10. And with the performance that Stephan James (Preston Terry) gave, it wasn’t hard to feel her walls come down. I also checked off a bucket list item getting to work with Richard Dreyfuss! He’s a legend, and rightfully so.

Did you know “Shop Your TV” detected the blouse you wore in Season 1, Episode “Hour 10: Last Dance” and showcased it on their website? Apparently, fans of the series love it!

I had no idea! But I absolutely love everything Rag and Bone, and it was such a nice look for the “buttoned up” feel of Pierce. Sandra Hernandez, our wardrobe supervisor, had an incredible eye.

Thus far, you have guest starred in two episodes. Are you returning soon?

Shots Fired was a limited series from the start. I was very fortunate to get to come in at a pivotal point in the story, but for now, they have no plans to continue. And if you’ve seen what amazing things Reggie and Gina Prince-Bythewood have slated next, you’d understand why! I don’t know how they have the time, but they make it, and their projects are beautiful.

What can the audience expect to see in “Six” and “Shots Fired?”

For Six? I would say expect to see a lot of action, heart, and wit. This isn’t your typical military drama. These characters are smart, interesting, and dedicated. It’s really a behind the scenes look at the men and women who are entangled in the web of war, on all sides.

Shots Fired? Along the same lines, a very real behind the scenes look at corruption in our justice system and the people who are players— whether by choice or circumstance. The human heart of this show beats very strongly; it’s an eye opener.

Thank you for chatting with us about “Six” and “Shots Fired.” Is there anything else you would like to add that we didn’t cover?

Thank you for having me! If you want to get some laughs in, after seeing these wonderfully intense shows, then you can catch me in Daytime Divas, which just aired on VH1, or coming up on the new season of Good Behavior on TNT!

Connect with Britt:

Web: https://www.brittr.com/
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1823053/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrittRentschler
Instagram: http://instagram.com/opheliagrownup

Featured Image Credit: Dana Patrick

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