Blair Braunstein, Buff State student gets a kiss from Diaz

The romantic comedy, which stars Diaz and Ashton Kutcher, opens today in theaters.

As the 21-year-old embarks on his movie career, he’s simultaneously pursuing another occupation: dentistry. He graduates Saturday from Buffalo State and is on the University at Buffalo’s waiting list for its dental school.

“It’s so difficult to have a stable career as an actor,” he said. “You can work three weeks but then go months without working. If acting doesn’t work out, I’ll have that to fall back on.”

Braunstein’s incongruous career choices stem from his parents’ — his mother is a former actress and teaches theater and dance at Erie Community College and his dad is a dentist.

“I guess I’m making both of them proud,” he said.

He has been acting since he was a kid, doing school and community plays, but became serious about it in 2006. Braunstein has an agent, but his mother provides plenty of creative advice. He auditioned and filmed his part in “What Happens in Vegas” last summer in New York City. The scene took 36 takes and filming wrapped up at 3 a. m.

“She was very nice, down to earth, very casual,” Braunstein said of Diaz. He added that Diaz was so concerned about him taking the subway at that hour that she arranged for a paid taxi ride.

If Braunstein had a choice of being successful as an actor or dentist, he said he’d be torn.

“I’m passionate about both, and they both have their pros and cons.”•

• Blog Login
• Beer Login
• Members
• Webmasters