Biography
Brian Coash was born in Kankakee, Illinois, approximately an hour outside of Chicago. He grew up in a traditional middle-class upbringing with blue-collar roots: his father was a road salesman and delivery driver and his mother worked as a secretary. Brian gets much of his character inspiration from this upbringing and from his French-Irish Catholic family. He went to Bishop McNamara Catholic High School, where he excelled in football and track. After high school, he began acting in college, but his parents wished for him to pursue a more traditional career, so his path turned toward college and law enforcement, and although he almost joined the Marine Corps, he decided on the Police Academy instead.
Since then, Brian has worked as a city police officer, a Patrol Sergeant, a S.W.A.T. officer, a narcotics tactical officer and currently works as a full time Sheriff's Deputy. Unlike most actors, he has real experience in the multifaceted police world, which gives him the ability to bring his background into his characters naturally. Brian is also married with one son, twin daughters, and currently lives in Bradley, Illinois.
Because of his work as a police officer, he has had many experiences over the years with high crime and homicides as he patrolled an area plagued with crime. Brian notes that police work has helped him in a lot of ways: police officers need to be able to talk with people and read people. Sometimes you have to put on an act to get information when you're investigating.
Brian was reintroduced to acting when he auditioned for Chicago Code, a law enforcement TV drama that starred Jason Clark (Zero Dark Thirty) and Jennifer Beals (Flash Dance) that was filming in Chicago. He originally was cast as an extra when his agent called him with the opportunity for a featured role, which he won. The moment he stepped on set, he knew he had made the right choice in pursuing acting.
He is also passionate about fitness. He sees physical exercise, weight training, and clean living as all part of a balanced lifestyle, and credits that to many of his successes.
Brian has also done commercial print modeling work for various companies in the Chicago-land area including several television projects and recently appeared in an indie film, The Great Controversy, due out in the summer of 2013. He started his formal training as an actor and voice over artist at various acting schools in Chicago such as Act One Studios, The Acting Studio, Second City, and Sound Advice Recording Studio.
