Interview by Paul Salfen
The sun blazes over the Pinewood Golf Course, where the air crackles with the tension of the State Championship. For Jeremy Avery, a high school senior chasing a college golf scholarship, every swing is a chance to rewrite his future. But life’s fairways are rarely straight, and in The Short Game, Jeremy’s journey weaves through family struggles, a ruthless rival, and the discovery of his autistic brother Ethan’s extraordinary gifts. Guiding him through it all is Coach Goulart, played with steely warmth by Brandon Potter, a veteran actor whose voice brings life to pirate Shanks in One Piece, the cunning Fango in 91 Days, and the calculating Quintus in The Chosen. In a candid conversation with AMFM Magazine, Potter reveals why this film—and this role—hit so close to home.
“I’m thrilled to talk about this movie because it’s just so good,” Potter says, his enthusiasm infectious as he settles into our interview. “It’s a story that brings light into the world. The young cast is fantastic, and us veterans get to flex our skills on this beautiful, heartfelt script.” In The Short Game, Jeremy (Liam Carter) is a talented but overburdened golfer, juggling his team’s hopes with his mother’s cancer recovery and the care of his younger brother, Ethan (Noah Kim), whose savant-like ability to calculate distances could be a game-changer—if Jeremy can see past his own frustrations. Meanwhile, a cutthroat opponent, Tyler Kane, will stop at nothing to claim the scholarship Jeremy needs.
Potter’s Coach Goulart is the film’s anchor, a mentor whose tough love and quiet wisdom push Jeremy to confront his priorities. “Goulart’s not just about winning on the course,” Potter explains. “He’s been around the block, made mistakes, lost things he can’t get back. He sees Jeremy carrying his family, his team, his dreams—and he knows that weight. He’s there to help Jeremy figure out what he’s swinging for.” In one standout scene, Goulart tells Jeremy, “You can’t carry the world and the club at the same time.” Potter delivers it with a mix of grit and grace that lingers, a testament to his ability to find truth in the moment.
What drew Potter to the role? “It’s the coming-of-age journey,” he says. “Jeremy’s kind of a jerk at the start—those teenage blinders, you know? I related to that, having been a teenager myself. He’s got this chip on his shoulder, but it’s what makes his growth so satisfying. You need that starting point to get to where he ends up.” Potter chuckles, recalling his own adolescent days. “That raw, messy energy spoke to me. It’s real.”
Filming The Short Game was anything but a slog. “The kids brought this incredible energy,” Potter says, grinning. “If it was just us crusty veterans, maybe there’d be fewer giggles backstage. But Liam and Noah? They were light years ahead of where I was at their age—business acumen, creative choices, the works. I’m not sure they needed my advice, but I told them: there’s no guidebook for this biz. Follow your instincts, tell the stories you want to tell. They’re already doing that.”
Potter’s own journey to The Short Game wasn’t without its risks. He shares a “Hail Mary” moment from his career, when COVID shut down his stage work at Dallas Theater Center, where he’d been a company member. “Theater was my livelihood—insurance, bills, all of it,” he says. “Then, in two weeks, I lost 50 weeks of work. I applied to Target, Home Depot, you name it—no dice, because my resume had ‘gaps’ from stage roles. So I said, screw it, I’m going on-camera.”
What followed was a bold gamble. “I started auditioning for commercials, but I ignored the scripts,” Potter admits, laughing. “I’d make my own jokes, wear wigs, fake mustaches, even these tiny shorts once. I barely mentioned the product! They tell you never to do that, but I was desperate. And it worked—I started booking parts.” One job came from a director who loved his off-script audition but insisted he stick to the script on set. “He said, ‘We loved what you did, but now say what I wrote!’” Potter recalls, shaking his head. “That was my Hail Mary—going for it when I had nothing to lose.”
That same fearless spirit infuses his work in The Short Game. Shot amid the lush greens of North Carolina, the film is as much a love letter to golf as it is to family. Director Sarah Ellis creates space for authentic performances, and Potter praises her vision. “Sarah lets actors breathe,” he says. “And Liam and Noah brought their A-game every day. It was a joy to be on set.”
For Potter, the film’s heart lies in Jeremy’s evolving bond with Ethan, whose autism reveals not limitations but extraordinary strengths. “It’s beautiful to see Jeremy realize Ethan’s not holding him back but lifting him up,” Potter says. “That’s what this story’s about—finding strength in the people you love, even when it’s hard.” As the championship nears, Jeremy faces a gut-wrenching choice: chase his scholarship or stand by Ethan in a critical moment. Potter’s Goulart doesn’t hand him answers but forces him to ask the right questions.
Reflecting on the film’s message, Potter grows thoughtful. “I hope people see that it’s not a choice between your passions and your family,” he says. “When I was younger, I thought it was. Now I know that’s not true. Your family, your passions—they’re intertwined. That’s what Jeremy learns, and it’s what I want audiences to take away.”
Potter’s no stranger to admiration himself, having looked up to Texas acting legend Glen Morse, who also stars in The Short Game. “Glen’s got hundreds of credits, worked with everyone, and he’s wonderful,” Potter says, his voice tinged with awe. “As a young actor, I idolized him. He taught so many of us in Texas, never ashamed to be here, sharing his wisdom. Working with him was trippy—a full-circle moment.”
As for what’s next, Potter plays it coy. “There’s exciting stuff coming, but I can’t spill yet,” he says with a wink. “Let’s just say I’m thrilled to keep telling stories.” For now, fans can catch him as Quintus in The Chosen or revisit his iconic voice roles in One Piece and 91 Days. But it’s The Short Game, set for release in spring 2026, that’s poised to leave a mark. “This film’s special,” Potter says, his eyes alight with Coach Goulart’s intensity. “It’s about what we carry for the people we love and how that shapes us. Life’s not about the perfect shot—it’s about who’s standing with you when you take it.”
