Adam Driver is working to bridge the cultural gap between the United States Armed Forces and the performing arts communities by bringing the best modern American theater to the military.
Why you should listen
Before he was an actor, Adam Driver was a Marine with the 1/1 Weapons Company at Camp Pendleton, California. After the Marines, he attended Juilliard and went on to star in films like Star Wars: Episode VII, While We're Young, Midnight Special and on HBO's "Girls." His performance in "Girls" has garnered him three Emmy nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, and he won the Volpi Cup Award for Best Actor for Hungry Hearts, which premiered at the 2014 Venice International Film Festival.
Driver co-founded Arts in the Armed Forces (AITAF), a nonprofit that that honors, educates, inspires and entertains active duty and veteran members of the United States Armed Forces and their families by engaging them in the power and social service of the performing arts. The organization enlists artists of the highest quality and chooses thought-provoking content with an eye to what might speak to this particular audience.
Adam Driver’s TED Talk
Adam Driver, Jesse J Perez, Matt Johnson
My journey from Marine to actor
17 minutes 52 secondsBefore he fought in the galactic battles of Star Wars, Adam Driver was a United States Marine with 1/1 Weapons Company. He tells the story of how and why he became a Marine, the complex transition from soldier to civilian -- and Arts in the Armed Forces, his nonprofit that brings theater to the military. Because, as he says: "Self-expression is just as valuable a tool as a rifle on your shoulder." Followed by a spirited performance of Marco Ramirez's "I am not Batman" by Jesse J. Perez and Matt Johnson. (Adult language)Posted May 2016
