Henry Pollard

Living... in a small apartment in Los Angeles. Henry moved to L.A. to pursue an acting career, but has recently fallen on hard times. Unable to make a living as an actor, Henry has indefinitely put his dreams of stardom on hold.

Profession... caterer at the Party Down catering service. Most of the other employees are just like him: aspiring actors and actresses trying to make it in Hollywood. Henry claims to be done acting, saying that he’s accepted his place in the world, but he is clearly unhappy with his current work situation.

Interests... none. Now that Henry has abandoned his dreams of acting, he has to decide what he actually wants to be doing with his life. But years of failures and false-starts have left him feeling disinterested in almost everything. He is unsure of what his next move will be when he finds a way out of his rut – and even less sure of how to get out of the rut in the first place.

Relationship Status... single, but attracted to his unhappily married coworker, Casey Klein. They’re both self-loathing cynics feeling stuck in their dead-end jobs and wondering if they will ever attain some level of success in life. Their shared struggle, perspective, and wicked sense of humor allows them to be for each other even when things seem their bleakest – which at Party Down is pretty often.

Challenge... rising above his status as a has-been. Henry’s career was bought to a startling halt by six syllables: "Are we having fun yet?" It was his sole contribution to a major beer ad, and it has haunted him ever since. The ad brought him recognition and an immediate “15 Minutes of Fame' but also made it impossible for him to be hired for anything further. This advertisement has been the main hurdle in Henry's acting career and is blamed by Henry as the reason for his current situation.  

Personality... cynical, apathetic, and unashamed. Henry comes off as unhappy, but is easy-going and capable of occasionally having fun, especially with his equally cynical coworkers. Although still bitter about not being able to work in Hollywood, Henry maintains a level-headed attitude; logical but thoroughly pessimistic. He is content to float through life, caring about nothing and making enough money to survive. However, in his more pessimistic moments, he berates himself for this slacker lifestyle: "I have no life and I'm earning minimum wage in the food service industry." Hopefully his big break will come soon and turn it all around.