Chad Michael Collins, born on September 22, 1979, is an American actor and martial artist known for his leading roles in the Sniper film series and the Call of Duty video game franchise.
Chad Michael Collins at the 2018 San Diego Comic-Con International
Early Life and Career Beginnings
Born and raised in upstate New York, Chad Michael Collins graduated from Canajoharie High School in 1997. He then attended Ithaca College, where he interned at an entertainment public relations firm in Los Angeles during his last semester. For a few years, he continued to work in personal publicity and build his freelance writing career.
The Accidental Actor
Collins describes himself as an "accidental" actor. His life changed when he was working with talent manager Gina Rugolo to promote publicity for her client, actress Elizabeth Peña. She convinced him that he had potential and encouraged him to try an acting class. He was instantly hooked, but acting was initially just a hobby.
Early Roles and Breakthrough
Collins' early credits include several SyFy Channel roles, such as:
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- Zombie horror flick Legion of the Dead
- Action thriller Rock Monster
- Science-fiction horror Lake Placid 2, one of the cable's highest-rated original movies.
The Sniper Franchise
Collins is best known for his starring role in the internationally renowned Sony Pictures Sniper film series. He first appeared as 'Brandon Beckett' in Sniper: Reloaded, playing the son of Tom Berenger's original legendary Marine sniper. Collins has shared the screen with both original Sniper stars Billy Zane and Berenger, as well as Dennis Haysbert, in the six films he has starred in. These films consistently rank in the "Top 10 Most-Watched" on Netflix in the US and around the world.
Collins reflected on his experience with the Sniper franchise:
"Working on Sony’s military action SNIPER franchise has been a blast and a real gift in my career. Not only have we made some really fun, exciting action movies, but they’ve afforded me the chance to grow as an actor and take Brandon Beckett on a journey for almost ten years, all while traveling the world and working in some amazing countries and locations - Bulgaria, South Africa, Turkey, Greece and Colombia."
Sniper in Space? Sniper vs. Lake Placid? Chad Michael Collins Talks 'Rogue Mission' and Beyond
Call of Duty: A New Frontier
Gamers worldwide enjoy playing as Collins' 'Alex/Echo 3-1' character from the global smash hit Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. Collins starred as the lead in the commercially and critically successful first-person shooter, the best-selling video game of 2019 and 2020, and its wildly popular battle-royal counterpart Call of Duty: Warzone (100 million players). Smartphone gamers also play as 'Alex' in Call of Duty: Mobile (500 million players), with Collins' popular operator highlighting the Seasons 2 and 3 release of the first-person mobile device shooter.
Acting in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is a unique experience. Collins explained:
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"Acting in a game like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is a really unique experience. Really, it’s more akin to theater than film or TV, in that the actors are having to be word and movement perfect as we perform for 50-plus cameras covering every angle of us. We are indoors on a motion-capture stage, and we really get to use our imaginations, as we have tables, apple boxes, and PVC pipe objects representing tanks, vehicles, choppers and more."
Collins also highlighted the authenticity brought to the game through consultants:
"We were lucky to have a couple of really great consultants on-hand for our game, high level retired Navy SEALS. They walked us through a lot of tactical weapon and movement maneuvers and offered a lot in terms of how we could add authenticity to our respective characters. They were an incredible asset to the actors, and the production at-large. It was really nice to have such experienced professionals available to pick their brains and consult with every day."
Chad Michael Collins as Alex in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
Recent Projects
In 2022, Collins appeared as a lead in several released films:
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- Sniper: Rogue Mission
- Assailant, a psychological thriller-actioner starring Collins, Casper Van Dien, and Poppy Delevingne
- Dead Zone, a military action-horror film with Michael Jai White
In addition to lending his voice to his 'Alex' character in Call of Duty: Mobile, Collins has also narrated the audiobook The Power of the Dog for Hachette Audio.
Other Notable Roles
Collins is known to sci-fi/fantasy fans for his work playing 'Frankenstein's Monster/Gerhart' in ABC's hit show "Once Upon a Time" as the lead in the series "Extinct" (BYUtv).
His other recent TV guest-starring and recurring credits include:
- "Shooter" (USA)
- "Freakish" (Hulu)
- "NCIS: New Orleans" (CBS)
- "Blue Bloods" (CBS)
- "Major Crimes" (TNT)
- "2 Broke Girls" (CBS)
- "Castle" (ABC)
- "Bones" (FOX)
- "Last Resort" (ABC)
Additional TV work includes "CSI: NY" (CBS), "CSI: Miami" (CBS), "NCIS" (CBS), "90210" (The CW), "Enlightened" (HBO), and "Ringer" (The CW). Collins also starred as the lead for Sony's WWII action film COMPANY OF HEROES (2013), co-starring Tom Sizemore, Neal McDonough, and Vinnie Jones, which was based on the popular THQ video game franchise, as well as in the indie mockumentary ROCK BARNES: THE EMPEROR IN YOU.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Company of Heroes | Nate Burrows |
| 2017 | Extinct | Ezra |
| 2022 | Sniper: Rogue Mission | Brandon Beckett |
Advice for Aspiring Actors
Collins offers advice to current or aspiring actors:
"The advice I always offer to current or aspiring actors is get clear on their career. Most people think they want to be actors, but when you peel back the layers, they have no real reason 'why' they want to be an actor. And if you don’t have a really, REALLY strong 'why' reason driving you forward at all times, you’re not going to last in this industry. There are exponentially more actors than there are roles, so it will be a constant test of will power and an exercise in relentless persistence. If you don’t have that internal clarity developed, chances are you’re going to burn out and fade away. Those that stick around know why they want it, and they endure the highs and lows with a steel resolve."
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