Brad From The Middle Is Unrecognizable Now

After being in production for over two years, ABC aired the first episode of "The Middle" on September 20, 2009, just days before the debut of the monster hit series "Modern Family." The former sitcom's portrayal of a middle-class family in Indiana proved to be a success: it ran for nine seasons and received a number of awards along the way. While "The Middle" featured a star-studded cast of industry veterans ranging from Patricia Heaton to Neil Flynn, it helped launch the careers of young actors such as Atticus Shaffer and Brock Ciarlelli. 

Ciarlelli, a theater kid who grew up in Colorado, told HuffPost he snagged the role of Sue Heck's boyfriend-turned-best friend, Brad Bottig, just days after he was first called in to audition. "Whirlwind is the only word in my vocabulary that accurately describes the process of booking the show," he stated. "TV casting moves fast no matter what — but it's even more so when I'm flying halfway across the country for a two-minute audition!" 

As Brad grew up on the series, Ciarlelli grew up, too. He went on to earn a math degree from Chapman University. There, he took internships that gave him a chance to learn even more about the industry. "From an acting standpoint all you see is the script, you film it, and the next month you see the final product. You don't see all the work that goes into it and the behind-the-scenes," he told Out in 2015. And Brock Ciarlelli has only continued to work since "The Middle."

During his time on "The Middle," Brock Ciarlelli did not take on many side gigs; filming the hit series seemed to keep him busy. Aside from a short film credit in 2010, a TV short titled "Beth and Ali" in 2013, and "Valet" in 2017, Ciarlelli's involvement in other film projects was minimal. However, after "The Middle" drew to a close, Ciarlelli had more time to expand his range and star in more comedies. 

In 2018, Ciarlelli appeared in Katherine Eaton and Sonia Gumuchian's "Home Entertainment," a fictional short film that followed a group of guests staying in a lavish home in Malibu for vacation only to be spied on by the homeowners through security cameras for their entertainment. The voyeuristic comedy took deep dives into the bizarre personality traits of each visitor while the homeowners reacted to their behavior. Ciarlelli portrayed Ben, who, alongside Amy (Kei'la Ryan), was a young misfit who decided to break into the Malibu house to accomplish one portion of a lengthy to-do-list, which included stealing expensive items and having a threesome. From earning three nominations in separate film festivals from 2018 to 2020, this was certainly a successful venture for the sitcom star.

A running joke in "The Middle" was Brad's unconfirmed sexual orientation. This culminated in Season 7 when Brad came out and embraced his truth. In his aforementioned interview with HuffPost, Brock Ciarlelli praised the creators of the show for how they handled such a delicate moment. "Sometimes it's easy to forget just how much impact a sitcom can have on a viewer because it's just that, a sitcom," he said. "However, I've been fortunate to receive a lot of fan mail — and even had some in-person encounters — where I've been told that the character of Brad has widened their perspective, or allowed them to accept themselves, or even given them the courage to come out to their friends and family." 

Whether it be supporting Carl Nassib after facing backlash for coming out or advocating for gay rights, Ciarlelli consistently stands up for his fellow members of the LGBTQ+ community. While celebrating National Coming Out Day in 2018, Ciarelli penned a heartfelt message on Twitter, encouraging those struggling with coming out to remain positive and try not to worry about others' expectations. "You've gotta do you — in your own time. And when you do decide the time is right, make sure you have your own 'Sue Heck' by your side," he wrote. "Whether you come out today, tomorrow, or 10 years from now ... the world will be brighter because of it. I promise."

During the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, a severe instance of police brutality sparked a series of protests for social justice. In 2020, George Floyd, a 46-year-old African-American man, was unrightfully murdered in Minneapolis, and people across the globe reacted in support of Black lives. This in turn created a surge of support for the Black Lives Matter movement. Everyone from political figures to celebrities joined in arms to vent their outrage online to do what they could to bring change to a constant issue. Actor Brock Ciarlelli used his platform to encourage his followers to help in any way they could.

On June 1, 2020, Ciarlelli took to his Facebook account to announce that he enrolled in a 30-day course by Rachel Elizabeth Cargle titled "Do The Work." According to its description, the course is intended to educate others on how they can take part in helping Black women. "I pride myself on being an ally to the black community, and this is just a small way for me to put my actions where my mouth is," he wrote. "I hope you'll join me by doing the same." On June 20, 2020, Ciarlelli also informed his Facebook followers that he was hosting an Instagram Live event to raise money for charities dedicated to benefiting members of the Black community. "Let's catch up, kiki, I can answer some questions about 'The Middle,' and we'll do some good in the process," he announced. 

In 2022, Universal Pictures released "Bros," a comedy about two gay men exploring what it means to be in a committed relationship. The movie, which stars and was cowritten by Billy Eichner, features Brock Ciarlelli as a fourth participant of a threesome who tries way too hard to be involved.

In an interview with Hollywood Creative Alliance, Ciarlelli noted that the project was postponed due to the pandemic. "I auditioned for it right before the pandemic hit and made my way up the ladder to the approvals, and then s*** stopped in the middle of the track," he recalled. "And then — about a year into the pandemic — they recast the net after they did a little rewriting, I suppose, reauditioned for it, and got the role." 

Ciarlelli was thrilled to be part of the star-studded, all-LGBTQ+ cast. As he said in Instinct Magazine, on top of being a flat-out hilarious flick, "Bros" shines a light on standards and expectations in Hollywood when it comes to sexuality and gender identity. "This is something that I think is historic in a way, and it's proving a point saying LGBTQ actors should be playing LGBTQ roles. And guess what? We can also play straight roles," he declared. "Across the board, I think it's a wonderful step forward."

One might assume that after an actor gets their big break in Hollywood, their days of training are behind them. But as Brock Ciarlelli has made clear, he's only continued to take perfecting his craft seriously. Sure, he landed "The Middle" when he was still a high schooler, but he never stopped learning. In 2016, he joined Los Angeles acting school Stan Kirsch Studios. Eventually, he became an instructor at the institution. 

Stan Kirsch Studios founder and "Highlander" actor Stan Kirsch died in 2020. After the tragic news broke, Ciarlelli dedicated a sentimental Facebook post to his late acting coach. Ciarlelli not only celebrated his life and personality, but he also shared what he had learned under his tutelage. "His curriculum expanded beyond acting and auditioning technique. The most important pillar of his teachings was that success is shared," he wrote. "This industry is filled with a lot of toxicity — but he believed that when you share in your fellow classmates' success, you also win."

On September 19, 2023, the studio's official Instagram page promoted Ciarlelli's self-tape course. In a video posted two weeks later, Ciarlelli gave more insight into how his course will provide actors with the knowledge they need to nail auditions and successfully market themselves to casting directors. Despite finding massive success, it's refreshing to see that Ciarlelli doesn't refrain from using his knowledge to help others succeed as well.