The Unscripted Life of Nick Pugliese
Photo by JJ Geiger
Meet 28 year-old Nick Pugliese, actor, storyteller, and professional deep thinker. You might know him from School Spirits, but his journey goes way beyond the screen.
For Nick, creativity is about making work that matters—without letting work become everything.
He finds inspiration in the in-between moments, the shifting seasons, and yes, even a good YouTube binge. (We all have our vices.)
From classic films to unexpected influences, his perspective is all about embracing the mess, the pauses, and the stories that don’t fit neatly into a box. And if he could live inside one song? Find out below as we ask him 10 burning questions we were just dying to know the answers to.
1. In today’s ever-shifting landscape, what does the “American Dream” look like to you, and how do you weave it into your creative work?
I think the American dream has always remained the same at its core - to live a good life. I think the idea of what a “good life” looks like is the part that’s shifting. Ask two generations before me and they’d answer that’s it’s a stable job, a house in a good school district, a partner, kids, a dog. The generation after that would probably answer something along the lines of enjoying the work you do. This current generation is entirely less work-focused on their road to happiness. I blend the latter two. I want to create and do work that is enjoyable and means something, while remembering that my life should always be more than what it is I do for work.
2. If your creative journey were a cross-country road trip, which landmark or hidden backroad would you say most captured your artistic evolution?
I wouldn’t have to travel far - it’d be Central Park in Manhattan, where I live. Over the last century, Central Park has remained mostly the same as its surroundings constantly change and expand. Throughout the year, it can be enjoyable whether there’s people picnicking during the summer or ice skating in the cold of winter. I hope that no matter the seasons of my life and career, or however much my surroundings may change, it’s enjoyable and I remain myself at my core.
3. What’s one hidden hobby or talent that might surprise your fans and add an extra twist to your public persona?
Definitely not a talent, but I’m a YouTube kid. Should I admit that? I love a vlog or a ‘get ready with me.’ I spend hours every day on YouTube watching random people live their lives. I watch it way more than I watch TV or films.
4. Imagine you could sit down with any American icon—past or present—to swap stories. Who would you choose, and what would you ask about their view on today’s cultural crossroads?
“I want to create and do work that is enjoyable and means something, while remembering that my life should always be more than what it is I do for work. ”
Something I try to remind myself is that it’s always been bad. There has never been a moment in history where racism or classism or misogyny or homophobia or war didn’t exist. Of course there are moments when it feels especially bad - right now being one of those. I would choose someone who also lived through an especially difficult political climate and ask if they think this moment is worse, if they could see a way through it all, and if there’s some sense of unity and compassion at the end.
I guess I didn’t answer the question, did I? Hmmm… Eleanor Roosevelt. She lived through both world wars, the Great Depression, the Spanish flu, and didn’t even live to see the Civil Rights Act get signed!
5. American Studies straddles the line between honoring tradition and igniting innovation. How do you balance the pull of classic American narratives with the urge to challenge the status quo?
As teenagers, I think we all instinctively want to push against any sort of tradition. Any status quo feels like a barrier we’re trapped within and have to work extra hard to break out. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that the root of what I want is the same as all those who came before me. I can recognize that the reason I am even able to go after my “American dream” of living a happy and fulfilling life is because my family chased it on my behalf for generations. But I can also recognize that I would have never been satisfied with a white picket fence in the neighborhood I grew up in. It’s not that I want more, I just want different.
6. What piece of American pop culture—whether a forgotten B-movie, a timeless jingle, or an underground trend—has unexpectedly influenced your art?
The movie, Juno. I’ve spoken about this before, but it was the first movie where I noticed the acting. And it was because it didn’t feel like acting. The characters stumbled over their words. They stuttered and said “like” and “um” and I could tell they were thinking about what they were going to say next. It was exactly how we converse in real life.
If written well, scenes are as close to a perfect conversation one can get. But real conversations are never perfect. The stutters and pauses and mess are what breathe life into a scene.
7. Which part of your own American upbringing feels like a secret ingredient in your creative process, subtly shaping the stories you tell?
Being biracial - which feels like one of the most American experiences. I’m half Japanese and half Italian and I’ve struggled with my identity a lot. I’ve always felt like I didn’t fit into a box and was never sure how to identify - a pretty universal feeling for people who are from multi-cultural and mixed families. As I’ve become more comfortable in my self-identity, I’ve reframed this as a superpower. I contain multitudes. That’s what I’m really focusing on right now - that people are always more than one thing.
8. What public figure did you have a poster of in your childhood bedroom?
I was so boring! I don’t think I had any posters of any celebrity. Jess Gabor, who’s on the second season of School Spirits, and I have been close friends for the past decade and she gifted me a poster of Beyoncé, but as an adult. It’s currently in my childhood bedroom at my parents’ house… does that count?
9. If you had to pick a single song that sums up your vibe, what would it be, and what memories does it bring back?
Let It Be, but the Aretha Franklin version - specifically the version she does with the Royal Philharmonic. Whenever I feel myself get overwhelmed, I play that song and tell myself to chill out. I want to be the physical embodiment of that song.
10. Imagine a fantasy hang out with a teen idol/adult idol from the past—who would it be, and what quirky adventure would you plan together?
I was obsessed with Hilary Duff when I was a kid. We’d probably watch YouTube videos while sitting in Central Park. The real American Dream.