Pablo Torre

It's no less than Timothee Chalamet told Matthew McConaughey before the Academy Awards earlier this year.

But I did not book Brandon Jovanovich, our guest today, simply to get you to care about opera.

even though sports and pop culture have stolen from the opera house for a very long time, as you will see.

I booked Brandon because he happens to be a former college linebacker whose own dramatic arc is as remarkable as any I have covered, starting back when Brandon moved to Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, in the mid-'90s.

Oh, you're getting a crash course in the highest rungs of New York hierarchy.

And one of Brandon's very first gigs just happened to be at the largest and busiest opera house in the entire world.

Metropolitan Opera House, right here in New York City, where he found himself serving at several opening night galas,

And if Brandon were merely the only person in the history of the Metropolitan Opera House to go from serving at an opening night to starring in one, that alone would be heroic enough right there.

But that is not even the story we're here to tell.

Because when this married father of three debuted last year at the Met as Captain Ahab in Moby Dick, battling a form of marine life even more haunting than $10,000 salmon, Brandon Jovanovich was also hiding a profound personal secret.

A secret I am hoping he will ultimately discuss with us here today.

Moby Dick, speaking of happy endings, by the way.

I guess for those who don't remember or know the character of Ahab, can you explain him to our audience?

Does not get the opportunity for a two-camera Bugs Bunny style wink and nod.

Spoiler alert, being consumed by obsession and ambition does not work out.

Yeah, go figure.

For old Captain Ahab.

When you were playing Ahab, were you a method Ahab?

What part of you are haunted by the fact that you never made it?

When I was hearing you describe the plot of Moby Dick, I was like, ah, so there's this guy who's obsessed with this quest and he will do anything to get it.