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IMDbPro

Eric James O'Keefe

  • Actor
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Through music and dramatic performances the film tells the story of the relationship between a young successful guitar player/songwriter (Bob) and a very attractive singer/songwriter (Kitt). Bob and Kitt are brought together by their friends and one opportunistic agent to build a cover band. Instantly infatuated with each other, they become lovers and move in together. To the disappointment of his parents, an extremely successful Wall Street Financier and a philanthropist, Bob has chosen art over commerce, beginning his emotional struggle.

Bob was taught from the cradle to be successful at all costs, and this mentality leads him into a competition with his family. Knowing BobÂ’s family background and temperament, the agent holds up Tom Petty as the ultimate modern commercial musical success and challenges him to match Mr. PettyÂ’s achievements. In the hopes of leveraging the success of the group, the agent begins planning KittÂ’s solo career, playing the lovers against each other. The pressure builds on Bob, who is young and unused to such stress, until he finally snaps, causing a failure in his career, and a break up of the lovers.

After the break up, Kitt learns that Bob has fallen into a downward spiral of alcohol and drug abuse. Kitt returns to try to pull Bob back to his former productive self.

The film features 9 original rock tunes that are written and co-written by the lovers as they progress along the relationship curve.
Play trailer1:50
I Hate Tom Petty (2011)
Born in Dorchester, MA, Eric moved to the nearby town of Hull at a young age. He first got interested in acting thanks to his high school director, Joseph Donigar, and his acting coach, Greg Cunningham. Throughout high school, he starred in a number of plays and was a nationally ranked actor in the CFL (Catholic Forensics League) and NFL (National Forensics League).

He earned his BA in English from Boston University, where he graduated with honors and took every acting class they'd allow a humanities major into. He won BU's Stage Troupe award for best actor as Wallace in "Women and Wallace" at the Boston Playwrights' Theatre. He teamed up with TV writer Don Diego in Boston in a sketch comedy group known as the Outtakes. They hosted weekly sketch and stand-up comedy shows throughout a two-year residency at the Comedy Vault. It was the most successful residency since Dane Cook's in the early 2000s.

In New York, he studied Strasberg's sensory method acting at the Actors Conservatory under Lily Lodge. He won a scholarship from Alec Baldwin, a past student of Lily's, allowing him to continue his studies throughout his New York career. At the same time, he studied improv at the UCB theatre, training under comedic greats Zach Woods and Will Hines, and performing beside up-and-comers like Lauren Lapkus and Ryan Karels.

Since moving to LA, he has joined SAG, kept up with the improv scene, and booked a number of smalls roles.
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  • Known for

    Inkblot
    Short
    • Man
      I Hate Tom Petty (2011)
      I Hate Tom Petty
      7.4
      • Keith Mann
      • 2011
      The Moon
      Short
      • Philip
      • 2013
      Audition (2015)
      Audition
      6.9
      • Self
      • 2015

      Credits

      IMDbPro

      Actor



      • Inkblot
        • Man
        • Completed
        • Short



      • Perfidia (2018)
        Perfidia
        Short
        • Clown
        • 2018
      • To the Meadow
        Short
        • Junior
        • 2013
      • The Moon
        Short
        • Philip
        • 2013
      • I Hate Tom Petty (2011)
        I Hate Tom Petty
        7.4
        • Keith Mann
        • 2011

      Videos2

      Reel
      Demo Reel 1:41
      Reel
      I Hate Tom Petty
      Trailer 1:50
      I Hate Tom Petty
      I Hate Tom Petty
      Trailer 1:50
      I Hate Tom Petty

      Personal details

      • Official site
        • Official Site
      • Height
        • 5′ 7″ (1.70 m)

      Did you know

      • Trivia
        Eric's torso is featured prominently in the 2010 film, "Fair Game".

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