bio
Pepper was born on Vancouver Island, the hidden gem on the Canadian West Coast, where his ancestors had settled in the early 1800’s. His forefathers were pioneers who would build the first log schoolhouses, churches and farms on the surrounding Gulf Islands. Raised with a deep respect for the land, Pepper now raises his own family honouring the same traditions of gardening, fishing and hunting for the wild game and edibles that abound in the rainforests, waters and beaches of the rugged Pacific North West.
“I grew up in the 70’s travelling the world with my family on a sailboat we built in our barn. Living on remote atolls with the local islanders, our families hunted and foraged together, traded and broke bread, learning each other’s skills, customs, beliefs and languages. These early years of travel and discovery, living with remote and indigenous people, has been the light that has guided me in my life, a fire kindled long ago.”
At age 5, his family launched a 50ft sailboat, which they hand built in a barn behind their home. Christened the “Moonlighter”, she became their home for the next five years, on an incredibly adventurous voyage throughout the South Pacific. Like early explorers before them, they used a sextant and celestial navigation to sail to places like Fiji, Tahiti, Hawaii, Rarotonga, the Marquesas Islands, New Zealand, Thailand and Malaysia.
When the Peppers returned to Canada they built a farm on a small Gulf Island off the West Coast of British Columbia where Pepper spent his youth free to adventure and explore the wild places – hunting, fishing and swimming in the lakes. He later discovered acting through his high school drama teacher Mrs. Salter, and later enrolled in the Vancouver Actors studio – training under the gifted Mel Tuck, who focused his skills, challenged him with the classics and ultimately opened his eyes to the possibilities of a career in the performing arts.
Within a few years of working in Vancouver’s film & television industry, Pepper had built an impressive resumé, but was restless for adventure, so set sail once again, joining his father on another voyage aboard the Moonlighter. This journey proved to be the turning point for Pepper, as he and his father retraced the same route the family had navigated in the 70’s, sailing from Canada down the Southern California coast, and crossing to Hawaii. Now as an adult at the helm, amidst the solitude of doldrums and harrowing white squalls of the vast open Pacific galvanized Pepper’s vision for his future. Upon returning home, he packed everything he owned into his car and drove to Los Angeles, and was soon hired for the role of Jackson in SAVING PRIVATE RYAN.
Both a television and film star, Pepper has starred alongside some of today’s most respected fellow actors and directors. He most recently starred opposite Sam Neill in the crime thriller feature, BRING HIM TO ME, directed by Luke Spark, and in Taylor Sheridan’s Paramount+ limited series BASS REEVES opposite David Oyelowo. Other recent projects include Netflix’s feature film AWAKE, alongside Gina Rodriguez, the BRON Studios feature SOLITARY, directed by Nate Parker, and the action thriller feature, TRIGGER POINT, directed by Brad Turner. Previously, he can be seen in films such as Paramount’s CRAWL with Kaya Scodelario and THE PAINTED BIRD, which premiered at The Venice Film Festival. Barry can also be seen in the Fox Film, THE DEATH CURE: MAZE RUNNER 3, a follow up to the second movie in the franchise, SCORCH TRIALS: MAZE RUNNER 2. Other recent work includes: Patriot Pictures’ feature RUNNING WITH THE DEVIL starring Nicolas Cage and Laurence Fishburne, Paramount’s MONSTER TRUCKS, Focus Features’ KILL THE MESSENGER with Jeremy Renner, Disney’s THE LONE RANGER starring Johnny Depp, BROKEN CITY for 20th Century Fox with Mark Wahlberg, Summit Entertainment’s SNITCH with Dwayne Johnson, the Coen Brothers’ TRUE GRIT remake starring Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon, and CASINO JACK, the story of disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff. For his performance in this film, Barry was the recipient of the Hollywood Spotlight Award from the 14th annual Hollywood Film Festival. He also starred in LIKE DANDELION DUST which won more than 30 national and international film festival awards, including Best Actor at the 2009 Las Vegas International Film Festival and 2009 NY Vision Festival. He was seen opposite Will Smith in Columbia Pictures’ SEVEN POUNDS, worked with Clint Eastwood in the World War II epic FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS for Warner Bros, and starred alongside Tom Hanks in the Academy Award winning feature THE GREEN MILE. He also starred in 25th HOUR, Spike Lee’s compelling view of post-9/11 New York City, starring Ed Norton and Philip Seymour Hoffman. His film THE THREE BURIALS OF MELQUIADES ESTRADA for Sony Pictures Classics marked Tommy Lee Jones’ directorial debut and was shown in competition at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival, and Pepper received a nomination for Best Supporting Male in the 2006 Independent Spirit Awards.
His other feature credits include the Bruckheimer/Scott thriller ENEMY OF THE STATE with Will Smith and Gene Hackman, the critically acclaimed Paramount Pictures’ WE WERE SOLDIERS with Mel Gibson, and the New Line feature KNOCKAROUND GUYS opposite John Malkovich and Dennis Hopper.
Pepper starred as Robert Kennedy in the Reelz Channel 8 hr. miniseries THE KENNEDYS with Greg Kinnear and Katie Holmes. In recognition of his outstanding performance he won the 2011 Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie and the 26th annual Gemini Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Dramatic Program or Miniseries. He has also made his mark as a producer. He executive produced and starred in the title role of the ESPN feature 3: THE DALE EARNHARDT STORY, a biopic of the NASCAR star who died in a crash during the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500. His performance garnered a nomination for the 11th Annual SAG Awards for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries. He also executive produced and starred in THE SNOW WALKER, which he received a Best Actor nomination for the 24th Annual Genie Awards in Canada as well as eight other nominations for the film.
Pepper’s starring role in the HBO feature 61* earned him nominations for a Golden Globe, an Emmy, and a Critic’s Choice Award. The film tells the story behind the competition between the New York Yankees’ Roger Maris (Pepper) and Mickey Mantle (Thomas Jane) to break Babe Ruth’s single season homerun record in 1961. The critically acclaimed film was directed and executive produced by Billy Crystal.
