Synopsis – The Book of Irwin Gould
Irwin David Gould, Jr. enjoyed a middle-class upbringing on the small Caribbean island of St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, but life for him was far from perfect in his idyllic surroundings. Through a series of life-changing events, including escaping a sometimes-abusive home, narrowly surviving a devastating hurricane, relocating to New York City to live with his grandmother, her sudden death, and his eventual move to South Florida, culminated in him landing roles in some of Hollywood’s biggest flicks in the early 2000s.
During his sheltered childhood that largely consisted of attending church and school and was presided over by a strict-disciplinarian father, Irwin dreamed of one day playing professional basketball or becoming a business owner. Never in his wildest dreams had he considered having a career in Hollywood.
At the age of 17, his parents moved the family to Brooklyn to live with his maternal grandmother following the devastating impact of Hurricane Hugo on his island home in 1989. The move turned out to be a welcome one for Irwin, as it was the first time in his life he experienced a sense of freedom and hopefulness—he knew New York City was where he wanted and needed to be.
After about six months of living in New York, however, his parents returned the family to St. Croix to begin rebuilding their lives after the storm. A year-and-a-half later, by invitation of his grandmother, Irwin gladly returned to New York City to permanently live with her. He enrolled in the Technical Career Institute (TCI) in Manhattan, where he obtained his GED and began studying Business Management. There, many of his friends encouraged him to register with a modeling agency due to his striking 6’4” height and lean, muscular build. This was not a suggestion Irwin would give serious thought to until many years later.
A year into living with his grandmother, whom Irwin loved and admired because of her exemplary work ethic, Irwin’s world was shattered by her unexpected passing. One Saturday morning while out running errands, his grandmother suffered a massive heart attack. Irwin, who was at home that morning, received the news of her death via telephone call from a NYPD officer.
Irwin’s life changed in an instant—he quit school and began working multiple jobs to stay afloat financially. After about six years, in a bid to earn some extra cash, he decided to give modeling a try and registered with an agency. He subsequently went on countless auditions throughout the city but did not experience any success.
It wasn’t until Irwin relocated to South Florida in the early 2000s that opportunities in the world of entertainment began to open for him. He registered with a local talent agency and soon landed his first acting gig—a commercial for a German chocolatier. Irwin continued to experience success with commercials and was casted for Italian luxury hotel brand TUI, in a series of Bud Light TV ads featuring Cedric the Entertainer, and in a national voter campaign targeting minorities that aired during the Super Bowl XXXIX Halftime Show in 2004.
Call it blessings from above, being in the right place at the right time or sheer luck, Irwin got his big Hollywood break in 2003. As he stood in line at a casting call for an Aerosmith music video, he was approached by famed Bad Boys producer Michael Bay, who was at the same location casting for the Bad Boys (II) movie, starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence. Michael encouraged Irwin to audition for the movie and Irwin made the cut.
Following his big break, with some inevitable disappointments along the way, Irwin continued to experience success in Hollywood, appearing in blockbusters Transporter 2 (2004), starring Jason Statham and Miami Vice (2005), starring Colin Farrell and Jamie Foxx; and in Pledge This! (2006), starring Paris Hilton.
Irwin doesn’t take any of his successes for granted and understands the gift he has been given to work in an industry that has both changed his life and the lives of many to whom he is connected. Interactions he has had on the set of Bad Boys (II) with Will Smith have positively shaped his outlook of the industry, keeping him optimistic for the future of the next generation of Hollywood actors.
Irwin continues to audition for roles today and credits his enthusiasm and staying power to lessons he has learned from his beloved grandmother, his commitment to hard work, and what he believes to be the transformative power of education. Irwin intends to use his story to inspire others to dream big and to pursue their big dreams.