Brad From The Middle Is Unrecognizable Now

After being in production for over two years, ABC aired the first episode of "The Middle" on September 20, 2009, just days before the debut of the monster hit series "Modern Family." The former sitcom's portrayal of a middle-class family in Indiana proved to be a success: it ran for nine seasons and received a number of awards along the way. While "The Middle" featured a star-studded cast of industry veterans ranging from Patricia Heaton to Neil Flynn, it helped launch the careers of young actors such as Atticus Shaffer and Brock Ciarlelli. 

Ciarlelli, a theater kid who grew up in Colorado, told HuffPost he snagged the role of Sue Heck's boyfriend-turned-best friend, Brad Bottig, just days after he was first called in to audition. "Whirlwind is the only word in my vocabulary that accurately describes the process of booking the show," he stated. "TV casting moves fast no matter what — but it's even more so when I'm flying halfway across the country for a two-minute audition!" 

As Brad grew up on the series, Ciarlelli grew up, too. He went on to earn a math degree from Chapman University. There, he took internships that gave him a chance to learn even more about the industry. "From an acting standpoint all you see is the script, you film it, and the next month you see the final product. You don't see all the work that goes into it and the behind-the-scenes," he told Out in 2015. And Brock Ciarlelli has only continued to work since "The Middle."

In 2017, showrunners announced that Season 9 of "The Middle" would be the last. In a 2018 interview with Cheddar (via Facebook), Brock Ciarlelli expressed gratitude for the opportunity to star in such a successful show. "One of the showrunners said during our final table read, she goes, 'All the fun that we've had, it's filmed,'" he said. "And to me, I think that's so cool because I'm not sad because it's ending 'cause we could go back and reflect." 

Given his positive attitude, it seemed that the show's demise didn't impact his trajectory as a performer. On February 27, 2018, Ciarlelli took to Instagram to announce his one-man live show titled "Fully Committed," set to take place in April of that year at the Two Roads Theater in Los Angeles. The play follows a reservations manager from a well-known Manhattan restaurant taking phone calls from 35 individuals with their own quirks and personality traits — all played by Ciarlelli. Whether it be his Kris Jenner-inspired caricature or his frat-boy-esque "Dude Chef," the show not only highlighted his versatility as performer, but kept him busy following his stint on "The Middle." And what do you know, he was inspired by another sitcom star. 

"I saw Jesse Tyler Ferguson from 'Modern Family' do 'Fully Committed' on Broadway a few years ago and I was flabbergasted," Ciarlelli told TrunkSpace. "And when we officially announced the final season of 'The Middle,' I wanted something lined up, so I bought the rights."

During his time on "The Middle," Brock Ciarlelli did not take on many side gigs; filming the hit series seemed to keep him busy. Aside from a short film credit in 2010, a TV short titled "Beth and Ali" in 2013, and "Valet" in 2017, Ciarlelli's involvement in other film projects was minimal. However, after "The Middle" drew to a close, Ciarlelli had more time to expand his range and star in more comedies. 

In 2018, Ciarlelli appeared in Katherine Eaton and Sonia Gumuchian's "Home Entertainment," a fictional short film that followed a group of guests staying in a lavish home in Malibu for vacation only to be spied on by the homeowners through security cameras for their entertainment. The voyeuristic comedy took deep dives into the bizarre personality traits of each visitor while the homeowners reacted to their behavior. Ciarlelli portrayed Ben, who, alongside Amy (Kei'la Ryan), was a young misfit who decided to break into the Malibu house to accomplish one portion of a lengthy to-do-list, which included stealing expensive items and having a threesome. From earning three nominations in separate film festivals from 2018 to 2020, this was certainly a successful venture for the sitcom star.

After the finale of "The Middle," showrunners were compelled to create a spinoff titled "Sue Sue in the City." The series would follow "The Middle" favorite Sue Heck as she went from a dorky teenager to a thriving young adult in Chicago. While this meant we'd probably get cameos from a few notable characters from "The Middle," this also meant that there would be a new array of characters partaking in the show. Brock Ciarlelli's inclusion, however, was a no-brainer. After The Hollywood Reporter confirmed the series back in 2018, Ciarlelli took to Instagram to announce that he was set to reprise his role as Brad in the spinoff. "I can finally announce this!" he wrote. "Brad Bottig and Sue Heck are far from over. The link to the full article is in my bio."

Unfortunately, the spinoff was met with a few roadblocks that determined its premature demise shortly after its conception. In November of the same year, Deadline reported that ABC decided to terminate the production of "Sue Sue in the City." While fans were devastated, Ciarlelli took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to confirm the alleged reports that came out at the time. "Got some sad news on Tuesday," he stated. "We had a blast filming the pilot, and it turned out phenomenally, but it seems the timing of it all wasn't on our side for it to land at ABC."

A running joke in "The Middle" was Brad's unconfirmed sexual orientation. This culminated in Season 7 when Brad came out and embraced his truth. In his aforementioned interview with HuffPost, Brock Ciarlelli praised the creators of the show for how they handled such a delicate moment. "Sometimes it's easy to forget just how much impact a sitcom can have on a viewer because it's just that, a sitcom," he said. "However, I've been fortunate to receive a lot of fan mail — and even had some in-person encounters — where I've been told that the character of Brad has widened their perspective, or allowed them to accept themselves, or even given them the courage to come out to their friends and family." 

Whether it be supporting Carl Nassib after facing backlash for coming out or advocating for gay rights, Ciarlelli consistently stands up for his fellow members of the LGBTQ+ community. While celebrating National Coming Out Day in 2018, Ciarelli penned a heartfelt message on Twitter, encouraging those struggling with coming out to remain positive and try not to worry about others' expectations. "You've gotta do you — in your own time. And when you do decide the time is right, make sure you have your own 'Sue Heck' by your side," he wrote. "Whether you come out today, tomorrow, or 10 years from now ... the world will be brighter because of it. I promise."

Though Brock Ciarlelli keeps his personal life relatively under the radar, he has shared some details about his love life over the years. A few months after the final episode of "The Middle" aired, he started a relationship with producer Kameron Tarlow. The two have offered fans glimpses into their love on social media, sharing vacation snapshots, industry event highlights, and, of course, anniversary milestones. On November 10, 2023, Ciarlelli celebrated their five-year anniversary with a carousel of sweet photos on Instagram. That same day, Tarlow posted, "Five incredible years deserve a photo for each of those years...and an extra video as a PSA to show couples how earplugs can really save any relationship. Love you!"

Like Ciarlelli, Tarlow has achieved massive success in his own right, working as a casting director, executive producer, and assistant on productions like "Grimm," "Hot in Cleveland," and "Crowded." Since 2018, he has been the head of original content at the production company Two Shakes Entertainment, which he founded alongside Damon Wayans Jr. In 2023, the company's first series "Glamorous" hit Netflix — and what do you know, Ciarlelli nabbed a small role on the show (more on that in a bit). Turns out, working together worked well for this couple. 

During the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, a severe instance of police brutality sparked a series of protests for social justice. In 2020, George Floyd, a 46-year-old African-American man, was unrightfully murdered in Minneapolis, and people across the globe reacted in support of Black lives. This in turn created a surge of support for the Black Lives Matter movement. Everyone from political figures to celebrities joined in arms to vent their outrage online to do what they could to bring change to a constant issue. Actor Brock Ciarlelli used his platform to encourage his followers to help in any way they could.

On June 1, 2020, Ciarlelli took to his Facebook account to announce that he enrolled in a 30-day course by Rachel Elizabeth Cargle titled "Do The Work." According to its description, the course is intended to educate others on how they can take part in helping Black women. "I pride myself on being an ally to the black community, and this is just a small way for me to put my actions where my mouth is," he wrote. "I hope you'll join me by doing the same." On June 20, 2020, Ciarlelli also informed his Facebook followers that he was hosting an Instagram Live event to raise money for charities dedicated to benefiting members of the Black community. "Let's catch up, kiki, I can answer some questions about 'The Middle,' and we'll do some good in the process," he announced. 

In 2020, film and television productions slowed down due to the ongoing pandemic. In 2022, however, Brock Ciarlelli slowly began to work his way back into television and popular media. Though we wouldn't see Ciarlelli act until September of that year, Ciarlelli snagged a gig in a well-known web series before making a firm return to acting. 

In 2022, Ciarlelli announced on X (formerly known as Twitter), that he'd be guest-starring on "Binge Queens" for one season. Like Bravo's "The People's Couch," "Binge Queens" is a recap TV show. In each episode, drag queens offer commentary on episodes of "RuPaul's Drag Race" and its spinoffs. The drag queens are also joined by public figures who aren't members of the drag community, but are diehard fans of the series and the art form. 

Ciarlelli sat alongside known drag performer Honey Davenport to react to the six episodes of the first season of "RuPaul's Drag Race: UK vs. The World."  "Do you like to giggle?" he wrote on X. "Then stream 'Binge Queens' as Honey Davenport, Morgan McMichael, Mayhem Miller, BenDeLaCreme, and the incomparable Brittany Broski watch 'RuPaul's Drag Race UK vs. The World!'" From sporting Guy Fieri sunglasses to digging into Jujubee and Jimbo's rivalry, Ciarlelli and Honey Davenport were quite the duo.

In 2022, Universal Pictures released "Bros," a comedy about two gay men exploring what it means to be in a committed relationship. The movie, which stars and was cowritten by Billy Eichner, features Brock Ciarlelli as a fourth participant of a threesome who tries way too hard to be involved.

In an interview with Hollywood Creative Alliance, Ciarlelli noted that the project was postponed due to the pandemic. "I auditioned for it right before the pandemic hit and made my way up the ladder to the approvals, and then s*** stopped in the middle of the track," he recalled. "And then — about a year into the pandemic — they recast the net after they did a little rewriting, I suppose, reauditioned for it, and got the role." 

Ciarlelli was thrilled to be part of the star-studded, all-LGBTQ+ cast. As he said in Instinct Magazine, on top of being a flat-out hilarious flick, "Bros" shines a light on standards and expectations in Hollywood when it comes to sexuality and gender identity. "This is something that I think is historic in a way, and it's proving a point saying LGBTQ actors should be playing LGBTQ roles. And guess what? We can also play straight roles," he declared. "Across the board, I think it's a wonderful step forward."

Exercise has long been a part of the "The Middle" alum's life; on Instagram, Brock Ciarlelli shares videos where he's working up a sweat from either tap dancing or running on the treadmill. His love for fitness eventually led him to partner with Barry's Bootcamp. 

Paired with promotional posts of him wearing Barry's tank tops, Ciarlelli became a fitness instructor for their West Hollywood gym studio. According to his "about me" section on the official website, Ciarlelli prides himself on finding the right balance when it comes to developing his classes. "My classes are energetic and challenging. Three ways you'll sweat in my class: lifting, running, and bopping to my iconic remixes," he wrote. "My favorite day of the week is Saturday full body — upper body focus and my playlist genre of choice is electric pop." According to his Instagram bio, Ciarlelli is also a fitness trainer at Heimat Club, which focuses on various activities ranging from fitness to fine dining. While it is unclear how successful this venture is for the actor, it's safe to assume that Ciarlelli has been booked and busy.

One might assume that after an actor gets their big break in Hollywood, their days of training are behind them. But as Brock Ciarlelli has made clear, he's only continued to take perfecting his craft seriously. Sure, he landed "The Middle" when he was still a high schooler, but he never stopped learning. In 2016, he joined Los Angeles acting school Stan Kirsch Studios. Eventually, he became an instructor at the institution. 

Stan Kirsch Studios founder and "Highlander" actor Stan Kirsch died in 2020. After the tragic news broke, Ciarlelli dedicated a sentimental Facebook post to his late acting coach. Ciarlelli not only celebrated his life and personality, but he also shared what he had learned under his tutelage. "His curriculum expanded beyond acting and auditioning technique. The most important pillar of his teachings was that success is shared," he wrote. "This industry is filled with a lot of toxicity — but he believed that when you share in your fellow classmates' success, you also win."

On September 19, 2023, the studio's official Instagram page promoted Ciarlelli's self-tape course. In a video posted two weeks later, Ciarlelli gave more insight into how his course will provide actors with the knowledge they need to nail auditions and successfully market themselves to casting directors. Despite finding massive success, it's refreshing to see that Ciarlelli doesn't refrain from using his knowledge to help others succeed as well.

After making his acting return in 2022, Brock Ciarlelli popped up on the small screen yet again 2023. Though he stayed busy with his acting coach work and fitness coach work, Ciarlelli still had time to make a guest appearance on a Netflix original executively produced by his longtime boyfriend, Kameron Tarlow. 

On June 22, 2023, Netflix released "Glamorous," a series about a queer makeup artist named Marco Mejia (Miss Benny) getting an opportunity to work for an icon within the make-up industry, Madolyn Addison. Ciarlelli took to Twitter following the release to praise those who worked on the series and announce his own involvement. "Get into hunny. Executively produced by my favorite person in the world, Kameron Tarlow, and the delicious Jordon Nardino," he wrote. "It's fun, joyous, and littered with pop culture references. The main cast slays, and you might just see me in episode 8 sporting a speedo and 2-inch kitten heel." The highlight of the episode is, without question, the group performance set to "Cell Block Tango" featuring Joel Kim Booster, Matt Rogers, Aldrin Bundoc, Zane Phillips, Michael Hsu Rose, Miss Benny, and Ciarlelli. We can't wait to see what Ciarlelli does next.