Rom-Com Ready: Rance Nix Is Ready for His Moment

welcome to the Dwarfism History substack! for fun things like this.

i’ve had the pleasure of working with rance on two different occasions now, so i was super excited to interview him for Dwarfism History. he’s an actor, real estate agent, and most importantly, the one who convinced me to put golf lessons on my to-do list. 

not only has rance appeared in OWN’s “Kings of Napa,” but he also starred in a play based on a real African court dwarf at the court of king louis xiv of france. he was the personal pet of queen maria theresa and sadly met a tragic fate. 

i hope you enjoy this interview, and hope you’ll take a second to show rance some love (and hire him, damnit!) 

x

aubrey

What was the process like for finding your personal style through clothing? 

"Since birth!"

Haha but nah seriously, grateful for parents who styled me well when I was younger. Then over time, I learned to dress well from my father, who's an attorney and who always dresses up. Even when he's dressed casually he's matching head to toe and is always put together. He taught me the value of excellence and that part of being excellent is dressing well. 

Then I'd say in college I caught the sartorial bug, started reading GQ, and curating my own style and taste. Over time, my style has developed to what it is now. I always describe it as a mix of J. Crew seasoned with streetwear and occasionally a luxury staple piece. 

I love that you play golf. What are some things you love about the sport? 

I love that golf allows me to be competitive. I wasn't able to play football or basketball when I was younger due to my height. However with golf, body size or how strong you are doesn't matter. Golf is a sport that rewards short game. ;) But truly, "drive for show, putt for dough!" Once I figured out I could beat people around the putting greens, I was able to compete and have a bunch of fun. 

I don't really play golf competitively anymore so now golf is a fun hobby that slows me down. The course is my happy place to get away from the hustle and bustle of my career and to just enjoy being outside. I love it! And the dream is to play in all the celebrity pro-ams when the powers that be determine I'm famous/successful enough to participate. 

When did your passion for the arts begin?

I've always loved being around and in front of people. I think I've always had the bug to act but it took a second to come together.

In high school, I kinda wanted to do theatre but it was predominantly musical theatre and I can't sing so that was a no go. Then while at UGA, for a hot sec, I wanted to be a publicist to "be the person for famous people." I had no idea what publicists did but I think that's what I thought I wanted to do because I was too nervous to say I wanted to be the famous person. But all the while, in college I was hosting events and doing YouTube videos, making a little bit of a name for myself on campus. At some point it clicked, "Oh no, I wanna be the guy. I want to act." And after I graduated, I decided to pursue acting full time! It's been 10 years since and I'm still at it!

You were in a play “Las Meninas” which is based on a true story of a man with dwarfism. Was this your first time hearing about Nabo? 

Yes! It was my first time hearing about Nabo and my first major role as an actor! “Las Meninas” by Lynn Nottage is a fantastic play and it was an honor to play Nabo.

here’s a video i did on nabo:

What's a dream project you'd love to tackle?

I'd love to be in a rom com and get the girl!! I'm actually in the process of writing my own rom com loosely based on my life experiences and navigating being single in my 30s. Hosting "Late Night with Rance" is also a dream. 

I like to act but like with "Coffee with Rance" I like finding out about other people, gassing them up, and chatting about all things culture: food, art, music, fashion, you name it. We will see!

Rance Nix is an actor, comedian and real estate agent. You can find him on Instagram, TikTok and by visiting his website.