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A story about longtime friend, actor, and Schaeffer’s Garment Hotel customer Chris Diamantopoulos, and the kind of encouragement that stays with you.
“This guy f–ks!” It’s one of the most famous lines from Russ Hanneman, Chris’s unforgettable character on Silicon Valley. And he would probably be the first person to laugh along with you about it.
Chris Diamantopoulos has been in just about everything on TV and film for the last 20 plus years. Just a few of the films and shows you may have seen him in are Silicon Valley, The Sticky, The Three Stooges, Red Notice, Invincible, True Story, Empire State, The Office, and the list keeps going.
But that is not the main reason why we are writing a story on him.
Chris has been a longtime friend and loyal customer of Schaeffer’s Garment Hotel. Actually, he was a customer before I officially opened the business in 2009.
When you are new to a city and trying to build something from the ground up, you instinctively seek out people who believe in you. Twenty years ago, Chris was one of those people for me.
He was always supportive, positive, and encouraging. It is probably something he never consciously set out to do, and something he may not even realize today, but his belief in me had a lasting impact.
I first met Chris around 2006 while managing a retail store in Los Angeles. At the time, I knew I wanted to open my own shop and create my own clothing, but the details had not fully come together in my mind yet.
It was an interesting and formative period in my life, and our paths happened to cross right in the middle of it.
Los Angeles was a different place then. This was before social media had fully taken over daily life and before the pandemic. The city felt vibrant, energetic, and constantly in motion. There was not a day when the streets were not packed with people.
What started as a customer relationship quickly became something more meaningful. Chris was already a well established actor at the time, and I took an instant liking to him.
After getting to know Chris a little better, I opened up to him about some of the goals I had for my life and the challenges I was facing in trying to achieve them.
With complete sincerity, Chris told me that he had met a lot of people in this town and that he believed I would be one of the ones who figured it out. He went on to say a few other kind things about me, and that conversation stayed with me.
After that, whenever he saw me, he would ask how things were going with my goals, how I was settling in, and he would always encourage me to keep moving forward and pursuing what he already seemed to believe I was capable of.
That may not sound like much, but it meant a great deal to me. In a city full of strangers, Chris was someone I respected, and his confidence in me gave me confidence in myself.
Over the years, Chris and I stayed in touch from time to time. When he was in town, he would stop by my store in Hollywood, and we would catch up.
I have gotten to know Chris well, and what stands out most has very little to do with his success as an actor.
The most respectable thing about Chris is his absolute devotion to his wife and children. There is not a conversation we have where he does not express gratitude for them or speak about them with genuine appreciation.
His commitment to his family is matched only by his commitment to his craft. No matter what situation he finds himself in, he continues forward with an incredibly positive attitude.
I could tell you how great of an actor he is, but you can watch his films and see that for yourself. What most people do not get to see is the force of positivity he brings into the lives of those around him.
Chris believes in people when they do not always believe in themselves. I experienced that firsthand years ago, and I have seen him do the same for others.
When it comes to the garments, Chris wears the clothes I make better than I can at times. But what I appreciate most is the support he has shown me every time our paths cross.
People like him make all of us better and help create success for those around them simply by encouraging, uplifting, and believing in others.
Looking back, Chris was one of the people who made that chapter of my life a little easier, and he continues to be someone I deeply respect.
Enjoy your day, and take some time to lift someone up. You never know how much that might help them.
Oh, and go watch something with Chris in it. The guy is incredible.
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