‘Claim to Fame’: How Shane Took His Iconic Actor Grandfather’s Advice to Heart in the House (Exclusive)

Shane was eager to carry on the legacy of his famous grandfather in the Claim to Fame house. After being sent packing in the penultimate episode of Season 3 of the ABC competition show, Shane opened up to PopCulture.com about honoring his roots as the grandson of none other than Hollywood legend Marlon Brando. 

Shane Brando was revealed to be the son of the Oscar-winning actor’s son Miko Brando during Wednesday night’s Guess Off after competitor Mackenzie finally put together the pieces of the puzzle regarding his famous family member’s true identity. 

“I knew she had me,” Shane told PopCulture, admitting that he knew once his clue was pulled “it would be the end of the road” for him. “It was so stressful leading up to the Guess Off trying to keep Mackenzie from sharing my clue with Hud, and if I were a more savage player I would have attached myself to Mackenzie’s hip just to make sure she couldn’t,” he continued. “At the end of the day, I played my heart out and have no regrets. So when she said my grandpa’s name correctly it was almost a relief.”

Seeing the shock on the faces of his fellow houseguests — and co-hosts Frankie and Kevin Jonas — when they learned Shane descended from Hollywood royalty was “really great to see,” but he noted that while his grandfather has had a “massive influence in the entertainment world,” The Godfather star “will always just be my grandpa to me – watching TV in his underwear and teaching me how to play chess.”

“I loved my grandfather so much! He was so funny and always knew the right thing to say,” Shane gushed of the acclaimed actor, who passed away in 2004. “And he knew everything about everything. In his house, he had so many books about so many things and he read them all. In the borders of all his books were notes and sometimes he would even have some things crossed out and would rewrite it to make it more accurate. Simply an amazing human being.”

He continued, “We would play games at the dinner table, he would balance on 2 wheels on his wheelchair, and he invented his own style [of] bongo drum.” The A Streetcar Named Desire star was also “huge into practical jokes,” Shane continued, “so when you were around him you were always on your toes.” He added, “I truly miss him.”

Shane also made sure to take his grandfather’s acting prowess with him into the house, having filmed the esteemed actor’s unreleased acting class “Lying for a Living” with him when he was about 12 years old, which he called “an experience I will truly never forget.” Marlon always advised his grandson to “always be true to yourself and be interesting” when performing – to always “keep the audience on their toes.”

Shane wanted to bring that advice, as well as his grandfather’s legacy as an activist with him into the house during Claim to Fame Season 3. It’s why Shane brought up his late grandfather’s commitment to the civil rights movement, Native American rights, and fighting apartheid before making his exit during Wednesday’s episode.

“I thought it was very important to do so because my grandpa always told me that if you have a voice then you should use it,” Shane told PopCulture. “My grandpa was way more than just an actor, and I really wanted to remind the world of that. …He was a beautiful soul who really cared about civil injustice and wanted to be a voice for change. I felt like it was my responsibility to make sure his contribution to society and to Hollywood is never forgotten.” He added that it “literally felt like the most Brando thing I could do.”

As Season 3 of Claim to Fame came to a close with back-to-back episodes Wednesday night (see PopCulture’s interview with the winner here), fans could also hear Season 1 runner-up Logan Crosby’s song “Girl Next Door” during episode 7. Listen again here.