You enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corp Reserves. Tell us about the challenges and what led you to acting.
I never really expected my life to turn out this way, having a sense of purpose, feeling joyful, being truly content, let alone still being alive. Through my early twenties, as a young Marine, I was taught to drink and fight. A true lean, mean, drinking machine. I didn’t realize it, but I was definitely hooked on the sauce. My life was muddled in complete disarray with no true path. When and where would this circus train stop, sobriety, death or destruction?
My battalion was deployed to Ramadi, Iraq in 2008. I was suddenly boots on the ground and no booze to quench my habit. Fueled with anger and withdrawal this would be an agonizing seven months. The battles inside my head roared louder than the battle in front of me. I dreaded coming home because I knew the battle in the Middle East was nothing compared to my upcoming battle on the homefront. I feared that it would kill me.
Before, during, and after serving in my beloved Marine Corps Reserves, I worked for Union Pacific Railroad as a freight conductor. I worked on call, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, and kept busy at the party. I worked with very little sleep and with alcohol on my breath. I bounced around in all aspects of my life from drinking, women, fighting, crashing my car, and getting arrested. Trouble was always knocking at my door, but for me that was my normal state of being. Isn’t it funny and sad what we get used to and think it’s normal? My loving family kept telling me that I was an alcoholic and needed help. I heard them but honestly I didn’t really care. The alcohol comforted me, like an old friend, standing between me and everyone who would hurt me by taking the alcohol away, and breaking my heart. Even after my second DUI and the railroad giving me the option of rehab, nobody could convince me to abandon my best friend and confidant. I used my charismatic personality (something so many alcoholics learn to use well) to get out of my first rehab early. I don’t remember too much of it because honestly, I wasn’t really present.
When I received my 3rd DUI, I faced some serious consequences. I could look forward to some significant jail time and the loss of my job; a steady, reliable job that was the sole support for my love, Alcohol. Union Pacific was willing to give me one final choice. I could choose to attend a (90-day) rehab or the unemployment line. I chose rehab. After all, it was a (90-day) paid vacation in Newport Beach and according to my DUI attorney, it could keep me out of jail. I’ll just do what I did last time, fake it until I was released. I didn’t know that Sept 14, 2016 would be the beginning of sobriety and my last drink. I didn’t need to get sober. I would just go through the motions, to stay out of jail, keep my job, and support my habits. Then, I was told if I wanted to leave the facility, I’d have to get a sponsor. All I had to do was manipulate somebody dumb enough to co-sign on my…bullpoop, but I did that every day. That would be easy. However, in my arrogance I found, not the Sponsor that I wanted, but the one that I needed. David was much younger than me, but we shared a hometown and he reminded me of my little brother, a tall goofy computer nerd with messy hair. I soon learned we shared the same sobriety date, his being a few years ahead of mine. He taught me the tools of sobriety and I took off from there.
A year after rehab I knew I wanted something more in life but I wasn’t quite sure what it was and I searched for guidance. I got back into shape, lost fifty pounds and took care of my skin. A photographer looking for rockabilly models found me on social media and liked my hair. I usually have it piled up in a high pompadour, as I’m a huge Elvis fan. I had no experience modeling but he was willing to try me out. I posted some of the photos and an agent just so happened to see these creations. A week later, I signed with an agent and they started getting me paid with exposure, doing print, commercial, and runway. My first big show was San Francisco Fashion Community Week and I had no idea what to expect. A local movie director saw my commercial work and asked me if I’d like to audition for a movie. The stars lined up, my ship came in, I made my mark. I landed a small role, the lead anchorman, in “Murdersville USA” filmed in Santa Cruz, Ca. After shooting my small role in the movie, the wheels in my head started to turn. It was at that moment I knew I wanted to be an actor. I worked my way to other small roles and with my charismatic personality, I had the privilege to work on three other movies: “Quiet Murders,” “Suburban Story,” and “Blood, Skulls, and Chrome.” I was getting burned out working for the railroad and taking acting/modeling jobs on the side. I had no time for anything else.
I was soon fired from Union Pacific Railroad for attendance and decided to go head on with a career as an actor. I took a leap of faith and plunged into Academy of Arts University. I realized I can actually pursue a degree in acting; I didn’t even know that was a thing. It seemed that AAU would go more in depth in the skills I was looking for. There is no turning back now. The only reason I was even able to make this outcome is my sobriety, the G.I. Bill and the support of my family.
Describe your acting style.
I am currently in my 2nd year at Academy of Arts University in San Francisco and learning different methods of acting. I tend to learn more towards Meisner and The Alexander Technique, living truthfully under imaginary circumstances.
Do you have a favorite role?
My favorite role was probably in Blood, Skulls, and Chrome as I played an outlaw in a motorcycle club, The Steel Knights. I played a character by the name of Elvis and he did a lot of the dirty work. A funny womanizer who would chase anything of the opposite sex, no matter which side she was on.
Tell us about your upcoming role in the Amityville Bigfoot, a Shawn C. Phillips Film.
So far they like me for two of the characters and are still deciding on which one I will be, but either way I will have an epic battle with Bigfoot. This will be my 4th film with Shawn and I enjoy his creativity and how he really brings out the best out of his cast.
What do you bring to acting that makes you unique?
I am a sponge, I am constantly learning and trying to improve any aspect I can. I always stay professional, but have fun in the process. I like to make people laugh and help out anybody I can. I can get into character fairly quickly and give it everything I have.
Share your upcoming films. What do you look forward to the most?
Summer 2022 I will be playing Chris in the film Depravity, a Scott King film. Chris and Lauren suffer the loss of their father and while cleaning the property, they stumble upon a dark secret that leads to the revealing truths of a small town. Secrets so dark they’re forced to fight for survival.