• Tell me about yourself and how you became an actor/musician?
I knew early on that I loved the stage. I started playing the violin at 5, performing for school in Kindergarten and I’ve been acting ever since. In grade school I was cast as Scrooge in The Christmas Carol, it was my first lead. Although, my High School performing arts teacher Lyman Akers was the catalyst to my pursuit to become a working actor. Lyman is a very inspiring teacher, he teaches students how to utilize emotion internally and express it outwardly without indicating what you’re trying to convey. Since then I’ve trained at conservatories in New York City and on the college level in Arizona. Having starred in over six feature films, I’m making the most of a rigorous audition and shooting schedule. Check my re-vamped website out at:
Our band, "Burning Bush" pieced its way together through a shared interest in music, art and a medium through which to communicate that message. We started in high school and have gone through major changes over the years but the style of music (debatably) sounds the same.
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• Tell me about your band and the style of music?
Burning Bush is a collaborative effort between Jason McCullough (rhythm, bass), Mark Fregoso (lead guitar) and myself (vocals). Like I said earlier it’s been a work in progress since high school that has worked around our lifestyles, careers even our families.
Music is a form of self expression that allows me to communicate to the audience through another medium other than the director’s message. Although I hate labels, some call us a progressive mix between rock and experimental. Our core focus as a band is hand in hand with the films I am a part of. We currently have music credits in three feature films and a few short films. We hope to work with a director in composing an overture for a film. We recorded a demo at Living Head in Arizona and are hard at work with an LP.
• Share with me some insight on your role in "SportKill" and "Machined"
Both films are directed by Craig McMahon and it sure is great to work with someone who knows what their looking for and who understands how to articulate that to the actor. SportKill is essentially about betting on life and death. I play Richard, an addicted gambler whose money has compromised his integrity. The cast was amazing to work with Jose Rosete, David Hayes, Kevin Moyers and Elias Castillo are all top notch actors whose creative expression explodes on film.
Machined, McMahon’s first feature film, now available at Blockbuster is a horror film of a completely different nature. David Hayes plays Motorman Dan, a fanatic collector of serial-killer memorabilia. Through a strange series of events he trains a guy named Ryan (Jose Rosete) to be his own, controllable murderer. I play Nick, a not so innocent guy who is at the wrong place at the wrong time. Working with Nessa Hawkins and Eleni C. Krimotosis primarily when on set was great. The death sequence with Nessa and I was difficult because it required no cuts in the scene. This meant that the whole sequence was filmed start to finish over and over again. It was long and intense.
• I see that you have some upcoming projects, one of which is the "11th Aggression." Share with me on what the film will be based on?
"11th Aggression" is a film by Charles Peterson about indulgence and restraint. A new-comer Pat Adam is a long time friend of mine and plays Detective Davidson a rookie on the force. His partner is Detective Garret (Lanny Rethaber), the two are assigned to find a serial killer by the name of Jeffrey Walters (Steve Furedy). Pat and I trained in New York together and this will be the first feature film that we have worked on together.
Essentially, the film is based on a man’s inability to control those primal, almost devilish thoughts that cross everyone’s minds from time to time. My character Jude and his lady Ashley (Davina Joy) happen to trigger one of Jeffrey’s primal tendencies and chaos ensues.
• One last question, which horror film is one of your favorites?
I saw a horror film called "Freaks" when I was a kid, it scared the #%# out of me. Filmed in 1932, it is a sad and sympathetic look at the way disfigurements and abnormalities were treated in the early part of the 20th century. "Freaks" was banned in a number of cities and states in the US. Although the laws are no longer enforced, some of them were never officially repealed. Therefore, it’s still technically illegal for this film to be shown in some areas of the United States.
I appreciate the film years later because its message rings true today. Director Todd Browning asks us to consider who the bigger freaks are: those with physical abnormalities or those who are grotesque and rotted away on the inside.
The two "normal" people who are out to cheat and steal are monstrous, whereas the freaks are quite likable and charming. The ending is very disturbing especially for a child, I still love it though.
