[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”26795″ img_size=”large”][vc_column_text]Our interview with talented actor Nolan Gross who is best known for his lead role in the feature film “Any Day” where he played Jimmy opposite Eva Longoria and Tom Arnold and also in the role of Sev in the Film “Push” alongside Justine Bateman which was recently released on Amazon Prime Video.
Nolan’s other film credits include roles in “The Terminator,” “Lucky Dog,” “Noah” and “Genesis.”[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”26794″ img_size=”large”][vc_column_text]Hi Nolan, please tell us about you?
Hey! I am an actor, director and for the past two years, I have been in the creative space of designing and editing. I have been pursuing acting since the age of 7 and have been fortunate enough to work in multiple major motion pictures. I also had the opportunity to direct a commercial for Nike recently which was super exciting!
Describe yourself in 3 words?
Creative, caring, and intrigued.
Why and how did you get started in acting?
I always wanted to be on TV since I was seven. I was super intrigued by actors and one day I told my parents that I wanted to be an actor and they saw the passion I had for it and they help me pursue it.
What was the first role you ever did?
The first big role that I ever got was in a movie called, NOAH. I had only done a few short projects before that so when I got this movie which shot in Iceland it was the craziest feeling in the world and I couldn’t believe it. I got to work with Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Darren Aronofsky and so many more talented actors and for the first big project I had ever been on, it was unreal.
Do you have or had acting classes?
I am currently training with Marjorie Ballentine. Training with her has been super different from all the other trainings I’ve had because she opened my eyes to a different perspective of acting and the first day that we met we connected and I think that’s why we work so well together.
Tell us about your experience in castings?
Every casting is different, you never know what you’re going to get. The casting director might be in a bad mood that day, they might have seen 50 other kids or they might be in a good , but no matter what the circumstances are, you always have to walk into the audition room and have the best energy that you can give because that will set the tone.
Please tell us about “Any Day,” and your role as Jimmy?
Any Day is the movie about Jimmy and his Uncle Vian who get to know each other throughout the movie and create this great bond that my character figures out he needed. My role as Jimmy was different because there were so many different aspects into playing this character. He goes through a lot of different times in this short span of time in the movie so I had to figure out a different way to express these different feelings and still make it feel real.
How was working with Eva Longoria and Tom Arnold?
Working them was such a great experience because they are both really highly trained actors, so getting to see how to work and how they interact with others was great to see.
How do you prepare for a role?
When I get the script, I read everything that they’ve given me so I get a better understanding of the project in the role and then I start looking over the scene. I will usually bring the scene to my acting teacher, Marjorie, and we will go over the script together. She’ll give me her input about the scene and we’ll tweak it from there.
What other projects you have been part of?
I’ve gotten to work on, PUSH with Justine Bateman, Terminator Genisys, CSI, American Horror Story, I just directed a commercial for Nike, and some other great projects that I was fortunate enough to work on.
What have you learned from your other actors?
I’ve learned how to start connecting with the other actor during the scene. You can start learning how someone else works and how they are acting in the scene and to help the scene keep it’s flow and bounce the energy off of each other to make the scene even greater.
Who is your favorite actor/actress?
My favorite actor would have to be Timothée Chalamet or Ansel Elgort.
Which project is still on your bucket list?
Ever since I was a little kid, I always wanted to be the lead in an action movie. I think there are some other movies that I would put as a bucket list project but an action movie has always been up there.
What would be the dream holiday, and who would you go with?
I would love to go to Tokyo and experience it. I would go with some of my best friends and my family. It’s somewhere that I’ve wanted to go for a while now, mostly because of the fashion but now that I’m learning more about the things you can do there, I want to go even more.
If you could meet someone living or dead, who would it be and why?
There are a ton of people that would be so sick to meet and there were some that were on my list before, but now I have met them which is crazy! One person that I would love to meet is Kanye West. I know he’s had his crazy and controversial moments, but he is still one of the most genius creators of our time. I would want to talk to him and even go to the studio with him and see what it’s like for him to record. I think that meeting him would be so cool. There are so many more people that I wanted to put on this list, but I feel like I’m going to meet them one day.
What is your own definition of happiness?
Being happy for some people might be in the moment, which is amazing and everyone should have those times of happiness…but there’s a difference between being happy with a moment and being happy all around. My definition of being happy is being happy in everything you do. That’s super hard and I’m still working on it but I think that everyone has moments of happiness which are great and being happy is something that you have to work at.
Where do you see yourself in a few years?
I see myself still acting and getting better and better at my craft. I also see myself still creating. I feel like down the line in a few years, my creative design and direction is going to be on a whole different level.
If you were not an actor what else you will be doing?
I would want to be a designer. I love designing already and have been getting into more graphic design recently but I would want to put all my focus towards that if I wasn’t acting.
What do you think of Social Media in the Entertainment business?
I think that social media is super powerful but a lot of people don’t use their influence in the right way. Nowadays, social media can make or break a career which couldn’t have happen a few years ago. I have a love/hate relationship with social media because it’s so self centered at times and people don’t act like themselves, but as a creative, I love it to see how to improve my art and also see what others are up to.
Best advice ever given?
“Not everyone gets famous overnight. Your time will come when you’re ready and when the world’s ready.”
What’s your favorite music?
If you look at my saved music, you’ll see a mix of everything. I’m really into rap and chill pop at the moment. I really like well produced tracks that I’ve never heard before. Some of my favorite artists are LANY, Brockhampton, ROLE MODEL, Travis Scott… the list goes on.
What’s a normal day in your life?
I graduated high school early to pursue other forms of creating and working that I love. My normal day looks like me waking up, going to the gym, doing creative work for different companies, going to acting lessons and some days even photography lessons.
Do you have a role model?
I have a ton of people that I look up to… whether that’s in music, art, fashion, acting, my parents, there’s a ton. My role model though would have to be God. Hands down. He’s someone that I look up to and strive to be like more and more.
Any future plans you want to share with us?
I’m working on some music right now, but it’s just at the beginning so right now I’m just trying to find the right people to be in the room with a make something great.
Where we can follow you?
Quote: “I don’t come up with ideas in a test tube; I come up with ideas by breaking test tubes. That’s how I’ve always been.” – Virgil Abloh
Book: Poke The Box
Movie: Baby Driver
Sports Team: Packers
Tv Show: The Flash[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
