Today we’d like to introduce you to John Wells

Hi John, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.

I was always a very awkward and introverted kid. Quiet, and never comfortable around people or even in my own skin. I took sanctuary in fiction, movies, books, play, and art. The more fantastical the better, castles, kingdoms, magic, and spaceships to carry me away to other worlds and other lives.
So really, I’ve always had a love affair with escapism. With that, I don’t think of acting as something I pursued or found, rather a part of me that evolved and grew into what it is now. Acting is, after all, the ultimate exercise in escapism.

My immersion into film acting began almost two decades ago when I fell in with some local independent film producers who sort of adopted me into their circle. They introduced me to a new world of networking and opportunity. Growing up in Kentucky, the idea of working on movies seemed like a far fetched dream until then.

I fell in love, of course, and dove in head first. It consumed my life in the best way. Now, I get to wake up and wear a myriad of new lives and live new adventures for a living. That childhood escapism evolved into a skill that became a profession.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?

Acting is an incredibly difficult career path to navigate.

The battle of finding and securing work consistently, trying to keep your calendar full, is never without some instability. Learning the ins and outs of landing the right gigs for you professionally as an artist, and to keep it incoming takes a lot of mindfulness and hustle. There’s also a lot of balance and preparation needed to make sure you’re covered for when (not if) work falls through or gets pushed back. Even with a full slate of projects, the job comes with a degree of uncertainty. So one has to learn to be prepared for everything or nothing.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?

The majority of my work has been acting in indie movies, which I do sincerely love. There’s this sort of blithe unbridled creativity that comes with independent art fields. And I’ve been blessed with the opportunities that have come my way and the body of work I’ve been able to accrue. I get to work in a vast and varying array of genres, from period drama, horror, fantasy, to tongue-in-cheek dark comedies and B-movie camp, and I love it all. It’s all exploration and experimentation of the human experience and emotional and expressive pallet. Every job is a practice and exertion of perspective and empathy. The more wildly different the role, the more you get to stretch and test your own limits. Versatility and adaptability have served me well in that regard.

Over the last several years I’ve somehow managed to establish a “brand”…I guess you’d say…as an indie B-movie (and I use the term endearingly) leading actor. I’ve been able to play some wonderfully fun and challenging characters in the sort of movies I loved as kid while seeking that fantastical escapism. From pirates, space soldiers, monster hunters, historical figures, to champion boxers.

I’ve been a hundred different people, and seen the world through a hundred different pairs of eyes, which honestly, at the risk of sounding pretentious, can be philosophically enlightening.

It’s a wonderful craft, acting,
and an arduous but deeply rewarding journey.

Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?

Get out of your own head.

Sever the ego, and abandon any thoughts of fame or fortune. This is an art form where self awareness is your nemesis.

And focus on the work itself. You have to love the work, not as a means to an end, but the reward itself. Don’t act because you want something to come from the acting, act because you’ve worked to get there…to be in the moment on set doing your work and making the art.

If fame and accolades are your goal, the red carpets and “your name in lights”… then you’re looking to be a celebrity not an actor.

If you can still love acting if you erase any potential for attention, applause, or notoriety, then please go act. That mentality and respect for the craft is what you need to be a great actor. And if you become a great actor, and are lucky as hell, then the other superfluous stuff will come as a side effect.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://m.imdb.com/name/nm4323217/
• Instagram: @officialjohnwells
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/johnscottwells?mibextid=LQQJ4d

Image Credits

Primary photo by Gary Barragan