We were lucky to catch up with Kurt Oberhaus recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Kurt, thanks for joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

The most meaningful project I worked on is an independent film title “Amber Alert”. I had sent a self-tape audition in for a small part in the film. One of the producers saw my tape and I thought I would possibly be good for the main antagonist. They had me send in another self-tape for that part. A few weeks later I got the call I had booked the role! I shot for 7 days in and around Louisville, KY. It was an amazing experience with the best and most accommodating cast and crew. The film starred Hayden Panetierre and Tyler James Williams. Not only was this my biggest role to date but the character I portrayed was something I really had to work on in a way I had not had to do on previous roles. It was deeper and darker than anything I had done. When the film released in select theatres and VOD I feel I had done the role justice. It is now available on HULU and the response has been terrific!

Kurt, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am an actor who was born and raised in Davenport, IA. I grew up as the middle child among my two brothers, raised by my parents Mark and Denise. Although baseball played a significant role in my early life, I always found fascination in the challenge and creativity demanded by acting and filmmaking.

My journey into the world of entertainment began when I first saw Star Wars: A New Hope. It was the film that opened my eyes to possibilities of the entertainment industry. I started shooting stop-motion animation films which lead to live action short films which eventually lead to the production of two feature films during my high school years. While pursuing my Bachelor’s Degree in Cinema at The University of Iowa, I really discovered my passion for being in front of the camera rather than behind it.

In July of 2014, I decided to relocate to Los Angeles. This is when my professional acting career really started. I secured roles in independent films such as “Haunt” and landed smaller parts on various TV shows. I recently co-starred in the Apple TV+ show “Truth Be Told” and HULU’s “Pam & Tommy”. I also portrayed the main antagonist in the Lionsgate film “Amber Alert”, which I am most proud of.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

This question is something I think about a lot. Especially when I see friends back home with their families and steady 9 to 5 jobs. They seem very happy and sometimes I wonder if I would be happier if I had just chosen that route. They often are curious how one can live paycheck to paycheck and never really know when the next job will be or if there will be a next job. The overall lack of security. Missing out on “life”. I think what they may not understand is that the journey and the possibility of something bigger, something more creatively fulfilling is what really keeps me going. The fact that this industry is very, very hard and very unpredictable excites me in a way. The phone could ring at any moment with a life-changing opportunity. I think I just like the thrill of that.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

Maybe not so much resources but not being afraid to ask for help from your peers. Sometimes you think you can do it all yourself but that may lead to frustration and you starting to doubt your creative capabilities. Stick with the thing you know you are great at and try to find others who are great in their areas to collaborate with. This is especially important in filmmaking. You could do everything mediocre yourself, or you could focus on your expertise and find others who are experts in cinematography, sound, lighting, etc.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.imdb.me/kurtoberhaus
• Instagram: @kurt_oberhaus
• Facebook: KurtOberhaus
• Youtube: KurtOberhaus

Image Credits

headshot – Chris Jon Photography