We recently connected with Michael Huey and have shared our conversation below.

Michael, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

In elementary school, I was in the after-school choir, and I guess that’s where I found that I really liked to perform, but that I was really passionate about it. I would always audition for any and all solo parts, and I would learn the songs faster than most of the other kids.

Then I got my first taste of stage performing when I did plays and musicals throughout middle school and high school. If there was an extra-curricular activity that involved performing, young Michael Huey wanted to be a part of it. I was pretty much an average student, and I didn’t excell at any sports or academics. The only thing I knew I was good at and what I loved was performing, and I didn’t want to stop.

I think it was around the time I graduated high school and got into community college when I realized that I was better at acting than I was at singing, and I wanted to pursue it, since I didn’t have any other plan or direction at the time.

Michael, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Michael Huey. I reside in San Diego, CA. Currently, I’m represented by AMA in San Diego, and NTA Talent Agency in LA.

While I balance auditions and taking classes, I also work as an office assistant/archive technician, most of my work involves scanning and printing building plans all day.

I am a huge geek as well. My four main obsessions are acting, anime, cooking, and Chun-Li/Street Fighter. Acting is my forever passion and I’ll continue to pursue it professionally for as long as I live.

I’m also a giant anime fan, most of my weekends is spent watching my favorites, including “My Hero Academia” and “Spy x Family”.

I love to cook. Before I wanted to be an actor, being a chef was one of my first career goals as a child. Now I do it for fun, and try to cook a new dish every other week. Sometimes, I cook dishes from my favorite shows.

Lastly, I love to game; Street Fighter is another passion of mine. From Street Fighter II when I was a toddler to the current Street Fighter 6 of this year, Chun-Li is a character that I’ve just absolutely loved and mained ever since.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Every time I get to create or perform, there is just a joy in my soul that I feel that can’t be recreated in any other way. Best way to describe it is that it feels like Christmas or your birthday, but you are gifting a part of yourself to yourself as well as sharing a part of yourself with others.

I love getting to explore characters and find ways to put myself in their shoes, regardless of how different that character can be. The more challenging, the more rewarding, because it also helps me discover parts about myself that I’ve never known, or part about me that I’ve suppressed for the world.

Just being in acting class, or getting to audition for something for TV/Film is already a playground to explore, create, and have fun. (And it’s also double sweeter when you book as well).

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

There is definitely a stereotype of the “starving artist”, and how us creatives just love to work that we’re willing to take the bare minimum just to perform. I think what most people, including us creatives, should realize is that we need to be stronger about our self-worth, not just as performers in a public eye, but as people too. It’s great to be passionate about something you love. But ultimately, we’re all just trying to make it without having to strain ourselves physically, financially, emotionally, or mentally.

I’m very fortunate that my full-time office job allows the flexibility for me to skip a day of work when I have to go out for an audition or when I book a project. But I do believe there is a stigma that is that if you’re not working as a full-time actor/creative, then you aren’t a “real” actor creative. Many of us have other jobs to support ourselves because we all need to pay bills and eat. And that is 100% fine and normal, in fact, I know more creatives that work other jobs than those who just do their performing job full time. At the end of the day, success is where we all want to get to. And it’s okay to support yourself while pursing that success. It doesn’t make your journey any less valid.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.michael-huey.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaelahuey
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichaelHueyActor
• Twitter: https://www.instagram.com/michaelahuey
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@mahuey21Actor

Image Credits
Headshot – Emily Sandifer Photography