We were lucky to catch up with CK Steele recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi CK, thanks for joining us today. Do you wish you had started sooner?

I was a working actor by the time I was 19. Working professionally in theatres and on indie films around the Midwest. Sometimes, I wish I would’ve made it out to LA earlier. But I had some growing up to do first. I think I used my time in smaller markets to the best of my ability, so no regrets.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

How I got my start is kind of a crazy story. The Cleveland Shakespeare Festival was doing a production of Romeo and Juliet. About 2 weeks before curtain, the actor playing Romeo had to drop out due to an amazing opportunity on Broadway. They held an emergency audition for the role, and I showed up with no Shakespeare training or experience and just gave it my all—and I got it. And the show went up without a hitch, but I’m not gonna lie it was one hell of a challenge. When I look back, that play really set a precedent for my career. To be bold. Be fearless. That is who I am, in a nutshell. I don’t expect anyone reading this to have any idea who I am. I’ve spent the past couple years grinding on some of the most grueling indie film sets around the country. Using each film as an opportunity to grow in my craft.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

If there was a through line to all my performances, it would be identity. Every character I play, I always seem to find way to bring an emphasis to that character’s journey of coming to terms with who they really are. It’s exciting for me to figure out how they see themselves and how that may alter the story. I think it’s just so core into what it means to be human, and something we all struggle with at some point in our lives. The goal is acceptance, for everyone, as they are. Plain and simple.

Have you ever had to pivot?

Oh yeah, definitely. I moved to LA with a thousand bucks to my name just months before the pandemic. Needless to say, I fell flat on my face. When I got back home to Cleveland I had my tail between my legs. I was just another actor who couldn’t make it in LA…or was I ? I took the next couple years to reflect and remedy a lot of things in my personal life. Now here I am. Back in LA. I’ve been here for a year now, and it has been an amazing experience. Failing turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to me.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.actorcksteele.com
• Instagram: @cksteele

Image Credits
Chris Jon Photography