We recently connected with Jeff Steele and have shared our conversation below.

Jeff, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today The first dollar you earn is always exciting – it’s like the start of a new chapter and so we’d love to hear about the first time you sold or generated revenue from your creative work?

The first time I ever earned money as an actor was when my favorite mentor and acting teacher, Karen Hensel, asked if I would help her run a Shakespeare workshop for English teachers around Los Angeles. I was about 19. I loved studying the classics, including Commedia dell’Arte and Shakespeare, and she invited me because she knew how passionate I was.

The goal of the workshop was to help teachers understand that Shakespeare is meant to be heard, not just read. When professional actors speak the text and bring scenes to life, the work becomes accessible and relevant instead of distant or archaic. I performed a couple of monologues, did scene work, and brainstormed classroom strategies with the teachers. I think I made around $20. Karen told me something like, “The first of many,” and she was right. She was an encouraging mentor at a time when I did not have the confidence I do now, and she is also an incredibly successful actor herself.

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?

I grew up playing sports and never imagined becoming an actor. I loved football and professional wrestling. After sustaining multiple concussions around age 14, I shifted toward speech and debate, and eventually theatre. I fell in love with the process. By senior year, I had received several theatre scholarship offers and ultimately took a leap, moving to Los Angeles to train at an acting conservatory.

Later, I earned my Bachelor’s degree in History at the University of Colorado Boulder. It was in Boulder that I met Ethan Nelson, Zach Bakken, and Cam Duncan, who are now my creative partners and collaborators at So Good Productions. After years of consistent work together, I officially joined the team as a producer and as the Media Relations and Outreach Director.

Today, I am a professional actor with a growing list of credits and a wide range. I am drawn to physically demanding roles, psychological thrillers, and period pieces. My history background gives me a strong foundation for roles that require research or grounded authenticity. I am also a character-focused performer with a strong base in comedy and improv. A good example of this is my mockumentary web series “Psychedelic Steve,” which follows a Venice Beach gym bro, grateful-dead-hippie, new-age hybrid navigating his version of fitness enlightenment.

My proudest accomplishment so far is starring in So Good’s psychological horror film “The Ant,” which premiered at Screamfest 2025. It represents years of collective growth for our team.

My goal is to continue evolving, both as an independent actor and as a producer with So Good Productions. I see myself as a multifaceted creative with limitless potential. I am not sure exactly where this path leads, but like branches of a tree, no matter which direction I grow, my roots remain the same.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

My mission is to entertain, to give people a kind of umbrella through the rains of life. I believe in radical honesty and truth. This is where the best stories come from, and it is the energy I try to bring to every project.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

Support independent artists who genuinely move you, not just large corporations and media conglomerates. Those entities do not always prioritize artistry. Your attention is valuable, and being mindful of what you choose to consume is one of the healthiest things you can do.

Seek out small creators who make work that resonates with your soul. Encourage them. Share their work. These gestures can be the difference between someone stopping or continuing to create in an uncertain world.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9417833/
• Instagram: @jeffsteele333
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@SoGoodProductions
• Other: https://www.sogoodproductions.org/

Image Credits

Greyson Reed