We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jerry Cooley. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jerry below.

Hi Jerry, thanks for joining us today. What sort of legacy are you hoping to build. What do you think people will say about you after you are gone, what do you hope to be remembered for?

The legacy I am hoping to build is one of kindness. In the industry I’m working in a lot of people believe the only way to succeed is to look out for yourself but I would love to be in the position to influence the end of that kind of thinking and promote a work environment where we help each other succeed and praise our friends or coworkers for their success instead of having resentment or thinking “why not me, I’m better” when I’m gone I want to be remembered as the guy others loved to work with as the guy who helped others succeed and brought smiles and joy to those around me.

Jerry, 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 found my passion for acting at a young age I performed in an African Musical at the Wealthy Street Theatre. After that I played American Football and lost sight of that passion until one day in my sophomore year of high school a friend of mine convinced me to check out their rehearsals for a musical they were doing called “on the town” as I was watching the director invited me to give it a try and I ended up singing the very first song every night of the show and that reignited my passion. After high school I continued to pursue my passion by applying to Arts International Showcase where I performed in front of top agents in the field I had some success at the showcase but nothing came after. I felt defeated but I never planned to give up so I starting working and making plans for what I needed to do and how it needed to be done and used the knowledge I gained from the showcase and help make me better. I enlisted in the U.S Navy and once my time was done there I began working towards my goal but in a new setting, in Ireland. I have done Elearning videos,Table reads, Music Videos, and Ads I have also been a reoccurring extra for big production show set to air in January 2025. I am most proud of my attitude I have 100% faith that no matter what I will continue to work hard and always ready to learn new things, even from my failures, to be successful without compromising who I am at my core. I also believe that is what sets me a part from others in this industry and even when I fail and others succeed i haven’t failed it’s just not my time.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

This is a moment I felt at my lowest. I had sent so many emails to agencies in Dublin and months had gone by and I hadn’t received a response. I had a moment where I thought to myself “I’m almost 30 and I have been trying this for so long and I have nothing to show for” and after I put on some music and I had to remind myself that I am further than I was two years ago and I had to remind myself that the only timeline I need to go by is my own and i shouldn’t look at what others have done and base where I’m at on their merits and that I am on my own journey and my time will come I just have to go with the flow

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

Being closed minded. I grew up in a Christian household and there were certain beliefs that where instilled in me the older I became the more I learned that if I don’t embrace the world I live in with an open mind I would deprive myself of the amazing people that I have connected with and that lesson became very clear to me during my time in the military.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jerrycooley/profilecard/?igsh=MXZnNWZqazVrdW4wZQ==
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jerry.cooley1
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerry-cooley-6550ba100?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app