We were lucky to catch up with John Thomas Gauthier recently and have shared our conversation below.

John Thomas , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

Starting out professionally about a decade ago, I thought (naively) that being an actor alone was enough. Waiting on auditions, going to classes, refining the art of the performance, etc. I was doing well enough, being type cast as the big guy in various projects. It wasn’t really until the pandemic hit in late 2019 that I realized I needed more layers. More skill sets. More drive. It wasn’t enough that I was a decent enough actor. There are literally thousands. If I was expecting to make it anywhere, I could no longer sit around and wait on auditions. Especially now, with the lockdowns, with there being relatively zero work for an actor.

I decided to try my hand at writing. Try producing my own films. Try out some stunt work. I learned VERY quickly that this industry is so heavily networking dependant. I had to go out and meet and collaborate with other film makers and creatives. In doing so, my network expanded exponentially. There’s no better “in” to a production than a positive reputation for your energy and work ethic. When people remember you for your professionalism and attitude… it goes a long way in this business. Wanting to act isn’t enough anymore. You need to want to be a business. The more you can bring to a project, the bigger an asset you are. Word travels quick. Very quick. Every set I work on is an opportunity to network, build relationships, and even brew up some future collaboration. Looking at this industry as much of a business as it is an art form will help you succeed.
Being a carpenter with a bunch of good tools is better than being a carpenter with one great hammer.

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?

Let me tell you a little bit about myself. Standing at 6’5, 230 pounds, and covered in tattoos, I look like one intimidating character. But talk to me for 2 minutes, I implore you. Growing up, I always loved making others laugh. Perhaps to the detriment of my later high school year grades, but alas here we are. A theatre kid trapped in a Vikings body, nothing on this space rock makes me happier than entertaining others. Nothing.
That’s probably why I was a bartender for the better part of 20 years. You want a drink, you gotta deal with my antics. Win/win.
In my later 20’s I finally took the plunge and moved from Ottawa, Ontario to Toronto. Some call it Mini New York.
Others call it Hollywood North. The traffic is just as bad, but the talent is just as prevalent so here we are.
Finding an agent wasn’t as hard as finding my voice. Looking a certain way, the biker/bouncer/Viking/henchman roles weren’t hard to come by. The union welcomed my talent and union dues with open arms pretty quickly.
Having very little professional training, I saw an opportunity to treat my auditions and sets I worked on as classrooms. Learning a little more with each tape and gig. Definitely not the most conventional way to approach the business, but then again, I’m not exactly a conventional guy.
The journey so far has led me to some interesting destinations, some interesting humans, and some interesting projects. Not all of them fantastic, but all of them being opportunities to learn and better my art and business. There is nothing on the planet I would rather do for the rest of my time here.

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

A hundred no’s before a single yes.

Rejection is a massive part of my industry. It’s the main reason most give up on this dream. You could literally give the new performance of your career for an audition, and if they don’t see you in the role… they don’t see you in the role. That’s it. Take the no as a learning experience. Use it on your next auditions. It’s rare, near impossible to deliver perfection, so what can we learn and improve upon for the next one? There is always something. I’ve done let’s say a couple hundred auditions and have booked around 20 of them. And those are GOOD numbers. So if you’re a creative, remember to keep pushing. If it’s your true passion, you won’t give up. For non creatives, just know that behind every successful actor is about a thousand “next, please” audition results.

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

When the lockdown hit and the film industry was crippled, as an actor I was completely out of work. I had to pivot. I had to learn/flex/try something new. I took a stab at writing. I figured “hell, if nobody is making films or the films I want to be in… I’ll make my own!” I wrote a short script based on a twisted interrogation scene. I managed to find a couple actors who were looking to collaborate, as well as a director who was looking to branch out into short films. We shot the whole thing in one day (three attempts) and for less than $1000.
Butterfly has won awards around the globe, and taught me an invaluable amount about the business side of things, as well as becoming a better writer and film maker.
It was either wait for the industry to recover from Covid, or take matters into my own hands. I chose the latter, and my career has been ever better for it.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @johnthomasgauthier