We were lucky to catch up with Josiah Winston recently and have shared our conversation below.

Josiah, appreciate you joining us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

When I first started acting in my sophomore year of high school, I found a passion like none other. To find a new hobby that pushed me, to shift boundaries, and to inspire change, it was an absolutely surreal experience, although, that wasn’t the moment that told me to pursue this craft professionally.

Later that year, during my summer break, I enrolled at the Tennessee Governor’s School for the Arts, joining the 2024 Acting Cohort. This was where my focus was shifted. Being surrounded by people my age, people who were focused on the craft, caused me to realize that this hobby could be actualized into a career. It made me take the craft seriously and realize that I could indeed use this medium for the betterment of our society.

After realizing this, I immediately got to work. I enrolled in further classes, performed in musicals/plays, and just recently, I wrote, produced, and starred in the short film, “dread.”, a short film which tackles the threat of school shootings from a high schooler’s perspective. Needless to say, the experience I had at that summer intensive has changed my life for the better.

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?

Hello! My name is Josiah Winston. I am an actor, writer, and producer currently based in Nashville, TN. I have engaged in many facets of acting, starting in the theatre, where I’ve played a variety of roles in my local area, from the storytellers Hermes (Hadestown) and Edward Bloom (Big Fish), to the showmen in their fullest form, Bob Wallace (White Christmas) and Max Detweiler (The Sound Of Music).

Over the past year, I have been working in the Film and TV industry with far more focus. I currently take classes at The 4th Wall Acting Studio in Nashville, TN, where I study under the amazing Katy Arnold. Just recently, I completed my short film by the name of “dread.” The piece tackles the issues of school shootings and the emotions that we as high school students face when pressed up against such an obstacle. Currently, I am getting ready to leave for college, excited to bring my new projects alongside me.

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

I find this issue with both non-creatives and creatives regarding actors building their brands. A lot of times, people; in the words of a good friend of mine, misconstrue professionalism with egoism. I’ve seen this confusion happen in my life, in instances where I seek to further my career, it can seem as though I forget the people who I came up alongside, which isn’t the case. Sometimes it can be a reluctance to change from the individual, or perhaps just not witnessing where the individual is being led towards, but it’s something that I’ve witnessed throughout my career.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

I think a lot of people have referenced the book, “Acting For The Camera” by Tony Barr as a phenomenal book for actors getting into the Film Industry, and I’m here to further attest to its significance.

I promise you, I’ve read the book at least 5 times through. It’s a great book for those looking to just get in, and it continues to be a great book for those who are more experienced. It contains insight into getting into the business, as well as acting techniques to further your craft. I absolutely love it, and I’m thankful to my acting teacher Katherine Ray for recommending it to me in the first place.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/josiah.a.winston?igsh=MWF3a3VkMGpwNHpjNg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@josiahawinston?si=jLmJh_GnBTY3GdFu
• Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@josiahawinston?_r=1&_t=ZP-94iaMI4kEFq“dread.” Short Film Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dreadshortfilm?igsh=MXhwZTVmbDR2dGRuMg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

Image Credits

Shelby Holladay