We recently connected with Michael “JOVO” Jovanovski and have shared our conversation below.
Michael “JOVO”, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Do you have an agent or someone (or a team) that helps you secure opportunities and compensation for your creative work? How did you meet you, why did you decide to work with them, why do you think they decided to work with you?
I just recently signed with my first manager. It’s with a boutique talent management Agency here in LA. The Green Room. My manager Chris Cope is an entrepreneurial great guy with a background in sales, marketing and business ownership.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Hi, I’m Michael “JOVO” Jovanovski. I’m a father, husband, actor and producer in Los Angeles, CA. I got into the film industry quite a while ago. I grew up in a blue collar city called Windsor, Ontario Canada. Yes, I am Canadian, eh. I graduated from the University of Windsor with my BA in Communications. My favorite show at the time was 21 Jump Street. While sitting in the pub at UofW and enjoying a beer, I saw the intro to 21 Jump Street. On it had a bus passing by with Hastings Street written on head line sign. This was pre internet so I found a magazine with Johnny Depp and it talked about the show shooting in Vancouver. Well, you can guess where I moved to right.
Hello Mountains, rain and Vancouver! I took an intro to acting class, but couldn’t continue as I struggled financially. I worked several odd jobs, flipping pizzas ( shout out Flying Wedge). Hauled 2 heavy buckets at a time of cement up a ladder to 2 stucco installers, and was a car jockey for an ironically named car rental company, No shout out.
After struggling for a while I got my first gig in film as a Set Decorator on the film The Raffle. It starred Nicholas Lea (Krychek from X files.) A couple years later I got into IATSE, the union and built a successful 28 year career behind the camera. After having several panic attacks from working 90+ hours a week, I decided for my health that it was time to retire from Set Decoration and Designing to pursue my dream.
I worked on many many shows over the years as a designer + decorator, but the most popular where, Dirk Gently, Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, Van Helsing and To All the Boys.
Check out my IMDB here: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0431318/fullcredits
We were planing to move to Los Angeles in 2020, then covid hit. Crap! Well, I am one not to stop or give up once I have a goal in mind. I’m a scrappy middle child of immigrant parents, quitting is not my nature. My wife got a job in Long Beach, CA so we crossed the closed borders (much to customs dismay) in May 2020 and drove down to LA. As soon as we arrived, I was immediately in an acting class. The Acting Center, a fun, practical, “doing” class that opened my eyes to my potential.
A couple months later I booked my first ever professional acting gig. An Apple I phone 12 commercial that aired during the world series. I played a designer blowing a tumbleweed across the desert highway with a leaf blower. lol.
I obtained my first agent with the help of my man Howard Chan @ repunzel.com and continued to slowly book. I was in a Huluween commercial, starred and produced several award winning short films and was in an awesome music video. September (James Arthur) I played a mobster named Louie who got “made”.
Check it out on youtube. Hey, James! https://youtu.be/uJViyj5z6aY?si=dmNEDsfEYIxM6kBH
I have also played boxer/SCATTERBRAIN a haggard police captain/RESIDUUM/ a hitman/ADAPT OR DIE, another mobster/HISTORY’S GREATEST HEIST and a grave digger just to name a few. You can check out some of my short films on
my website: michaeljovanovski.com
The products and services I provide are acting and producing. I solve problems of finding the right bad guy, villain, mobster, asshole and general dysfunctional white man for directors, producers and casting directors.
What sets me apart is my work ethic. I have been in the biz for over 30 years and have logged so many hours that working on set is second nature to me like breathing. Also, I hold both US and Canadian Citizenships. I am exotic, I am Macedonian (get your globe out ;) and I have an insatiable desire to be the best I can be.
I am most proud of having a daughter and son and raising them. Hey, Aylah and Rowan. As far as acting accomplishments, I am so new in the game so let’s see what I can accomplish. I mean just getting to LA, having an agent and booking work during a pandemic and a double strike is a huge deal already. Did I mention I just booked a VW Super Bowl ad.
I want potential clients/followers/fans to know that it is never too late to chase your dreams. If you don’t, you never will achieve them.
My brand is villain, mobster, antagonist, dysfunctional man as stated above. I’d love to connect with people so reach and say hi on my. instagram.com/jovo/
Keep an eye out for me on the screen and watch my films if you’re bored of the streamers and want FREE entertainment.
michaeljovanovski.com
If you are a director, producer, casting director you can reach out to my manager Chris Cope at the Green Room Talent Management Agency.
[email protected]
Thank you and all the best to you, your readers and the one fan I have out there. I love you Mom.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
The lesson I wish I learned earlier is to follow your gut and instincts. The back story to this is, I knew I wanted to be an actor from the very young age of 8 years old after watching Jimmy Stewart in “It’s a Wonderful Life”. As I matured, aged and finished university I knew I had to leave Windsor and pursue my dream. Being from a Macedonian Immigrant family, it was expected to marry a Macedonian, settle down and live in Windsor. Well, I have always been a person with strong believes, convictions and dreams of a better life. I’m sorry Windsor, but a blue collar Auto plant job was not for me. I fought and fought my parents to move to LA back then in 1992, but they did not allow me and staunchly discouraged it. I conceded and decided to move to Vancouver, BC Canada instead. All the way across the country. I knew they had a robust film industry so that was the second best option. Deep, deep down in my soul I felt that I should have moved to LA. Instead I stayed in Vancouver, worked behind the scenes, met a lovely woman, fell in love and started a family. Now it was too late. Although I will never regret having my daughter and helping raise my stepson but I always knew there was something lingering in my soul. Once you get used to the Golden Handcuffs (a steady high paying job) and you have the family responsibilities it is so much harder to live the dream.
Had that young JOVO that was so adamant about moving to LA without any work permits or a green card just jumped. Who knows what would have happened and how much further along in my acting career I would be.
Listen to your heart kids, focus on your dreams, passions and pursue it as it could take 10+ years or more to achieve them. After you achieve them, don’t stop, you set new goals and dreams and make those a reality.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is you get to impact others in a way that is so ancient and vital to humanity. Since the caveman/woman era storytelling has been an intimate way we connect and celebrate as humans. With the advent of AI and robots, this will be more vital and crucial to maintain. I love making people feel happy, sad or in my case disgusted with my characters. It helps them get out of their heads and temporarily escape the challenges and struggles of daily life as a as an amazing human being. Playing dress up is also fun! I mean who doesn’t love wearing different clothes and the feeling you get stepping into them. Also as an actor playing someone else and walking in their shoes for a while is a blast. Dropping into “the zone” and becoming the character is so fulfilling. Everyone should try it!
Contact Info:
- Website: michaeljovanovski.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/jovo/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-jovo-jovanovski-1b62542b/
Image Credits
Photos by Rob Flate, Brandon M Watts and myself.