Chosen Actor Hears From God & Made the Hardest Decision of His Life...

Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
I'm going to be the first one totell you it's like, OK, like,
just spit it out. Like, what?
What is it? And he was like, you booked the
Chosen. When you're out there and you're
immersing yourself into that culture.
I mean, it's dark at times. Is that kind of where the story
is going, where you're getting closer to Peter?
And then it'll say the name and I look at the appointment name
and it says the Jesus Revolution.

(00:21):
And I go like, if you're, you know, Jonathan in his position
or even Peter or John or any of those guys, you would be like
doing. Any chance you're going to be in
the Axe spinoff whenever they dothat?
I. Bruce LON hey, before we get
into this video, do me a huge favor, make sure to subscribe,
make sure you hit that like button.

(00:41):
Huge percentage of you guys thatwatch, don't subscribe or like
and we're now on podcast platforms.
So if you're just listening to this or you're on one of the
other platforms, make sure you leave a review and you're
following there. That helps out a ton trying to
make sure that we spread out thecontent for you guys.
All right, let's jump into this video.
And you said your grandfather was the one who was the the

(01:01):
pastor. OK, that's.
Awesome. Yeah.
And so have they seen any of your previous work?
They have. They have what?
Do they think? They again like they've he so
before my, my grandfather had his diagnosis, which happened in
2020, he was like my biggest support system.

(01:23):
He was like a father figure to me, you know, So for, for me, I
think the biggest thing was it'sso funny because I think like
in, in the very, very beginning,like when I first started,
because I started like when I was younger, not really much
stuff was kind of happening for me and for my career.
And so my grandparents were supportive, but there was still

(01:48):
like an underlining kind of feeling of like, why are you
doing this? And it was more so from my
grandma's perspective. In terms of just like having an
issue with the entertainment industry, yeah.
The entertainment industry and Ithink just like overall, like
just you know, the rejection, you know, there's, there's a
whole kind of level of rejection.
And also like for me too, I was still in public school growing

(02:13):
up until 7th grade. And so when all that stuff was
kind of happening, I had still been doing sports.
And there was a point in time where I hit a crossroad where I
almost chose soccer was my main sport.
So I almost chose soccer over acting.
And I ended up, you know, makingthat decision that I was going

(02:35):
to fully pursue acting and that was going to be my like my
profession. But there was a there was a good
point where I almost did not do that.
And it's just really crazy how it all kind of like came to be
like just, you know, I've been kind of reflecting on my life
like just of late, like even like when I went to go see the
chosen for the first time with with Nat, it was just.

(02:57):
That's your first time reading yourself on a big screen?
Yeah. What was that like?
Yeah, it was just surreal, man. I started crying.
Yeah, I started crying. We have been going and watching
like all these different flicks and stuff like that.
And so, you know, the last one we saw was like Snow White and
like we're watching like a list,you know, people out there and
stuff like that. And it's just, it's just so
weird thing when all of a suddenyou see your face on there.
Sure. You know, I mean, it was always

(03:18):
weird, like seeing myself on TV and stuff like that too.
But then like, ultimately knowing now, like my face is up
on the big screen with some of these other guys.
It's just pretty surreal. So you done the rookie.
What else have you done that we may be familiar with?
The rookie, I've done NCIS, I'veworked on Young Sheldon.

(03:38):
That's probably like the one that like, I guess prior to the
chosen people would know me frombecause I would have like a lot
of interactions with Sheldon. What else?
I would say those are probably the more like recognizable names
as of right now, but I've done alot of other like guest spots
and recurring. How long has it been like a full

(04:00):
time thing for you? So it's a complicated story, but
basically the shortened version is started when I was one, went
till I was about three, took a little hike.
Pampers commercial. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
I honestly, it was a lot of likemodeling stuff.
It was like a lot of like print,print work and stuff like that.
My parents have like stuck me into doing and stuff like that.

(04:21):
And then I took like a little like Michael Jordan, like
retirement and then did did sports.
I did sports you. Want to play baseball?
No, that I did not do. So I didn't.
I didn't do baseball, but I did.I did soccer and basketball.
Those are my 2 sports, but soccer was my biggest, biggest

(04:42):
one. And yeah, I did that for a long,
long time. Then my sister had kind of came
around. She was born.
She ended up wanting to do acting as well.
And you guys are in California at this time?
Or Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I so I was born and raised in
Orange County, So I was born andraised there.

(05:02):
And so, yeah, my sister wanted to do it.
And so she ended up getting involved in that.
And to give like a little bit ofcontext, my mom and my dad, how
they met, they met in an acting school.
And so you know this. Is generational for you guys?
Yeah, I mean, kind of in a way it's, I mean, it's funny though,
because like the reality is, is that my, my mom has like major

(05:23):
stage fright and like she like, you know, I don't even know why
she even went to that school to begin with, but she ended up
going, they were like a really, really strict school for like
Meisner. And I guess like you, you
weren't allowed to like date when you were when you were in
that school. Like there was a lot of like
stipulations and rules and like they kind of like kept it like

(05:44):
hush hush and stuff like that. And then they ended up getting
married. My dad had continued on.
My mom, like I said, had stage fright.
So she like, didn't you know, continue on.
He back in like the 80s, nineties, you know, my, my dad's
like fair skin like me. And so he speaks fluent Spanish.
I don't, but he kind of, you know, was in that weird space at

(06:09):
that point in time where there was, you know, not many
opportunities, I would say as itis now, like in terms of the
accepting culture of hey, you, you know, speaking Spanish, you
know, and then also not looking the part that they want you to

(06:29):
portray. And so there was a lot of
opportunities where he just was not, you know, getting and it
was solely because of the fact that there was just kind of.
Different, different time. Different time.
It was a different. It was a different time and so
it just it didn't really work out for him.
So he ended up having to collectshift gears and I, I.
Know so, but your mom and dad both dreamed of being actors.

(06:51):
Not my mom, but I, but I think that what from what I understand
from my mom, my mom had like major like stage fright major
like anxiety in front of people.And I think that it was more so
of like, 'cause like there's a lot of people too that I know
that will take it just in terms of like, even like, for like
somebody like yourself, like doing like podcasting, stuff
like that. To kind of get themselves out
there to like, you know, put themselves in a, in a tricky

(07:14):
environment where they're like in front of like 30 or 40 other
people having to do like Shakespearean things or, you
know, whatever the case may be, to kind of get themselves
acclimated to that. I think that that was more of
the purpose of why she did that for herself, to kind of like get
herself out there. For my dad, he that's what he
wanted to do. He wanted to pursue that, but it
obviously didn't, kind of. What?
What year was this? This 90s or thousands?

(07:36):
Of shot yeah, yeah, yeah, it wasit was like early like early 90s
OK it's a way different yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah a way a way
different time which like, I mean like now you know that we
have streaming we have all this,you know crazy.
Stuff which is like, it's like, it's like everything is changing
now where like in the 80s and 90s, I'd say the 2000's, the
things were more ubiquitous. So culture was tapped into
everyone's kind of into one thing.

(07:57):
So when you have a massive blockbuster, everyone was paying
attention to that thing. Now there's way more
opportunity, there's way more making people making a living.
There's way more people, whetherit's media, art, news, movies,
films, series, way more, but nothing is as ubiquitous as it
once was. So I, I, I can't even imagine,
like, how do you, how do you like as a comedian if you're

(08:21):
trying to crack jokes, like how do you make a reference that
everyone in the audience gets today?
Because everything is so segments.
I, I think it's ultimately for the good.
Like I think my, my background'sin music.
And so like, I think there's, I want to say over 2 or 3 million
people now making a full time living in music.
It's crazy, right? Which it which is wild to think
about, but nothing is like the closest you'd get to like a

(08:43):
ubiquitous moment in music wouldbe like a Kendrick Lamar.
They're not like a moment. Yeah, but that those don't
really even happen like that anymore, right?
Like that was and it was that was on the back of like beef and
drama. But it I don't I don't know
where everything goes from here.I think it goes to more segments
in pockets of audiences and serving those audiences and then
hoping those audience do the work of like, evangelizing your

(09:05):
content, Right. So like the chosen becomes a
vehicle for people to share, to get people to plug into the
world, the universe of the chosen.
But but it but will it ever be like the way I don't know, like
bad boys was in the 90s. This is probably before your
time where like everybody talkedabout bad boys wanted to.
It was a moment or rush hour. It was a moment.

(09:27):
These blockbuster films, Yes. Yes.
Like, I don't, I don't know if we'll ever have that again.
Yeah, I think that streaming is a completely different beast
now, you know what we're dealingwith.
I mean, like, I think that you've even talked about it in a
lot of your content as well about like talking about how
like this is a day and age wherelike there's so many people that
get famous now that like you can't even appreciate like

(09:50):
people being famous now because like there's so many people that
are able to utilize social mediaas platforms to kind of break
themselves. And I don't think it's a bad
thing. I think it's just, it's just a
different era. We're living in a completely
different media now. Do.
You feel as someone that is an actor who has a this is a craft

(10:11):
for you, right? My first question, so two-part
question one would be is do you feel any sort of burden to have
to be a social media influencer to make sure that you're staying
relevant to keep getting gigs and or are there times where
actors who this is their craft are getting passed over for the

(10:32):
influencer Tik toker? Like my, my day was used to be
the rappers that got the roles would be upset, you know, but
then out of that, like you got Tupac and Ice Cube.
We got some pretty good actors out of it.
But now it's like, I wonder if there are folks that aren't
really actors, but they're landing roles because they have
a big following and they kind ofsuck.
And they're like a actor who's like, this is my craft, dude.

(10:53):
Like I, my, my father was into this, my mother was into this,
this is my thing. So, so super question.
So pressure of social media to be relevant and, and visible.
And then two, are there social media people that have no acting
chops and minimal acting chops taking potential work?
Yeah. I mean, the question, I mean, to
answer your question, yes, that is, that is the, that is the big
thing that we're dealing with right now in this day and age.

(11:16):
It it, it's look, I think it's one of these things where, you
know, we'll kind of dive into, you know, more of the spiritual
element for me. But like, I think right now
where I'm at, I'm so secure in my faith with Christ that like I
know that there's enough opportunities to go around and I
look at it from the standpoint of whatever God deems right for

(11:41):
me, he can't take that away fromhim.
And so, you know, it's just really crazy even the kind of
even think about like how I've even gotten to this point to the
chosen to because like, you know, yeah, I've seen it in
waves. Like I've seen it from like when
I was a kid and what I started doing and friends that I've, you
know, been doing it with for allthese years.

(12:02):
It's just we've seen we've seen media expand like right before
our eyes. And and even for me too, because
of the fact knowing that like social media was birth, like in
the middle of me when I was in middle school, like I remember,
you know, friends, family members, my sister of all
people, you know, begging, begging, download Instagram,

(12:25):
download Instagram, please get an Instagram, make an Instagram.
I'm like, no, I don't want to dothat crap.
Like I don't, I don't want to dothat.
I want to do that. And then like, you know,
finally, you know, you do that, But it's because it's part of
the, the movement of the cultureof like what the culture is like
doing and stuff like that. And so I think like, you know,
and I'm kind of veering off a little bit, but like, now in
this day and age, it's been really interesting for me

(12:48):
because I've been having to really center myself and do
everything against what the culture is doing.
OK. Is that because of your faith?
Yeah, I would say so, 1,000,000%.
In what way? So like the culture is going
this way and Nick is going I I have to go the opposite way
where the coach. Yeah, Yeah.

(13:08):
I think like for me, like, you know, the biggest thing that we
can get lost in is like, you know, I, like I said, I grew up
in Orange County, then I, you know, uprooted my life out to LA
to pursue, you know, acting, youknow, full time when you're out
there and you're immersing yourself into that culture.

(13:29):
I mean, it's dark at times, you know, like when you're out
there. I mean, not that, not that there
isn't hope, not that there isn'tlight, but like, you know, see,
OK, there's, there's so many aspects to it.
Because even like when I first moved out to LA, this was all
before COVID, the landscape in which the industry was before

(13:50):
COVID, completely different thanwhat it is now.
So like the landscape now is like, or actually let's just
let's let's go back. So before, like when I first
moved out there, a typical day in a life of an actor, or at
least for me was I, you know, Monday would come, you'd have
auditions in your inbox and, youknow, they would be appointments

(14:12):
where you would actually go to these studios, you'd go to these
casting, you know, departments, offices, and you'd actually
audition for them in person. And you know, then sometimes
you'd get callbacks. Then, you know, the following
week, you didn't have to go backread for the same material,
blah, blah, blah, so on and so forth.
And the weeks would go on and onand on.
And I mean, I would be slammed, you know, weekend to week out.

(14:34):
I mean, just with material, justthat you'd be honestly game like
just drowning in really. Yeah.
Are you? Are you?
Memorizing this or are you reading?
Yeah. I mean, a lot of it would be,
Yeah, you'd have to memorize it.Or if you weren't memorizing it,
you'd have to bring the scripts in with you.
And then I would just like, basically like highlight them
and then like go in there and I'd be like, you know, playing
the moments with that person if I would like, you know, if

(14:56):
you're the reader, you know, with me.
And I'd be having to read my lines here and just be like.
Kind of just like I'm just curious how much of this you
have to memorize versus going and just read?
Yeah, I mean, they don't. I mean, look, I mean they they
can't like truly expect you to go in there if they're like
giving you like 2 days notice tolike 8 pages and you're having
to cry and do all this crazy, you know, like material.
Also like, also like, you know, for like to give an example,

(15:19):
like if it was like you're reading for one of the main
characters and the chosen right and you're going in for what
they would usually call like prereads, they would be really
understanding of the fact that you are most likely not going to
have all the material memorized.If they're giving you like 8

(15:39):
pages worth of dialogue and you're playing Jesus like in
Jonathan's position, right? And he's going in there, he has
all these monologues and he has all this word and verbiage and,
you know, specificity. First off, like even in in a
position like that for playing Jesus, like there's so much that
you have to get right, you know,even with that, you know, behind
all of that. So that would be kind of like

(16:00):
that. Now, let's just say he gets a
call back, you know, Jonathan Rumi, and he has let's just say
maybe he's had like a week with it.
They're going to expect you to at least be familiar with the
material where he can be off thepage and he can be able to just
have a a connection here with you and then like organically be

(16:22):
able to play moments if he needsa glance down at the, you know,
at the lines. And he can.
But ultimately, yeah, they're going to be expecting that.
And then like if we take it a step further, like there used to
be like a point in time where itwould be like, like if you're,
you know, Jonathan in his position or even Peter or John
or any of those guys, you would be like doing like 6-7 callbacks

(16:44):
just to like get to the very, very end where to be between
like you and a couple of people.That's brutal, man.
And the reason why they would dothat so.
You're saying like the there's just a grind there that's hard.
Yeah, yeah. Oh yeah.
And, and, and like, again, like this is like every audition, you
know, so it's not like, like, OK, like, for example, like, for

(17:07):
like some of the things that I've done in the past, like the
very first job I ever booked wasa Nickelodeon show called Sam
and Cat. Ariana Grande and Jenna McCurdy
had a couple of lines in that That one I went in once and then
I booked it, but that was only because it was a couple of
lines. Now next time around, I get

(17:29):
another Nickelodeon audition fora series I ended up doing after
that called Bone the Bulldogs. Bell and the Bulldogs.
That was a recurring character appeared in 20 episodes of 40
and two seasons. And for that process, it was
well, that one was crazy becausewe had done I had I had read for

(17:51):
every single male character thatwas of the main characters
before I even got to my role. I ended up booking so I read for
there was like 3 male characters, I think it was Troy,
Sawyer and Newt. I read for all three of them and
I ended up getting callbacks fora lot of them.

(18:12):
Then they all like kind of died.Didn't hear anything about it.
Then I ended up coming back in for another male character that
was not a series Reg and series regular is like one of the main
leads but he but he was a recurring character so he would
be more featured and his name was Ace Mcfumbles.
I got pinned for that, then I got released.

(18:34):
Basically what a pin means is there's a heavy interest in you
and there's maybe one or two others that are also getting
pinned, or they'll also call it a veil, and they'll basically
narrow down their option betweenthose two or three people.
That sounds rough, man. That's A and this is like
emotional roller coaster. So for you what?

(18:56):
What is what Did the faith come before the acting?
And is that what's driving you to be willing to commit to this
process for this long? Or did the faith come after the
acting? Like what is driving you to do
all this? Yeah, no, it, it, it wasn't it,
it was. So to give like context, my, my
grandfather was a minister pastor for 38 years.

(19:18):
I got all this factually checkedyesterday when I saw him.
And yeah, he, he had really set a, a really good foundation
within the family household thatlike, you know, there's faith.
I have faith, but I never reallywas taught faith in my

(19:39):
household. So I knew it existed.
I knew that it was a thing that was talked about, but it was all
kind of like mud and water. Like it just, it didn't really
make a whole lot of sense. I knew about, you know, the
different stories, Dave and Goliath, Jesus, the birth, the
greatest hits. Yeah, the greatest hits.
Yes, exactly. I knew all of that, but I didn't

(19:59):
really understand what it all meant.
One of the biggest things that Iactually remember thinking about
is I remember that he would always talk about my my
grandfather, how he could hear the voice of God and how he, you
know, was so spiritually in tunewith him.

(20:21):
I never knew what that meant. And that always as a kid, like
not haunted me, but it always like rang really loud in me and
I never knew what that meant. And my even if I ever asked my
parents, they didn't know. And so it was a real journey for
me. Like, yes, I had faith, yes, I

(20:42):
would have my, you know, grandfather praying for me and
different things like that. But I just, I truly, I, I didn't
know anything and I didn't grow up in like a any kind of school
system where it was taught, you know, as well.
Did your parents like, go to church?
They. Did so it's it's really
interesting so so many full circle like things have

(21:04):
happened. So growing up in Orange County,
I went to two churches. Greg Laurie.
Oh yeah. And my grandfather, and it
wasn't consistent, but those were the two churches that I
used to go to for my grandfatherspecifically, we always went for

(21:24):
the classic hits, Easter, Christmas, you know,
Thanksgiving, you know, different, different ones.
And if for Greg, Laurie was verysporadic, but I was always, you
know, going to to pastor Laurie's church and I.
Saw the Have you connected with Pastor Laurie since?
No. Yeah, he's a friend.
Yeah, yeah, I, I would love to. I would love to.
And it's, it's crazy because there's a whole full circle tie

(21:46):
with all of this that is just really, really crazy to me.
But how, how actually I found faith for me, but there was a
whole, you know, phase in which that, like I said, I just, I
didn't really know about faith. I didn't really understand and
nor did I really care to know. And so I kind of just I the one

(22:07):
thing that I always did know, though, growing up was that
whenever I would enter Greg Laurie's church, when I would
enter my grandfather's church, Ialways felt at peace as a kid.
That's the only thing I knew. I always felt comfortable there
for me. Also as a kid, I, I hated going

(22:28):
into like the Sunday school services.
I hated being with the other kids.
I don't know what it was. I always.
Felt at a big church, yeah. I, I always felt like I want, I
always felt like a big kid. I always wanted to listen to
them preach. And even even though I didn't
understand what they were talking about, I still felt
like, you know, now I look back on it.
It was the presence of God there, you know, but you know,

(22:50):
it just just wasn't ringing loudenough for me at that point.
And so, you know, time goes on, you know, I, I'm pursuing, you
know, acting, sports, you know, all that kind of stuff.
You know, it wasn't later until like, you know, really like
COVID that that's when it, it hit me the hardest.
And that's when I then, you know, was forced to find my

(23:11):
faith. So I kind of like to, to kind of
bring the point home. So like kind of like to what we
were talking about with the auditioning process and all that
kind of stuff. There were, there was a point in
time where there's so many factors within this industry.
They're so fascinating. But like, at that particular

(23:32):
point in time when I was talkingto you about that Nickelodeon
series that I was doing, I was, I think, 15 years old when I got
cast into that. But there is a thing for young
adults that there's stipulationsand rules on, like work labor

(23:54):
laws for children to, you know, work only a certain amount of
hours. And then they have to, you know,
go out, they have to do a certain amount of schooling,
blah, blah, blah. Well, when you turn, I believe
it's 15 1/2 or 16 years old, there is a test that you can
take as a young adult that basically solidifies you.
It's called the chest B test that allows you to basically

(24:16):
work as an adult, somebody who's18 plus.
And that now means that productions don't have to hire a
onset teacher to accompany you and to watch over you as well as
have to do school. Now that's that's your burden
that you have to take on. So there was a point in time
where I was debating on whether I was going to take that test or

(24:38):
not, because the industry at that point in time was basically
only hiring actors who basicallyhad that.
Yeah, but kind of pressuring youa little bit, Yeah, for for them
to be more efficient. Yes, and also cost
effectiveness, you know, for them.
And so I was really kind of debating it, but I had prolonged

(25:01):
it for so long and kind of like,you know, was just like, no, no,
no, no, no. That the two years just went by
and then I turned 18. But it was such a it was such a
grueling time because there wereso many projects that I was up
for that I didn't get because ofthe fact that it all came down
to, oh, wait, is he legal? 18?

(25:21):
Sorry. Yeah.
We're going to take that back. And so that happened like, you
know, a lot of times. And then I just remember that I
would always tell my friends because there, there came a
point like where like it just got dark for me because like,
you know, I had been working, but it wasn't like really
consistent. Like I was working like a little
bit. I was doing things here and

(25:42):
there, but I don't know what it was like.
I, I think there came a point where I got really antsy and I
was like, I want to do something.
And so I had cobbled up a lot of, you know, my, my good acting
buddies and stuff and I started making shorts films with them

(26:03):
and we had done like a couple ofthem and stuff like that.
And I remember there was a buddyof mine and particularly who I
was like writing these shorts with and stuff like that.
And he stuck me in as one of theleading roles and it and he
doesn't know this, but like for me, like it meant everything to
me at that point in time becauseeverything that I was doing at

(26:26):
that point, I, I was basically like getting so close to the end
for all these great jobs that could have, you know, changed or
altered my career. And it didn't.
And the fact that he stuck me there, he was like, because we
were writing it. And I never even like when I was
writing some of the stuff with him, I was never like in the
intention of being like, you know, attention, you know,

(26:48):
grabber and be like, oh, I want to be the lead.
I want to be the whatever, you know, I just was more so just
wanting to get behind the cameraand even also expand my
knowledge, you know, what's it like being a director?
What's it like being a producer?What's it like, you know, really
immersing myself into that kind of world.
And then the fact that, you know, like when we were writing
it, he was like, you know, I'm writing this for you, for you
to, you know, be the lead. And I was like, really, and, and

(27:08):
it was kind of like a, a really cool moment.
But I remember like when we finally did those films and
stuff like that, I remember I ended up telling my friends
because I started finding like a, a sense of like purpose
again. I was like, when I turn 18,
everything's going to change forme and for my life.
And when I ended up saying that,sure enough, June comes around,

(27:30):
my birthday turn 18 slew of auditions come in, and then?
Book, book, book, book. Book and it just started free
flowing in and I booked young, you know, young Sheldon NCIS,
you know, just all these show, you know, I booked a commercial,
I booked, you know all these different kinds of things and it
was like like back-to-back to back-to-back to back and that's

(27:51):
where like my whole kind of career had like kind of shifted.
It was. Was it because of those short
films that. You guys no, no, I just think
that like confidence, yeah, I feel like, I think I think like
work begets work. And so like, I feel like when I
kind of did those shorts, I kindof like got like an

(28:11):
understanding of that. Yes, the confidence thing was
like. Were you guys putting them on
YouTube or what were you doing with them?
We were going to do a festival circuit with them, but then we.
How well produced were they? Were they, are they like you
guys shooting them on DSLRs or like full on cruise and the
whole thing? Yeah.
We we had, we had some, I mean, we had some pretty good stuff.
I mean, it wasn't like terrible.And it's funny enough, like all

(28:33):
of our buddies who are a part ofit, like they're all working
actors. That's awesome.
Like, like. And it was funny because it was
like right before we all like. That's dope.
Well, I like, I like how you said work begets work.
I I also think of proverbs as that humility precedes honor.
So, so many people want to be platformed and want to have the
thing, but they're not willing to humble themselves and get in

(28:54):
the get in the dirt and and learn every aspect of it.
So you were willing just to justto walk through that process
without the expectation of beingthe lead.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. And then that all the sudden
sets you up in a variety of practical ways.
But I also think your heart being changed to like, I don't
need to be the guy. I'm willing to be the guy behind
the the camera, and sure enough,you'd become the guy in front of
the camera. And it was, it was really
interesting too, because like I had, I've always had like

(29:16):
aspirations of like, you know, wanting to direct and to produce
and to do those kinds of things outside of that.
So, yeah, I mean, like for me, it was a, it was a really,
really interesting thing how it all kind of like played out
because then now here I am beingoffered by my friend, you know,
hey, you're going to be the you're going to be the lead of

(29:38):
the short that we're writing together and I'm OK.
Like that's cool, you know? And, and he also was a little
bit older than me too. So like he was like kind of like
a like an older brother figure to me and.
This is all in Orange County, LAwhere no.
No, no, this was this was now I was already now in Lai was fully
in LA. There was a point in time where
I was driving back and forth from Orange County to Los

(29:58):
Angeles for like 8 to 10 years. And then I finally, then we were
finally not crazy enough to do that anymore.
And so then I finally moved out to to LA.
So when does your faith start todevelop more and more?
Yeah, after that. Yeah.
So basically, you know, when allof this stuff started happening
and it's just really funny how like God works because I think

(30:19):
that this was on purpose for sure.
Like all this stuff started happening for me, you know, like
I said, like I'm going to start working, you know, when I'm 18,
started happening, started working on this, that, you know,
doll face this, that, you know, all these projects, the rookie,
you know, all this different stuff.
COVID happens. And it felt like my whole life

(30:41):
just like changed. And I mean, honestly, I mean, it
was like that for everybody, notjust me, but it felt like, you
know, for me personally, it feltlike my whole life changed, My
work life changed, my personal life changed everything, even my
family dynamic changed. Everything just changed and
slowly but surely, everything that I ever clinged on to or

(31:05):
that I was so like married to, Iguess in a way all left me
money, friends, you know, family, like just different
things. And it just felt like calamity
was just like fully submersing me in my life.

(31:25):
And there came a point where forme, you know, that resulted into
my. So what ended up happening was
my, my sister ended up booking a, a job that had to take her to
Canada. And so she was still underage at
that point. My father ended up going with

(31:46):
her to Canada for like 7-8 months.
And so it was just me and my momduring COVID.
And so I was having to kind of like take care of her and stuff
like that. And she was kind of like deathly
afraid of like going out there. She was like the the crazy one,
stocking up on all the toilet paper and stuff like that.
So if anybody was trying to stock up on toilet paper, that
was. That was her.

(32:06):
That was your mom. That was her.
That was her. But yeah, it was it was just one
of those things where like it was just so bleak and it was
just like us 2. And I wanted to get out of the
house so desperately that I would, funny enough, of all the
places that I tried to escape growing up, which was Orange

(32:26):
County, I ended up reverting back to Orange County.
And I went and was hanging out with some buddies of mine from
school and, you know, started getting into the wrong things,
started drinking, you know, smoking, you know, resulting to,
you know, drugs and other supplements that just are not
good for me and for my life. And just kind of delved into

(32:49):
that for, you know, a period of time.
And I remember 1 moment in particularly, it got really bad
where I just got, you know, sickone night just was, you know,
basically right next to the toilet.
I was just like, you know, really, really bad.
And I remember when I had went through all of that stuff, I had

(33:15):
also found out about my my grandfather's diagnosis, about
him getting brain cancer. And for me, you know, he's
always been like a father figureto me and has taught me so much.
And I think like the person thatI am today resembles a lot of
him. And so that was also another

(33:35):
factor. And it, and it's so funny
because if, if there was ever even a sense of me like
believing in God or anything like that, that all went out the
window when that happened. Because I was thinking to
myself, like, if God really is real, why would he let one of
his servants, you know, who has been serving him for 30 odd

(33:59):
years, 38 years now, have to deal with this and have to
suffer that. And also when he retired, he
started having all these health issues.
And so like, it was just like a a big thing for me where I was
just like, why? Like, why would that happen?
Which I think is what a lot of people in in today's day and age
kind of question or rationalize or wrestle with the.

(34:21):
Part the problem of evil, yeah. Suffering, yeah.
So it's a real. Struggle.
It's a real struggle, yeah. And I think that for me, I kind
of resulted to, like I said, those supplements to kind of
ease the pain. And then, like I said, that one
night in particular that I remember, I, I was just, you
know, getting sick profusely. And there came a point where I,

(34:45):
I thought to myself and my mind,why am I doing this?
Why am I doing all of this? Like, why am I self destructing?
Why, why am I putting myself in this position thinking that this
is going to save me? It's, it's doing the opposite.
Like, I don't feel better. I don't feel like I'm, you know,
I'm achieving things or anything.

(35:06):
Like I'm just, I'm just drowningat this point.
And so I remember I had finally like got myself, you know, from
being hungover and all sort of stuff.
And I started really having likeinternal questions and asking
myself really deep thought provoking things.
But the biggest thing that I'd asked myself was is God even
real? And so I ended up that day,

(35:29):
later that day searching up on YouTube Is God even real?
You literally I literally I literally looked up on YouTube.
Is God even I guess were the exact.
Words. So what comes up?
Great glory. Wow.
First, what a trip. Shout out to Pastor Greg and and
the SEO team over there, huh? Yeah, yeah.
Someone over there is doing somegood work.

(35:51):
Yeah. Yeah.
What year is this? This is in 202120212021.
I look up his God even real. It gives me chills just thinking
about it right now. And this first video I watch is
Pastor Greg. And it's so funny because.
And you knew that was the pastor.
I knew it was him, and I was like, oh, this is so weird.

(36:12):
Pastor Greg, you know, I used togo to his church and, you know,
worship there and all this sort of stuff.
So I click on the video and I'm listening to it and I can't the
life of me, of course, like I can't remember what the video
was, what the topic was that he was talking about, but whatever
that was, whatever that video was, it clicked.

(36:33):
It all clicked. Everything that he was saying,
everything that he was just preaching about, it all clicked.
It's like everything that was unclear, everything that was
foggy, everything that could ever be, anything of
uncertainty, it all made sense now.
And so I was like, you know what?

(36:54):
I, I like the way that this is making me feel.
I feel convicted to continue this.
So every single day at lunch, I would watch a Pastor Laurie
video. Every lunch, you know, I would
get food and I would just sit inmy room and I would watch it.
And this time in 2021, there isn't, you know, in the

(37:17):
industry, there was nothing happening if you were getting
auditions. I mean, you were literally, you
know, praising God at that pointbecause truly there was nothing
happening. And so there was like a pock in
a time where if I had to guess at that point too, like that was
another reason why I was kind ofself destructing was because I
had so much time on my hands. There was no auditions

(37:38):
happening. So like, you know, I wasn't able
to like really apply myself. There wasn't anything that I
could really be practicing or I mean, I could have, but I just
wasn't. And I just like kind of like
utilize that as an excuse. And so now that I had all the
time in the world now I started putting that towards Pastor

(37:59):
Laurie and, you know, studying every lunch.
And so there came a point where it was like about like a month,
I would say like a month to the day where all of a sudden, you
know, I'm watching these videos and stuff.
And then one day I get an e-mailand I get an e-mail for an

(38:20):
audition and I get an audition that says, you know the subject
lines usually like Nick Alvarez self tape for appointment.
And then it'll say the name and I look at the appointment name
and it says the Jesus Revolution.
And then I go First off, First off, in my entire career of me

(38:44):
auditioning and I've done 10s ofthousands of auditions at this
point, I've never even auditioned for anything
faith-based and anything at all in my entire career.
And I've been doing this for 10 plus years now.
Not once. And that's the first thing, let
alone even have the word Jesus in the title.
And I was like, that's odd. And so I keep scrolling more and

(39:11):
I, you know, go down and it's, you know, it starts telling you
the different things, the character, you know, description
has a script attached, all this sort of stuff.
And then it has a summary or a log line at the very bottom and
it says based on the true life story of Pastor Greg Glory back
in the 1960s in the hippie area in a hippie era, blah, blah,

(39:33):
blah, blah, blah. And I was like, there is no way.
And in that moment, it came fullcircle for me on the question
that I asked on YouTube. And even I was asking myself of
is God even real? And it felt like God was kind of
slightly like nudging me and going, do you believe me now?

(39:53):
And that was for me, like that moment where if there was any
moment where I didn't have faith, now I did.
And that really solidified it for me.
And so to kind of make things short, I ended up auditioning
for that. It was for Pastor Greg's best
friend who funny enough. And it's so funny how God works

(40:16):
too, because like. I was going through such a bad
time with drugs and drinking andawesome stuff.
That character was dealing with the same thing.
And that was exactly the same exact thing.
So I didn't even have to act. It was just me.
It was just me remembering what I went through.
And so it was so crazy because Iremember at that time like I was

(40:40):
also, I felt like really in tunelike with God, even though like
I hadn't like really like proclaim like Jesus is Lord and
like, you know, I'm really goingto do that or even get baptized
or any of that kind of stuff. Like I felt really, you know, at
peace. I felt really like whole, I felt
great, like the best I've ever felt in my entire life.

(41:01):
And so when we get to this pointwhere now I'm having like a
couple of days to kind of marinate on the material and
stuff like that, I'm thinking tomyself because like, it was like
3 scenes and it was like a lot because like the last scene is
with like me with Greg and he sees me homeless begging for
change and, and I'm like on methamphetamine.

(41:22):
And I was like, man, like this is like really heavy.
And I was like, I don't, I don'teven know what I'm going to do
for this. And so leading up to the day
that I knew that I was going to have to tape it, I woke up early
in the morning. I took my dog outside to the
backyard and he was like 6 in the morning.
And I like I said, I was really in tune with God.

(41:44):
And this is the first, this is where I'm saying like there's
all these like weird, like full circle moments that happened for
me in my life where like I was telling you about for me, like
my grandfather, my grandfather always said like that he, he
always could hear the voice of God.
I had felt in that moment when Iwas out there with my dog, like

(42:04):
I was like thinking to myself, like God, like what, what am I
going to do? Like what am I going to do with
this? I don't even know where to begin
with this level of preparation or work that I'm going to have
to do right now for this. And all of a sudden I felt like
I heard look at the floor. So I looked at the floor and
there was just a bunch of dirt in front of me.

(42:24):
And then I felt that I heard grab that dirt and put it all
over yourself. I was like, grab the dirt and
put it all over. Why the heck am I at 6:00 in the
morning? Why the hell am I going to grab
some dirt right now and put it all over myself?
I don't know what it was, but I just did it anyway.

(42:46):
I grabbed it, I smeared it all over myself.
And it all made sense because the very first scene that I
ended up started filming was thethe scene of me begging for
change. And I basically was like
immersing myself into that role by doing that and taking that
charge of like, I'm going to putall that dirt on myself, not

(43:07):
make myself look like some pretty actor or some picture
perfect thing. And and that's why I started it.
And to this day, if I was to ever try to replicate that
performance, there's no way I could be able to do that.
So what was that like working onthat film?
Well, I didn't end up working onit, but what the thing was about
all of that was that was the start of my faith.

(43:29):
So you auditioned for it? So I auditioned for.
It, but you didn't get the role.Yeah, but but, but but here's I
was. Sitting here the whole time
thinking I don't remember. Seeing you in.
I I, I saw that movie like 3 times.
So I was like wait. And then I'm like maybe he
wasn't it. I just wasn't paying attention.
OK, so you auditioned but you didn't get.
It so I didn't get it, but this was the crazy thing.
So the crazy thing with that wasthat I had, you know, put myself

(43:52):
on tape for it and all that stuff, sent off the audition and
then I had continued to keep doing what I was doing.
I was still watching those videos of Pastor Greg Laurie and
all that stuff. And one night, maybe 2 weeks
later, I'm a heavy sleeper. I like knockout and like if a
burglar comes in, good luck. Like I ain't going to save

(44:12):
anybody. I was like dead asleep at like 3
or 4 in the morning. I woke up magically and I felt
another voice say to me, get geton your hands and knees right
now and pray for the Jesus Revolution.
And so I was like, OK, and so I like kind of was like all groggy

(44:36):
and I was OK. So I got on my hands and knees
and the floor and I was like, I pray for the Jesus revolution in
Jesus name. And I went back and sleep.
Another two weeks goes by still watching Pastor Greg, all this
sort of stuff. There's another day where I'm
taking my dog to I forget where I was taking him to like go get
groomed or something like that, watching Pastor Greg and all of

(44:56):
a sudden I get an e-mail in my inbox saying that you're going
to Cam read for the Jesus Revolution.
And that basically means that it's between you and maybe one
or two other actors and you're going to read opposite of the
other actor who's playing Greg Laurie, which was, I forget the
the individual's name, who playsPastor Greg.

(45:16):
He did a great job. He did a great job.
We got, we got. Hold on.
I got to look this dude. Up to give him his.
I forget his name. Joel.
Joel Courtney, yes, I was going to do a chemistry read with him
for that. And so that for me was such a

(45:39):
defining moment. Like also because it also showed
me that like I wasn't in controlof that, like at all.
Like if anything, I was so out of control and I really trusted
like God on that one. And it's just crazy that like
that even produced that kind of result.

(46:01):
And you know, I got to do that, you know, Cam Read with Joel,
you know, I got to meet John Irwin, a lot of those guys and
stuff like that. And it was a really cool thing.
Obviously didn't go my way, but it was a really interesting
thing because it kind of it was a bigger defining moment for me
where and God was pointing at methat he is the one who provides,

(46:23):
he is the one who makes these things possible, but you have to
fully trust. And it was like the whole start
of this journey of me having to trust.
And I like, I think that like for me, it wasn't even about me
getting the Jesus revolution. It was more so about me being
placed in front of God in the presence of him, and then being

(46:44):
able to now take those tools andnow apply them for the remainder
of my life. And so.
Yeah. I mean, I would say the cool
part is that God met you where you were at.
Like God met you in where you were at, in the things you were
passionate and interested about with your career and showed
himself that like, yeah, oh, yeah, no, I'm real.
And we're going to, and I'm going to make all these little

(47:05):
things happen that aren't going to make sense.
And you're actually not going toget what you want.
You're not going to get the part, but you're going to know
that I'm real because there's noway all of that could have been
orchestrated, you know, randomly.
And it's just, it's crazy too, because like from like my whole
career to like, it's been like such a whirlwind of emotions
because like, I've done a lot of, you know, great things,

(47:27):
don't get me wrong. But like there's always been
prior to me finding Christ, likethere's always been a piece of
me that's never felt satisfied with what I've done because I've
always wanted, you know, more recognition or, you know, at
least a level of understanding of knowing how much work I put
into this because I know the work that I have put into it.

(47:49):
And I've done, you know, a lot of extensive work.
And so I think that there has always been a piece of me of
that. But it was like this weird
release where like it was like, you can do all that.
You can find peace through that with me.
That's good. And so I think that like that
was one of the biggest things that like I had to like kind of

(48:09):
start to learn. It wasn't right then and there,
but it was that process of wherethat finally got me to this
point right now where I'm at, where I can sit knowing that and
like I can have that. But in it, it starts to develop
even crazier too after that, because right after that, like
to kind of further my point about like me feeling like I, I
was never like, I guess enough in a way.

(48:33):
I would always do these like small like roles and I would
always do like these things withone line, whatever, like that.
And you know, see me and, you know, nobody, you know,
everybody would kind of forget. And I had this opportunity that
had came into my court like maybe like a month or two after.
And I was kind of wrestling withthis whole idea of like, man, I
didn't get the Jesus revolution,all this sort of stuff.
And I was kind of like, you know, down in my my dump, you

(48:55):
know, down on my luck on that. And I ended up getting this
random untitled project. Like, they didn't say anything.
They just kept it all hush, hush, you know, project that
came into my core. And I was going to be doing the
scene, you know, with some, you know, unknown actor.
And so I put myself on tape for it and I ended up booking it.
And I was like, oh, man, like, not again.

(49:17):
Like this thing, Like, oh, man, like, I'm having to do a scene.
But it was one of those things where I was kind of like, you
know, like, OK, like, I guess this is like what I'm supposed
to be doing. I guess I have to trust God on
this one. And what I ended up finding out
was I was going to work alongside with Steve Carell.
And for me growing up, I have a comedy background.
And so comedy for me is like, you know, the ultimate thing.

(49:42):
And so Steve Carell has always been like one of the guys that I
always wanted to work with, along with Will Ferrell and
with, you know, Jim, I mean, JimCarrey's like probably like my,
my guy of all, but like some of these, you know, iconic people
who have like done comedy. Like he was definitely 1 and up
there for me that like really just, it was like one of those

(50:06):
moments where like God was like,I can, it felt like for me, like
God was kind of like telling me,like I can utilize you in the
spaces that you want to be in, but it fully comes down to you
surrendering and trusting in me in, in all of that.
And I, I, I wasn't getting it atthat point, but it was like
slowly but surely starting to kind of happen.

(50:28):
And so it was really interestingtoo, because I also felt like it
was like another moment where like God was also kind of
showcasing to me as well. Like I got to see how Steve
operated on set and how he was operating with the directors,
how he was operating with the producers, how he was like
manhandling that being the number one on the show and being
the number one on the call sheet.

(50:49):
Like he was not being disrespectful.
He was not being, you know, a jerk off.
He was not being, you know, like, hey, you assistant, go get
me some water or whatever like that.
And he was also being super collaborative.
He was asking a bazillion questions to the director and
also some stuff. And I was like, this is really
crazy because like we always, you know, as actors who maybe we

(51:12):
think ourselves like kind of a smaller, like we're not doing
the same level of work because they're Steve Carell or they're
Denzel Washington or whoever it is.
But the reality is we're doing the same exact stuff they are.
And it was kind of like a mirrored image where I got to
kind of see like there's a lot of process in which the I do
where I asked, I asked myself a lot of questions about my

(51:32):
characters or different things of that nature that is no much
different than that. And so I think that it was also
like another teachable moment that like God allowed me to be
able to kind of see as well where it's like, stop putting
those people on a pedestal and you so far beneath them, like as
if you're not equal to them justbecause they're a name and

(51:55):
you're not. And so I think that that was
also another big thing for me aswell that kind of allowed me to
kind of be able to see that fromthat perspective.
So what was? What was that project?
It's called the patient. The patient, Yeah.
And it's. See if I've heard of it.
The whole premise is like Steve Carell has like, he's like a
therapist and he has like a couple of patients that he's

(52:20):
dealing with. And he he has one particular
patient in particular, which is Donald Gleeson.
She's phenomenal. He's a little, he's a little bit
kookier than the rest of them and he ends up trapping him in
his basement and it's like this whole like psychological
thriller and all that kind of stuff.

(52:41):
So I was one of his like patients that he was dealing
with to set up the show and stuff like that.
But yeah, it was just it was it was crazy how that whole thing
had kind of happened. And then after that, I would say
what was really, really interesting was it also kind of,

(53:01):
it was a humbling thing too, because it was God showcasing to
me as well that like this whole idea that I thought of like me
getting to work on big films or shows or this and that, like was
going to be the thing that wouldsustain me in life.
And shortly after the patient, Iwas really, you know, getting in

(53:22):
my word. I was really now at this point
in my faith, starting to actually pick up the Bible and
like read Scripture myself and understanding it and applying it
and doing all that kind of stuff.
And it was leading me to trusting really into God.
But the biggest thing that it was making me do was I was
actually having a lot of internal, like wrestling matches

(53:43):
with God. Kind of felt like Jacob in a way
of me having to kill my ego. And that was one of the biggest
things that I had. And and there came a point where
I finally had to say after the whole experience with Jesus
revolution, the patient where I finally like wrestled with God
and I was like, OK, Lord, look, you are clearly making this seem

(54:06):
to me that this is where I'm supposed to be and I should
continue to be in this profession.
But I just say to you right now that if I never work a day in my
life again, I'm content. I'm happy with where I'm at.
That surrender and that contentment.
Yeah, and I, and I had, I, I waswrestling with that for so long

(54:29):
that I didn't want to say that. But then I finally got to a
point where through reading Scripture, through understanding
him, I finally said, OK, Lord, like you're in control.
You, you are, you are in the driver's seat and I will let you
reign over my life. And so that was a pretty
defining moment for me because then at that point, my approach

(54:52):
to everything started to shift. And for 10 plus years I've been
trying for so long to do things my way.
And the minute that I let all that go, God changed my whole
story and in ways that I never thought.

(55:13):
So I ended up auditioning for a commercial that I ended up
getting. And my luck for commercials have
always been bad. Like I had booked a Diego Luna
commercial where he was directing for like 1 of the
World Cups back in 2014 for the Spanish network, did nothing.

(55:34):
They didn't even do it. They didn't even air it.
I had a Super Bowl commercial. They had everybody in the final
cup except for me. Like I've had like all just this
bad luck with like these commercials and finally this one
I ended up booking it was with Slash and it was a Capital One
commercial play for a whole yearand in my entire 10 plus year

(55:56):
career, it was the most amount of money I've ever made when I
was trying to do things on my own strength.
For a Capital One commercial. For a Capital One commercial
that God just provided and just laid it right there for me.
And I'm making it seem like simpler than what it was.
But I mean, like the reality of it was it felt so seamless how

(56:16):
it all happened because now I was like letting everything go.
And I was just able to now trulykind of enjoy the art.
Now I was able to enjoy the craft and I was able to go into
these rooms and be like, hey, what's going on, you know, and
just kind of just enjoy the process of it all.
And then that then led to another commercial and I booked

(56:36):
another commercial. And now I was like sitting on
money that I could have never even imagined even making.
And again, from sources that I never thought I would ever make
that from, I was thinking I was going to make it on this big
movie or this big show or whatever like that.
And out here I'm making it with these commercials in in the
oddest ways. And I think that's how God works

(56:59):
is that he's doing it like, OK, great.
Now, now you fully surrendered to me.
Now I'm going to do it my way. I'm going to show you.
It's going to be in the most unorthodox, like, way, way
possible. And I love that he did that
because I think that it really kept me humble at heart within
the whole process. And then within that, that was a

(57:20):
whole crazy thing too, because then once that whole thing
happened, I had heard a couple of years prior to, from some
family friends that there was going to be these houses being
built in another state and that they were going to be moving to
another state to go work on, on a series.

(57:40):
And that they were like, you know, Netflix is acquiring some
land out there. They're building a lot of
properties out there. We're thinking of, you know,
settling down and getting the property out there.
And I was like, you know, I've always kind of like, wanted to
like be diverse with my, my money and, and just like my, my
earnings and stuff like that. And not like kind of have it

(58:01):
like work for me as opposed to just like letting it sit and do
nothing and just also expand my,my world view and knowledge of
just understanding, like, how can I, you know, better myself?
And I think that there came a point where now with me sitting
on all this lump of money, I waskind of getting scared with it
because I never seen this amountof money in my life before.
I was like, I don't know what I'm going to do with it.

(58:22):
I'm going to think I'm going to just like blow all this.
And I don't want to do that. And so I end up circling around
with those family friends that Iknew and asked them, hey, so
remember those houses you were talking about?
What, what's the deal with them?He's like, Oh my gosh, they're,
you know, building all this landand blah, blah, blah.
You should come out a weekend, come stay with us for a weekend
and come, come take a look at the properties.
So I did, I flew out. And so, so we ended up, you

(58:43):
know, going out there and looking at the land and all that
stuff. And man, it was just a whole
other world being like displayedin front of me.
But the craziest thing about it was that, like, it really felt
to me like God was showing me a vision.
And it was so interesting because at that point in time, I

(59:04):
was reading, I was reading Mosesand I was reading the whole
story about the Promised land. And I was really getting like
deep into that. And a lot of the things that
were kind of resonating with me were this whole idea of him
grabbing the Israelites from Egypt and sending them to

(59:28):
another place that they all don't know where they're going
to go, but it's going to be for their better good.
And it really felt like that's what he was kind of doing with
me in a way and pulling me out of Los Angeles.
And it was really interesting because I never thought that

(59:49):
that would be even feasible, especially at this point in my
career. Because I think I when I got
those commercials, I was 22, 23andMe thinking I'm going to
get a house at. That age was absurd.
Like from your framework, you were also like, hey, I just want
to park some money somewhere so I could have my housing expenses

(01:00:10):
settled and I don't have to worry about where I'm going to
live that that's probably your. Well, that and also just from
the perspective of two, like I also wanted my money to kind of
like grow for me, you know, and also not have to like put put it
at the expense of like me havingto rent a place and then it's
just going to waste. Because Los Angeles and Orange
County is. Expensive, you know, and I'm I'm

(01:00:30):
sure even out here too. It's, it's crazy, you know, it's
just for the land itself. I mean, good luck trying to go
get a house for anything less than $800,000 that's not a
shack, you know, it's just, it's, it's awful.
And so I think that it was really interesting how he was
kind of like planting these likeseeds in my life.

(01:00:51):
And it was all like, in a way tokind of like have me grow up
and, and, and start to develop me into a man.
And, and it was just really crazy how that all kind of
started to happen because then Iwent out there, saw the places
and I really fell in love with them.
And I was like, wow, this is like, really, this is really

(01:01:13):
awesome. Like I, I never thought in a
million years that I would be here or at this point in my
life, I thought I'd be 30s, you know, that I'd be getting my
first home and stuff like that. But now being able to park my
money somewhere is, you know, anamazing thing.
It's in the one thing kind of led to another.
And I started signing papers andnext thing you know, here I am.

(01:01:34):
Yeah. Buying a Buying a whole home.
How long ago was this? This was a year ago this month.
Oh, that's awesome. I was, I was assuming they kind
of if, if you know John Irwin, John Irwin and Dallas are
friends, you're kind of in this,in this circle.
And so how did the opportunity to audition come up?
Yeah, I mean, yes and no. I mean, like, it's weird because

(01:01:54):
yes, that does happen, but that doesn't necessarily mean
anything. And also it's because, you know,
I didn't work on Jesus Revolution, so it's not like I
have like a true relationship with John in that kind of in
that kind of way. But you know, I had, you know,
moved out and so crazy because there's so many lessons that I
think that God has just taught me like in this whole process of

(01:02:16):
like me doing this. But like there was a like, I
felt like Paul, honestly, because like when he says that
you like, I've been able to learn how to live with a lot of
means and nothing, and I've beenable to be content with both.
Like, I feel like I've truly embodied that, like in like the
last year. Like it's the craziest.

(01:02:37):
I think you have to as a, as anytype of creative, any type of
creative entrepreneur artist, you have to know how to live on
very little and then know how tohandle when there's increase
because it's often a roller coaster.
It's a very, it's a very up and down income.
Yeah, no, totally 1,000,000% it,it's just, it's, it's just crazy
how he's kind of like showcase that and how, you know, you have

(01:03:00):
to keep humility, but also that trust in him that he's going to
provide no matter what. And so I think it's crazy
because I had all that lump sum of money and the next thing you
know, here I am signing all these papers and now all that
money goes and I'm like, what just happened?
And I, you know, I had, I had something like, I had something
to secure me. But then there came a point

(01:03:21):
where like, you know, I started seeing even that dwindle away,
you know, and, and that's going and going and going and going.
And there came a point where a, a really good buddy of mine had
ended up saying, listen, man, you know, like, I know you're
kind of like starting to like, you know, freak out about the
money and stuff like that. He was like, I've been there
too. He was like, but he was like, I

(01:03:44):
would look in the mirror. He's like, I know this sounds
crazy, but he's like, I would look in the mirror and I would
say this scripture back and he'slike, and I would personalize it
for myself, like, as like affirmation that the Lord's
going to provide. And he's like, I would look in
the mirror and say, my God will meet all my needs according to
the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
And that's one of the scripturesI believe in Second Corinthians,

(01:04:07):
I believe. And he was like, I would do
that. And he was like, and all of a
sudden money would start flowingout of nowhere.
And he's like, I would do that. He's like, I know it sounds
weird. He goes, I know it's also like a
weird thing because you're not wanting to ask God for those
kinds of things. He's like, but it's, it's
through the level of faith that you have that you will develop

(01:04:27):
that. And so I was just like, to be
honest, I felt guilty. I felt guilty asking God for
more money. Like I, I felt like a fraud.
I felt like that was stupid. And so I was like, no, I'm not
going to do that. And so there was a piece of me
that kind of like didn't do it. But then I would like wake up in
the morning and stuff like that,'cause I started seeing my bank

(01:04:49):
account starting to be like the plead and the plead.
And I was like, OK, maybe I, maybe, yeah, I got to do this.
And so I, I kind of, I kind of started doing it.
I was like, OK, I would look in the mirror and I'd be like, my
God meet all my needs according to the riches of his glory in
Christ Jesus. But I wouldn't like really
believe it. And so I would kind of like keep
doing and doing and doing it. Couple days started turning into
weeks and I started doing that. And then it started leading to

(01:05:12):
me changing my heart posture altogether.
And I started praying on my hands and knees and like truly
like, like just surrendering. And I started doing that,
started doing that in that time period when I finally moved, I
had an audition once and it was such a weird thing because it
wasn't like it was like how it was back in like the COVID time
where like there was nothing happening or whatever.
Like there was like, you know, good stuff.

(01:05:33):
It just for whatever reason, it was just dead.
And I, I've been praying about that.
I've been praying, you know, my God will meet all my knees
according to riches of gory and Christ Jesus.
And all of a sudden there in my house and I ended up leaving.
I went on a walk to go get some food and I'm walking like a

(01:05:57):
phone call and it's my manager'sassistant and he's like, hey, I
got some good news for you. And I'm like, what do you mean?
And and I'm like, I'm thinking to myself like I have an
audition in like 2 months. What good news do we have?
And he's like, I, I couldn't, I couldn't contain my, my

(01:06:18):
excitement anymore, you know, any longer because, you know, I
found out first. And nobody's supposed to know
this, but I, I just wanted to call you and tell you because,
you know, I know you've, you know, haven't gotten much work,
you know, lately. And so I wanted, I want to be
the first one to tell you. And I was like, OK, like, just
spit it out. Like what?
What is it? And he was like, you booked the
chosen and you wait. Did you audition for it?

(01:06:41):
I did, but the crazy thing was that.
I had auditioned for it like 5 months interesting ago when I
was back in LA and I had been just, you know, sending in all
these auditions, all these tapesand stuff like that.
And you send them out and it's like to the ether and like then
what ends up happening with them, you have no idea.
And especially now with this whole new day and age of self

(01:07:03):
taping, which is basically you, you know, it's pretty
self-explanatory, but you just put yourself on tape and if you
submit it out, you're not going out, you're not, you're not
actually going. In person anymore and reading.
Like how it used to be. And you could be anywhere in the
world. You know, there's people I know
that are in New York, There's people in, you know, just all
over the world, you know, submitting tapes and, and the
competition is so fierce now. You know, it's it's, it's just

(01:07:27):
so worldwide that it's even morescarce.
But I mean, beyond all of that, it was so crazy because
something that I had auditioned for five months ago, I didn't
even remember when it was. So when he said it, he goes, you
booked the chosen. I was like, chosen.
Oh, Mark. And then were you a fan of the
chosen at this point? So I knew about the.

(01:07:47):
Chosen, but I never had. Really dived into it.
I had never seen it. I'd seen like the little bits
and pieces of it and stuff like that.
People, you know, friends of mine who were, you know, of
faith and stuff like that had, you know, told me about it and
stuff like that. But I never really had seen it.
And it was just so funny becausethen I then get submersed into
this and even go you had to binge watch all all the yeah,

(01:08:09):
yeah, I've been watched. The whole thing prior to to
what? Was your favorite season prior
to getting on set 4? For sure.
Yeah, for sure. I like.
I like the. Walking on water, feeding, 5000.
Yeah, I think that was season 3 and I think it's the finale of
season 3. Yeah, Yeah, yeah, Yeah.
I think that was, I mean, look, I think that what Dallas has
done is. Phenomenal.
I mean, it's it's pretty revolutionary.
I mean, honestly, like, I feel like this day and age of like, I

(01:08:32):
mean, even kind of going back towhat we were talking about
earlier about like the whole media landscape, like just like
what they've been able to build like over these last couple of
years, it's just pretty phenomenal.
And obviously now with John doing, you know, House of David
and stuff like that, Amazon Prime behind everything.
Yeah, it's great. Like it's.
Just it's really cool to kind ofsee like that.
They're really taking notice of like faith-based projects and

(01:08:53):
that it's like a legitimate market.
Yeah. Yeah.
So your character on The Chosen is.
John Mark, who writes the Gospelof Mark and and the way he
incorporates it is through the Mark 14 scene where they're
going to find a House of the man.
They're going to have the whose house.
They're going to have the the Last Supper.

(01:09:15):
Last Supper, yeah. And.
And so the Alice can't take somecreative liberty.
And basically your character, John Mark, that it's his dad's
house, it's your house that the disciples come.
And I'm assuming that's how the connection starts.
Well, I don't know how much you're going to get ahead in
John, but I know people believe that John Mark wrote his gospel
with Peter's insight, you know, like Peter.

(01:09:36):
So I'm assuming is that kind of where the story is going where
you're getting closer to Peter or, or like, yeah.
So anyway, go ahead. I want to.
Yeah, yeah. No unnecessary spoilers on my
part. No, no, no, you're good.
No. Yeah, I right.
Now it's not being set up that way, but we have speculated that
that would be at some point thatwould get incorporated.

(01:09:58):
I know that like I did some likepress junket for like the chosen
with Chris Durbin and and those guys and they had asked me, they
were like, so like they were like just asking me different
questions were like, so do you think that Peter will get close
with Mark and stuff like that? I was like, yeah, I think so.
I think, you know, Dallas is a really great job with the

(01:10:20):
theologians to like really make this pretty biblically accurate.
And I think that, you know, in terms of all of that, if we know
that there is a belief and understanding that Mark wasn't
the really the one who kind of eyewitnessed it, but it was more
so Peter and he was just kind ofmore so documenting it at all.
Yeah, I think they would make sense.
And also, you know, you can readand the the whole correlation

(01:10:44):
with it also is that they believe because in Acts, there's
a part in there where it says that Peter is the spiritual
father of Mark. So there's like this whole tie
there where, you know, they obviously have some type of bond
that gets built. So when that happens, how that
happens, I have no idea that. So you were in Season 5 Episode

(01:11:04):
7? Eight, yeah.
Are you going to be in season? Six are they?
Setting you up for that? Yeah.
What? What Do you know anything about
that? Yeah.
Season 6, Season 6, we will be back.
OK, yeah. Have you guys started shooting
that yet? Yeah, they started on Monday.
OK yeah, they started on Monday.Any idea how many episodes
you're going to be in I? Don't.
They're keeping everything a mystery.
Even with me right now. But I know that.

(01:11:29):
Yeah. We'll be back.
That's awesome. Yeah, we'll be back.
That's fine. OK.
So what was it like working? I've been on set.
Before and more fish. Yeah, more fish.
Yeah. We need you to advocate for
Dallas to give you to give us the Merchant spinoff.
Yeah, He he he thinks I'm playing, but I'm kidding.
I'm totally doing. But yeah, it was, it was fun
doing that. But being on set is like, bro,
it's a lot of work. It's like it's a lot of hurry up

(01:11:50):
and wait, sitting around and then everyone's up.
How long were you there for? How long were you there for?
I mean, we were. There for like a full day.
But I would say on set for maybe45 minutes and it was cool from
one standpoint because you're yeah, we got a tour of
everything. But we were actually watching
them film some of the stuff. What did you what did you get to
watch the film we got? To watch them film.

(01:12:11):
The guy who was the the high priest coming to betray Jesus.
I think we're. Like coordinating with.
With who is the ruler, Zach? The, the, the young guy, a
Pontius Pontius Pilate and the older high priest guy, Kaifus.
Kaifus, Yes, yeah. So we, you saw those that, that
back and forth, we were there while they were filming that and

(01:12:33):
it was cool 'cause you're looking on the screen and it's
like, this is a Netflix show being made in real time, right?
So like it looks crazy high quality, but it's being made in
real time and then they're stopping.
But I, I was just watching it from just a standpoint, like
just a time to get everything just right was like, gosh, man,
this is this is a crazy. Amount of just work.

(01:12:54):
And meticulous work. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
It's it's really crazy. Just To kind of like, see all
that. I mean, I've always been like a
geek for that. Like just even getting to like
watch not even my scenes, but just, you know, everybody else's
'cause I think that you learn from all of that.
You know, I think that also, like, you know, one of the
greatest things for me being a part of the chosen is that like

(01:13:17):
there's a, there's a whole personal element, you know, for
me that I've never had or, or gotten the chance to experience
on any of the other projects. Because, you know, this does
have faith and, and I'm so tied to my faith now that it means
everything to me. So it seems like would it be
fair to say like this is kind? Of the the the best case
scenario for you, where you yourfaith is involved, you can do

(01:13:40):
your craft, you're around great people and you're making
something that's meaningful. Yeah, I know. 1,000,000%, I
think that. It's one of those things where I
couldn't ask for anything better.
I think that this is 1 where I get to really dive into not only
just like from an actor's point of view, you know, the art of it

(01:14:05):
all, but also on a spiritual level, I have to be in tune with
God in terms of the accurate portrayal of John Mark and the
responsibility behind that as well.
You know, because there's, there's so many people that are
watching this that are, you know, I mean, look, there's,
there's going to be haters, There's going to be people that
are going to, you know, talk smack about it and stuff like

(01:14:26):
that. But there's also a lot of people
that also kind of take this seriously, you know, to
supplement the Bible. And so I really want to make
sure that, you know, my portrayal of John Mark, of what
we know of John Mark is as accurate as I possibly can.
You know, do God willing, any chance you're going to be in

(01:14:48):
the. Axe spin off whenever they do
that. I I don't know, would you?
Be would you be open for that? Of course, yeah, 1,000,000.
Percent. I think that when I when I talk.
To people on the ground, like people.
Are like cool, like Moses, Joseph, like all that, that
stuff is fire. But I think people are really
like what would the book of Actslook like?
To be honest with you, I'm so geeked for.
For even the Joseph in the Mosesseries, I like, I mean, Dallas,

(01:15:13):
I would love to be a part of it.But yeah, I mean, personally,
you know, like it's it's also cool too, because like for me,
like those were even stories that I first started reading a
scripture like when I first started some mercy myself in the
scripture, like those were the stories like, you know, Joseph
and Moses and Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, like all those ones.

(01:15:36):
And I resonate Job. I like, I, I'm like, I resonate
with all of those so heavily andjust being able to get to see
that come to life. Like, you know, I mean, there's
so many stark differences between the chosen and even
House of David, but even gettingto watch, you know, I've been
loving House of David, what JohnIrwin's been doing with that.
And like, it's just like, it's Game of Thrones, like it's Game

(01:15:59):
of Thrones. But now I'm just setting the.
It's crazy how much good stuff that's being made right now,
man. That that that's honoring of
Jesus and and God, it's it's fireman I I'm excited to see
where your character goes in season 6.
Season 6 is, I'm assuming, goingto be pretty rough in terms of
what's coming. Yeah.
And how are you mentally gettingready for that?

(01:16:23):
The biggest thing I've just. Been thinking about for me is
because a lot of it is a mysteryright now.
I don't even really know what the involvement is.
I mean one can kind of assume that where we leave off with
John Mark is in the garden or sorry, he's leaving to go to the
garden. We leave off season 5 in the

(01:16:45):
garden where Judas kisses Jesus,and that's where we finish the
season. So I believe that, you know,
there's going to now be the continuation of that Peter
slicing off the ear, you know, all that kind of chaos that ends
up happening, him finally getting arrested.
And then John Mark probably likecoming in there and sneaking off
because he he there's like a whole moment there at the very

(01:17:06):
end where we, you know, see him,He sneaks off.
He hears them in the upper room,and then he goes and follows
them. So it would be the continuation
of that. And then anything else that they
have. Yeah, you know, in store for
that. So that's Fireman.
I can't wait to see you, brother.
Yeah. Yeah, we got to have.
You back, man, a little deeper, especially as as as more and
more stuff comes out and hopefully I'll get to go on on
set when you guys get a little deeper into the store.

(01:17:27):
Yeah, hang with you guys. Thank you so much for doing
this, Nick. I appreciate you, brother.
Yeah, no thanks, man Alright guys, we're going to get out of
here. Peace brand new occupied till I
come. 60 day devotional has arrived, taking you through the
entire narrative of scripture in60 days, 35 days in the Old
Testament, 25 days in the New Testament with custom
interactive journal prompts for every single day.

(01:17:47):
This is a great way to have a structured devotional reignite
your passion for the word of God.
This is something I wish I had 20 years ago, 10 years ago when
I was traveling a lot doing music that could just take me
through a general narrative of scripture and help me be
interactive and reflect on what it is that I read.
That is why there's a journal built in to the devotional with

(01:18:08):
daily prayer request section to also document my prayers.
So whether you've been walking with Jesus for a while or you're
new to the faith, go to bless God dot shop right now to pick
it up. All right, I'll see you over
there. After the incredible success of
our Bless God prayer journal, many of you guys begin to ask
for something that had a planner.
And so we combined our Bless Godprayer journal with a brand new

(01:18:29):
leadership planner that jam packs the same things from our
prayer journal with a planner goal setting, leadership meeting
and notes with the next pages. You can see different sections
right along along here of this leadership planner where you can
start out with actionable goals.12 months of calendar, our
original prayer journal prompts our leadership journal with the

(01:18:51):
proven problem solution framework and of course just
free write notes. This leadership planner is based
off of Matthew 2514 through 30, which of course is the parable
of the talents. The vision of the planner is to
help you make the most of your time, talent and treasure.
Head over to bless God dot shop and get your.

All Episodes

Episode Transcript

Popular Podcasts

Dateline NBC

Stuff You Should Know

NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal

.css-15opob5{left:0;position:absolute;top:0.8rem;} All Episodes

.css-14f5ked{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:2;overflow:hidden;} Chosen Actor Hears From God & Made the Hardest Decision of His Life...

Episode Transcript

Popular Podcasts

.css-r6mb8g{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:1;overflow:hidden;}Dateline NBC

Stuff You Should Know

NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal

All Episodes

Chosen Actor Hears From God & Made the Hardest Decision of His Life...

Dateline NBC