Actor Nathan Kendall loves what he does. What started out as a way to earn money has turned into a lifelong passion. Whether he is acting in a movie or working on his Taekwondo, Nathan is working hard to pursue his dreams and is grateful for how far he’s come. I recently interviewed Nathan on his start in the business as well as his plans for 2023.
What drew you into acting?
That’s kind of a funny story, I first started when I was 13 or14 I think, and I wanted an Apple Watch. I asked my mom and she said get a job instead, so I asked her to help me find one. She said I used to do acting when I was little, why not start it up again. So, I did, just background stuff at first, and did my first job on a show called “Penny Dreadful” filming 2 days at the beach. After that job I had enough money to buy my watch, and I loved it so I continued ever since.
What is your process for breaking down a character?
What I like to do is first read the tone of my character, like are they funny, or sarcastic, or mean? Then I try to align some aspects of my character to my real life and think about how I would react in that way to that situation. From there I just try my best and keep an open mind for ways to improve my character.
What do you look for in a film role?
I look for similarities in the role and how the role could relate to me and make the character my own. When there’s a character I can connect to in a realistic way, I get really excited to bring it to life.
Tell us about your newest film Gacy.
Gacy was amazing to film to work on! Getting to work with your friends is one of the best experiences I could ever ask for as an actor. Although the clown did creep me out a lot, I’m super scared of clowns or just anything inside a suit. But it’s the story of a teenager who witnesses his neighbor murdering people, or thinking he murders people. And I’m the friend that doesn’t think that could happen, that my friend is just overreacting. It’s based on a real serial killer too which makes it creepy too, but overall, it was a great cast with an amazing writer/director that I really hope to work with again.
Photo Credit: Emily Manwell
What is your advice for keeping a healthy work/life balance?
Don’t overwork yourself, enjoy life and try not to hyperfocus on one thing to the point where you forget about everything else. If you surround yourself with people that can remind you what’s important, that can keep you grounded too. I’m grateful to have family and friends that I can experience life, and have fun at work, and my mom always reminds me about school!
Tell us something people would be surprised to learn about you.
You might be surprised that I have practiced Taekwondo for the past 11 years, and I want to be a stunt actor.
What are your goals for 2023?
My goals for 2023 is to pursue what I’m passionate about and follow my dreams. Right now, that looks like going to college for mechanical engineering, while still pursuing acting opportunities and enjoying life. I look forward to learning more about stunt acting too since I will be living closer to LA too.
Any upcoming projects you can share?
GACY is the big project of the moment, so I’m just really excited for the world to see it soon. I’m also focusing on college at the moment since I committed to CSU Fullerton. I’ll be moving on my own soon and figuring out adult stuff, so that’s a pretty big project for me! I would love to work on more independent projects too on my down time, so I will share those when they come.
Where can we follow you on social media?
You can follow me on Instagram and TikTok @Nathan.Kendall05
Photo Credit: Emily Manwell