Rising Stars: Meet Chris Levine of Los Angeles

Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris Levine.

Hi Chris, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I’ve always been drawn to storytelling. Whether it’s through acting, filmmaking, or writing, there’s something about creating characters and worlds that has kept me going throughout my career.

I originally got my start in acting, pursuing opportunities in film and television while gradually finding myself more interested in what happens behind the camera as well. Like most people working in entertainment, I’ve experienced plenty of ups and downs along the way. There have been exciting opportunities, projects that never quite came together, and stretches where things seemed to move at a snail’s pace. But I’ve always believed that if you’re passionate about something, you have to keep finding ways to create, even when the opportunities aren’t necessarily coming to you.

That mindset eventually pushed me into producing and developing my own projects. Rather than waiting for someone else to give me a role or an opportunity, I wanted to create those opportunities myself.

Over the years, I’ve worked on a variety of projects, but horror has always been a genre I’ve gravitated toward. I love the freedom it gives you as a storyteller and the ability to explore some pretty dark themes while still entertaining an audience.

More recently, I’ve been focused on expanding my work as both a filmmaker and an author. My latest novel, CRYPTID, was released in October 2026. It’s an adult creature horror story and something I’m incredibly proud of. I’ve also been developing and producing Withdrawn, a horror short film that represents another step forward in my filmmaking career.

What I’ve learned over the years is that there’s no single path to building a career in entertainment. I’ve had to wear a lot of different hats, figure things out as I go, and constantly adapt. I think that’s especially true today, when the industry is changing so quickly.

At this point in my life, I’m less interested in waiting around for the perfect opportunity and more interested in creating work that I’m genuinely excited about. Whether that’s acting in someone else’s project, producing a film, or writing another book, I just want to keep telling stories and hopefully connect with people through them.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I don’t think anyone who’s pursued a career in entertainment would describe it as a smooth road. There are definitely highs and lows, and sometimes those lows seem to last a lot longer than you’d like.

One of the biggest challenges has been the inconsistency of the industry. You can spend months auditioning, getting close to booking something, or developing a project that you’re really excited about, only for things to fall apart or simply go nowhere. There’s a lot that’s completely outside of your control, and learning to accept that can be difficult.

I think another challenge is balancing the creative side of things with the reality of everyday life. Making independent films isn’t cheap, publishing books takes time and money, and none of it comes with any guarantee of success. You’re constantly making decisions about where to invest your time, energy, and resources.

There have certainly been moments when I’ve questioned whether all the effort was worth it. I think that’s natural when you’ve been pursuing something for years and things aren’t necessarily happening at the pace you imagined.

But I’ve also learned that you can’t measure success entirely by how many auditions you get, what roles you book, or how much attention a project receives. Sometimes success is simply finishing something you set out to create.

If anything, the struggles have made me more independent as an artist. I’ve learned to take more control over my career, create my own opportunities, and keep moving forward even when things aren’t going according to plan. I still have plenty of goals I want to accomplish, but I’m proud that I’ve continued to pursue them rather than giving up when things got difficult.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I wear a few different hats these days. I’m an actor, writer, producer, and now a published horror author. While I’ve worked across different genres throughout my career, I’ve always had a particular love for horror, especially stories that focus on interesting characters and explore the darker side of human nature.

As an actor, I love being able to step into someone else’s world and bring a character to life. But as a writer and producer, I get to build those worlds from the ground up, which is an entirely different kind of creative satisfaction.

One of my most recent projects is my novel, CRYPTID, which was released in October 2026. It’s an adult creature horror story that combines my love of monster movies with character-driven storytelling. I’ve written books before, including Jurassic Terrors, but CRYPTID represents a different direction for me as an author. It’s darker, more mature, and something I’ve wanted to create for a long time.

On the filmmaking side, I’ve been working on Withdrawn, an independent horror short film. It’s a project I’m particularly proud of because of what it took to bring it together. Independent filmmaking requires a tremendous amount of work, especially when you’re involved in everything from developing the story and assembling the crew to managing the budget and overseeing production. But seeing something that started as an idea become an actual film is incredibly rewarding.

I think what sets me apart is that I’m not particularly interested in limiting myself to one creative outlet. If I have a story I want to tell, I’ll find a way to tell it. Sometimes that means writing a screenplay, sometimes it’s producing a film, and other times it’s sitting down and writing a novel.

I’m also very hands-on with my projects. I enjoy the creative process, but I’ve learned to appreciate the business side of things as well. Creating something is one challenge. Figuring out how to get it in front of an audience is another.

Ultimately, I’m most proud of the fact that I’ve continued to create. I haven’t achieved everything I’ve set out to do, and there are still plenty of things I want to accomplish. But I’ve built a body of work that reflects my interests, my personality, and the kinds of stories I want to tell. To me, that’s something worth being proud of.

What does success mean to you?
That’s a tough question, and honestly, I don’t know if I have a definitive answer. I think my definition of success has changed quite a bit over the years, and it’s probably still evolving.

There are certainly tangible things I’d love to accomplish. I’d love to make a comfortable living entirely from my creative work. I’d love to book a leading role in a major feature film or become a series regular on a television show. Those are goals I’ve had for a long time, and I’m not going to pretend they don’t matter to me.

But I also wonder, if I achieved those things tomorrow, would I suddenly consider myself successful? Or would I just move the goalposts and start chasing something bigger? I think that’s something a lot of creative people struggle with. There’s always another role, another project, or another level you want to reach.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve started to appreciate the smaller victories a little more. Finishing a film, publishing a book, seeing an audience connect with something I’ve created. Those are accomplishments that a younger version of myself would probably be pretty excited about, even if I sometimes forget to appreciate them in the moment.

I still have a lot of ambition, and I don’t think that will ever go away. But maybe success isn’t necessarily reaching one particular milestone. Maybe it’s getting to a place where I can spend my life doing work I genuinely love, make a good living from it, and have the freedom to keep creating.

I’m not there yet, but I’m working toward it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://onlychrislevine.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/onlychrislevine
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chrislevineactor
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/onlychrislevine
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@onlychrislevine

Image Credits
David Muller Photography