Meet James Kelley of Santa Monica

Today we’d like to introduce you to James Kelley

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Of course, and thanks so much for this! Im an actor and I’m originally from Connecticut. When I was in high school I just started auditioning for anything that was filming in the area. I got my first role playing in the film ‘The Volunteer’ directed by Vicky Wight. It was such an incredible experience. I remember showing up to the first day on set, being super excited but also pretty nervous.

One of the lead actors, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, could definitely tell how nervous I was. I remember he came up to me and told me not to worry about anything, and just hung out with me for some time. It was so thoughtful and helpful and really meaningful. He just was super supportive. And my scenes were with Aunjanue Ellis, who was also incredibly kind and helpful. I remember getting to spend a little bit of time with her on set, and she was always so encouraging and thoughtful. It was just such an amazing and nurturing experience.

And then after that I just kept auditioning and working on films around Connecticut and the east coast. Probably one of my favorite films I’ve gotten to work on was Alicia Slimmer’s ‘Creedmoria’. It was another one of those films where everyone is just so encouraging and great to be around. I consider all of my cast-mates from that project to be extremely close friends.

Now I’m living out in Santa Monica, not too far from the pier, which is awesome. I love to go surfing as much as possible, and then to Sawtelle Boulevard for dinner afterwards. I walk the Santa Monica pier at least once a week, in my opinion theres nothing else like it. Santa Monica is such a fun and exciting part of LA!

Before I moved out to LA, I co-produced a short film called ‘Squall’ with Emmi Shockley, which we filmed all on location in Brooklyn. Squall is about Louie, a recently recovered addict whose daylong journey to reconnect with his estranged younger brother leads them both into an unexpected storm.

Squall is having its online premiere via Omeleto on youtube, which I’m really excited about. Its been such a rewarding and awesome project!

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I wouldn’t necessarily describe it as smooth.

It’s definitely a roller coaster of emotions, but it all balances out. But I want to use my time here to focus on one of the environments that was really helpful in my journey.

I have two performance development coaches, Randi & Kristin, who both helped me so much. Truly the most nurturing environment, and I think the best part about it was that it was a team, a real team, the three of us coming up with ideas together and then working on those ideas, together. When everyone is working as a team, thats when you get that synergistic effect, where everything just gets amplified.

Im really grateful for the time I spent with both my coaches, I feel strongly that they helped me tremendously in terms of having an idea and then being able to share it. And being comfortable sharing that idea.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Most of my work as an actor has been in indie films. Which I love, theres nothing better than being on location in my opinion. Its so great to see the world the characters might have come from and getting to kind of imagine.

Ill share one funny story, well at least I think its funny, but the first set I was on, the wardrobe department asked me to bring a couple of options, in addition to what they already had, because they wanted it to be my vision in a way, which was awesome. And I was playing a panhandler, and so I packed my duffle bag with a bunch of options. And I get to set and I change out of my clothes and those clothes, my personal clothes go into my backpack. And I walk out in my first wardrobe idea thinking “oh this is the perfect outfit for the character, I’m ready to start filming.” And the costume designer goes “lets see what else you have.’ And she starts digging through my duffle bag, and I’m watching along, she doesn’t see anything she loves, so she starts going through my backpack, and its my first time on set ever so I can’t even find my voice to say “oh thats my-” And she pulls out my personal shirt, the one I was wearing to set, and changed out of mind you, and she goes “this is the one, this screams homeless.” And in my mind im like “that is literally my shirt, I wore it to set” but I was just so knew to the whole thing I was like “amazing, im so happy I got that just for this project, lets go with it!”

I think this story is actually, in a strange way, a good explanation of kind of what makes me a little different, for lack of a better term, I think I just do my best to go with the flow, If I have an idea of what I want it to be like, I still at the same time work with everyone else to help make it the best it can be. I think thats so important. Listening to the people around you and getting their guidance as much as possible.

Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
Theres so many people that have been so supportive and kind to me, honestly it would take too long to list. And I know that sounds cliche but it really is true.

But my family has always been there for me. For everything. They’re the absolute best. They taught me everything I know.

And my fiancee Tay, whose also always there for me. And always so supportive and caring.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5928079/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1
• Other: https://pro.imdb.com/name/nm5928079?ref_=hm_prof_name#0

Image Credits
Photo Credit:

Paul Smith Photography

Julian Alvarez

Derek Anthony Welte

Kara Baker