Today we’d like to introduce you to Charles Jake Johnson.
Hi Charles Jake Johnson, 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’m not really the vulnerable type and I don’t tell my story often so if you’re reading this then read in its entirety, hopefully you get inspired. Moving to Los Angeles was a happy choice but a hard decision. I’m from Michigan and I’ve moved a few times before but never believed they were gonna be permanent, but something in me knew that this would be a never moving back situation. After a failed marriage in 2016 I chose to once again leave everything behind and move across the country. Leaving my family was not easy, but out of everyone my son was the toughest because I was his best friend. He was only eight years old and I had to sit him down to have the conversation with him. I never seen a kid cry so hard, to him it felt like he was losing me which ultimately made me cry as well right along with him. I knew why I was coming here though, I knew I wanted to make a name for myself in the world of Hollywood, to give my parents, siblings and kids the life I know they deserve. Making my son proud has always been my top priority and it’s what drives me to keep going. I didn’t know how expensive LA was so I moved here with nothing but $300, which lasted me about 300 seconds.
Thankfully I had a place to stay with a former friend, but that’s pretty much where it ended. I had to fend for myself and figure out how I’m going to make money until I can crack into this acting industry. Once the food ran out, I was too prideful to call my parents for some money so I went without for a while. I would be hungry, my former friend would be out of the country so I’d freeze some water to make ice because I knew if I eat ice, I could manipulate my brain to take away the hunger pains in my stomach and it worked for a while. I’ve been a personal trainer at the time five years so I started training people to make money, then I started renting a car $1,065/mo so I can do Uber as well. While doing Uber, I picked up some extremely well-known people in the industry and the majority of them would tell me they can do this or that to help me get my career going. Each and every one of them lied, gave me their contact info and never responded.
These are literally people you see on your tv that hit me with “Hollywood talk” which I didn’t know was a thing at the time. I didn’t want to think negative because I’m a black man and they were all black known actors, directors or producers. It wasn’t until I picked up this white woman named (she’s gonna kill me for doing this) Mary-Kate FitzPatrick who’s an amazing actress by the way and has such a sweet soul. We had a long conversation and a few weeks later, she reached out to me and held my hand while showing me the ropes of the industry. I applied everything she taught me and my career as an actor was born. My first year, I booked over 50 gigs, commercials, photoshoots, movies, tv shows, web series, etc… All because this woman kept her word with a guy she didn’t even know and she wanted nothing in return but for me to help the next person and to shout her out when I win my first award.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Nothing about my journey has been smooth. Having to part ways with someone I considered a best friend was a blow. Also, trying to make things happen without an agent or manager only allowed me to do so much industry-wise. I didn’t realize how hard it was to get good representation. Being able to become SAG the hard way was probably the hardest thing I’ve ever done in this industry.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m an actor and that’s what I’m pretty much known for here in California. I take my craft seriously so acting is what I specialize in. If you ask people back home in Michigan, they’d probably tell you they know me for acting but mainly personal training. I’m mostly proud of how I kept focused. Through the ups and downs and trust me, there were a lot of downs but I never gave up. To be honest, my most proud moment is when I became SAG, as a serious actor you don’t get in this industry to be non-union; you do this to become a part of SAG-AFTRA which is the union. I want to thank an amazing director Kandace Caine for believing in me and making that possible by putting me as a lead in her film. What sets me apart from others is probably the fact that I don’t have a plan B, I don’t have nothing to fall back on and that’s by choice. I don’t believe in having a plan B because then something in you is telling you that plan A may not work and that’s not an option for me. I will make sure plan A works because that’s what my sacrifice was for. Kobe Bryant blessed us with the Mamba Mentality and that’s how I live my life everyday, “To be on a constant quest to try to be the best version of yourself.”
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
Time is something that we do not get back. Do not be afraid to chase your dreams. Do not let others project their fears on you by telling you what you can’t do. Live life on your terms and think for yourself. You only get one life, enjoy it and live it to the fullest.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: instagram.com/cjakejohnson
Image Credits:
The four headshots are from David LaPorte
