Life, Values & Legacy: Our Chat with Kabir McNeely of Hollywood

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Kabir McNeely. Check out our conversation below.

Kabir, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: When was the last time you felt true joy?
It was a late night on the set of my latest film Fallaway. We were filming a New Year’s Eve countdown on a rooftop. It was already mid-January, but we were still counting down from 10-1, probably making everyone driving by think we were insane. But being with my scene partners Christian, Cabe and Markus having fun together in the cold was the most fun I’ve had in a long time.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m an actor, born in St Louis and raised in San Francisco. I was adopted at birth, which often made me feel like an outsider. I would get teased for not growing up with “my real parents”, and that shaped how I saw myself early on. Acting became a way for me to find my voice and turn that experience into something that can hopefully build connection. And I ultimately hope to be an example for young people who are adopted or in foster care, because growing up, I didn’t see that aspect of my life reflected often in picture books and on TV, so it’s something I’d like to help make more “normal” for the next generation.

Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. Who taught you the most about work?
Both of my dads have such a strong work ethic. They’re the two hardest working people I know. Like a lot of kids, I hit a point in middle school and high school where simply getting by was good enough for me. Especially as an actor, I was relying on natural talent without cultivating the discipline and skillset for a real career. And I feel blessed because my parents could’ve easily dismissed my acting ambitions as a hobby and told me I was doing fine, but they pushed me to commit every day to becoming better artist. That approach of just doing the work for my own happiness and fulfillment – not to impress anyone else – is something I hope to carry throughout my life.

What’s something you changed your mind about after failing hard?
I used to believe that an actor is only as good as their most recent performance. That was until I did a movie where I was originally supposed to have a supporting role. The day before filming, the lead dropped out. I was the replacement. I had 300 lines to learn and 12 hours to prepare. I was 17 and completely in over my head. When I saw the movie, I was crushed. I knew I had given a bad performance. Looking back, I realized that my fear and my determination to give a great performance is ultimately what failed me. Instead of learning my lines and being present with my scene partners, I scared myself into pre-planning everything. Since then, I’ve shifted my mindset to focus on bringing full commitment and authenticity to every role, which I think has made me such a better actor.

I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Is the public version of you the real you?
I’d like to think so. I saw a quote on Instagram that said “The best thing about being authentic is that there is no image to maintain”, and that really resonated with me. I’ve had some friends in school who would carefully curate their lives down to their snap score for other people’s approval. I fell into that habit and I have to say it was really quite stressful. And of course, the people found out overtime that I wasn’t being true to myself and I lost that group of friends because they were never my people to begin with. I hope to never make that mistake again.

Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
My parents were always very supportive, so I felt like I was in the driver’s seat when it came to my career. That said, many others encouraged me to think about a backup plan in case the whole acting thing doesn’t work out. So I took on a few part time jobs and built a day-job resume in the name of being “realistic”. But I think the real progress as an actor came when I decided to give it my undivided focus.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.kabirmcneely.com,
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kabirmcneely/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kabirmcneely/
• Twitter: https://x.com/KabirMcNeely
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@KabirMcNeely