Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Vlamis
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?
Growing up in Chicago, the only exposure I had to filmmaking was through the TV screen. I had always loved movies and began making my own in 3rd grade, but when high school rolled around, I tossed filmmaking to the side and focused on what so many Midwest kids focus on: school and sports. Sometimes I wonder what life would have been like should I have stuck with filmmaking through my early years, but as a person who lives with no regrets, I’m thankful to have had the path I had. After all, it was sports that took me out to California in the first place.
While attending Chapman University to play baseball and study business, I met so many kids in the film school. At first, I couldn’t believe film school was a thing, and then, I wished I was in film school. Fortunately, I kept getting hurt and eventually quit baseball. That’s when I auditioned for my first student film. It was to play a boxer and since I boxed in high school, I felt like I could land the role. Somehow, I got it. And I was immediately hooked.
From that point on, I knew what I was going to do with my life. I kind of have an addictive personality, so the same work ethic I had in baseball ended up translating over perfectly to acting. I was relentless in trying to book roles and get my dream started. I even found a film student’s ID and “borrowed” it to get into the film school every night to cut together my first acting reel. I had no idea how to use the software, so I would go door to door, knocking, asking random people to teach me various editing techniques. Looking back, I’m so lucky I ended up at Chapman, a place with so many kind and talented filmmakers. Although I graduated from the business school, I owe a ton to that film school.
After college, I moved an hour up to Los Angeles and started my professional journey. I pretended to be the assistant of a a legendary movie producer and called all around town telling people the producer was a huge fan of this new, young actor: “Michael Vlamis.” And it worked lol. That’s how I got my first manager, agent, and even some early auditions. I was hustling as hard as I could and although I had a little success here and there, times were tough. Luckily, I had a job working remote (before remote work was normal) as the head of marketing for an SF based startup. This job, and one AT&T commercial, got me through my early years in LA.
After 4.5 years at that company, I quit. It was a great gig, but I wasn’t getting cast unless I was the one writing, directing, and producing, so I wanted to focus on what I could control: the writing. I began driving Uber every day from 6am-10am and then would write the rest of the day. I directed a few shorts, finished writing my first feature and pilot, and had waaay too many pitch decks created for other ideas. I was driving myself insane, basically working myself to exhaustion and at the end of that year, everything caught up with me and I broke. I wasn’t seeing my friends, my long term relationship ended, and I was at my lowest point.
That’s when I booked my first series regular role on the CW’s ROSWELL, NM. Life really works in mysterious ways, huh? The show changed my life and then before I knew it, all those scripts I had written started gaining traction and one of them even ended up on the Blacklist, which is a list of the best unproduced scripts of the year. All the work I put in was paying off and I was even able to produce my first feature, 5 YEARS APART, which came out in 2020, which I followed up with my feature directorial debut, CROSSWORD. It’s a psychological thriller I co-wrote, directed, produced, and starred in, and it recently premiered at the 2024 Austin Film Festival.
I have no idea what’s next. All I know is that I love every aspect of filmmaking and I want to continue doing it all.
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 I’ve ever walked on a smooth road lol. My entire life has been strikeout, strikeout, grand slam, followed by 100 more strikeouts, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Don’t get me wrong, some days I hate it, but I have to remind myself that I wouldn’t be who I am if I had it any other way.
I’d say work-life balance was one of the things I struggled with the most. I’m much better, but it’s still something I have to work on. It’s just difficult to not work when your work is your favorite activity!
Lack of money is a huge struggle in my business. When I booked Roswell, I had $16k in credit card debt. I was miserable and so hard on myself. That’s something I’ve had to learn over the years as well: don’t beat yourself up! Life can be hard enough at times. We’re all doing our best. Including you.
I could go on and on about the struggles, but kindness to myself, work-life balance, and financial stability were the ones that I faced the most in my time coming up.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am an actor, writer, director, and producer. I’m most proud of my latest project, which is my feature directorial debut. It’s a psychological thriller called CROSSWORD, which premiered on opening night of the Austin Film Festival last month. I co-wrote, directed, produced, and starred opposite the supremely talented, Aurora Perrineau. It was such a challenging and fulfilling endeavor and I absolutely loved every aspect of it.
Before CROSSWORD, I starred on the TV show, ROSWELL, NM for 4 years, which is currently streaming on Netflix. I also produced and starred in a feature called 5 YEARS APART, and executive produced and starred in another feature, POOLS, which just won the Audience Award at SXSW Sydney this year. Making movies with my friends is my favorite thing in the world and I strive to do that as much as possible.
I’m ready to direct my next feature, but if the right role comes along, I wouldn’t mind focusing on acting in someone else’s project. While I love wearing all the hats, acting is what got me started in this town and there’s not much better of a feeling than what happens in between action and cut as an actor.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
My family, friends, dogs, movies, music, traveling, synchronicity, being competitive, and making movies. Why? Because they’re all awesome.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.michaelvlamis.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaelvlamis
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michaelvlamisactor/
- Twitter: https://x.com/michaelvlamis?lang=en
- Other: https://www.crosswordfilm.com
Image Credits
Chris Labadie
Tori Time
Davy Kesey
