Today we’d like to introduce you to Johnno Wilson.
Johnno, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I graduated from Georgetown University with a degree in English Literature, and I minored in French. I had worked on the TV station in college, creating a show called “Late Night with Johnno” which included original sketches and fake commercials, I performed with a band from time to time, anchored the news, and did a few other things with the station, but still didn’t think being an actor was a reality, so I took a job consulting with a great company in DC, Mercer – if you need help with your health and benefits program, you just gotta check out Mercer. While I was there, I started doing improv, theater, and some acting on the side (yes, that was me in the sexual harassment training video for the Army). At the same time, my best friend from growing up had moved to LA to pursue a career in screenwriting, and when I told my parents that he had space on his couch in Beverly Hills, they supported me 100% (I realize how lucky I am). Fast forward ten years and I’m in a national AT&T commercial, I’ve recurred on the Disney show “Raven’s Home” where I met my girlfriend, I just wrapped on an animated show for Scy Fy, got to audition for SNL twice in front of Lorne Michaels, have gotten some great recognition on Tik Tok and Instagram for my celebrity impressions, and recently shot the season finale of Curb Your Enthusiasm. It’s been great so far.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Not at all. Even pushing myself to take my first class at The Groundlings was tough. I had to work as a caddy while also working for an overly demanding psychiatrist just to pay the bills while trying to meeting casting people and expand my network. Not only that, there is always a constant fear of not being enough; you feel a bit left out if you’re not working, or if you haven’t got a show coming up, or if you don’t have a certain number of followers on Instagram or Tik Tok. The struggles are still happening as I write this, however I think I’ve developed a real trust in myself, and frankly I’m confident in what I have to offer.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I specialize in comedy. I think I was asked to audition for SNL because of my original characters, but also for my impressions. Right now, I’m doing a new impression everyday on Tik Tok, and don’t knock that thing until you try it – people are pretty supportive there, and it allows me to keep my creative juices going. I think what sets me apart from others is that I always try to come from a place of joy, and even though I’ve done a lot of sketch and stand-up, I’m going to toot my own horn and just say that I’m a pretty damn good actor too.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
The best way to learn is to just do it. Be honest with yourself through the process, and if you know that this is the thing for you, keep going. Even if you’re working manual labor while getting yelled at by a nutty psychiatrist while hoping you can get a meeting with an agent who won’t call you back, it won’t matter if you really know this is what you can offer to the world.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.johnnowilson.com
- TikTok: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMdV3uRSD/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnnowilson/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/public/Johnno-Wilson
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/Johnno_Wilson?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/johnnowilson
Image Credits:
Johnno Wilson, Anneliese van der Pol, Raven Symone, Michael Strassner
