Today we’d like to introduce you to Kevin McNamara.
So, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I started out at a young age knowing that I wanted to be an artist. I have wanted to be an actor since I was five years old and would even record television shows on VCR tapes so that I could learn how to do the accents and I do today. I started in theater as soon as I could find one at the age of 11. After graduating high school I pursued theater in New York and London. I was constantly told I was too tall and being tattooed since the age of 16 didn’t help either. Despite that I was able to do fairly well. At the ripe old age of 27 I decided to pack everything I owned and move to LA. I had never been and knew no one there, not to mention had no clue how to get into tv and film, but I went anyway. When I got to LA I hit the ground running. I even took it upon myself to print business cards on my computer that stated “Kevin McNamara professional actor” and proceeded to hand them out to anyone at a sidewalk café on Sunset Boulevard on the first day I arrived. That did not go well. I figured I needed an agent so I bought a book listing all of the agents in LA. I decided upon a small boutique agency and stocked my first agent until he finally gave in. I wasn’t even in the union yet but he agreed to let me do a monologue and signed me based on the strength of that alone. He sent me on to Central casting and within a month I already had my SAG vouchers.
When I would get on set I would never go back to holding. I would just stick around and watch how everything worked. I wanted to know everything. It worked out because by the end of the day the first A.D., Director, and anyone else who made decisions with no me on a first name basis. The first audition my agent sent me on was for a top of show guest star on Cold Case. It was the number one show on television at the time. I booked it and never looked back. Acting, writing, directing, producing have now been paying my bills for the past 13 years. Three years ago I decided to do something I had always dreamed of doing but never felt I had anything to offer, and started pursuing stand-up comedy as well. I am now three years in and have been blessed to open for amazing comedians, started featuring myself, and even produce a couple stand up shows now in LA. I have established a strong social media following and enjoy making people laugh around the world. One of my favorite things is receiving messages from countries like Saudi Arabia, India, Japan, and others saying that I made their day. It’s amazing that Comedy is able to cross all language barriers.
Great, 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 was born and raised in Detroit Michigan. I never met my father and was lucky enough to be born to the strongest person I’ve ever known, my mother. My mother worked hard to support myself and my younger siblings working sometimes 16 hour shifts daily. The father of my siblings was an abusive alcoholic and so I was forced to be an adult at a very early age. We struggled for years growing up in Detroit but I learned so much from it about work ethic, drive, perseverance, and the value of a dollar.
Please tell us about Bad Lad Productions.
I don’t know that anything sets me apart from anyone else in my industry. I know that I’m fearless and I am not afraid to take on any challenge as a performer. I prefer to be put to task. I don’t enjoy anything easy.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My mother took a day off work and she and I went to an amusement park that used to be just off the coast of Detroit between the US and Canada. It was called Boblo island. We spent the entire day eating horrible food and riding roller coasters.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: Manager: Richard Martin/Ignite Talent
(310) 776-0307 - Instagram: KevinMac
- Other: TikTok @TheKevinMac
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