Rising Stars: Meet Evan Shafran of Los Angeles

Today we’d like to introduce you to Evan Shafran.

Hi Evan, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was born and raised in Portland, Maine, in a family that’s been part of the Maine community for generations. From a young age, I was drawn to performing, music, and storytelling. I eventually studied dance, theater, and acting, and that led me to New York and eventually Los Angeles, where I began building a career as an actor, musician, DJ, rapper, and all-around creative.

In Los Angeles, I started working in film and television in a variety of roles, including stand-in, background, and principal work. I’ve been fortunate enough to work on some incredible productions, including Barbie, The Lincoln Lawyer, Fallout, The Mandalorian and Grogu, and most recently Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, where I played a suitor. Being on those sets and working alongside such talented people has been an incredible education.

At the same time, music has always been a huge part of who I am. I perform as EVeryman, making hip-hop rooted in the sounds and spirit of the music I grew up loving—funk, boom bap, old-school hip-hop, and everything in between. I DJ, produce, write, and perform, and I’ve also been involved in creating and developing my own film and television projects.

I think the common thread through everything I do is that I’ve never really been interested in putting myself into just one box. Acting, music, comedy, DJing, writing—they’re all different ways for me to tell stories and connect with people.

Getting to where I am today has definitely been a winding road, with plenty of ups and downs, but I’ve kept creating, kept showing up, and kept finding new ways to turn my experiences into something meaningful. I’m still building, still learning, and honestly, I feel like I’m just getting started.

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?
Definitely not. It’s been a very winding road, and there have been plenty of setbacks along the way. Working in the entertainment industry can be incredibly unpredictable. There are periods where you’re working constantly and feeling like everything is moving forward, and then there are stretches where you’re auditioning, hustling, and wondering when the next opportunity is going to come.

One of the biggest challenges has been simply staying persistent. I’ve had to learn how to deal with rejection, uncertainty, financial pressure, and the feeling that sometimes you’re doing everything you can and still don’t know when the breakthrough is coming. There have also been industry-wide challenges, including strikes and changes in production that made an already competitive business even more difficult.

But I’ve always tried to turn those challenges into fuel. When acting work slowed down, I leaned harder into music, DJing, writing, and creating my own projects. I’ve learned that you can’t always control what opportunities come your way, but you can control whether you keep creating and moving forward.

Looking back, the difficult periods have probably taught me just as much as the successes. They’ve made me more resilient, more resourceful, and more appreciative when a great opportunity does come along. Getting to work on projects like The Odyssey after all those years of hustling made those struggles feel even more worthwhile.

So no, it definitely hasn’t been a smooth road—but I think the bumps are part of what made me who I am.

We learn more from our failures than from our successes in life.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My work is really a combination of performance, music, stand up comedy and storytelling. I’m an actor, rapper, DJ, and creative, and I’ve always liked moving between different worlds rather than being defined by just one thing.

As an actor, I’ve worked in film and television in principal, background, and stand-in roles. I’ve been fortunate to be part of productions like Barbie, The Lincoln Lawyer, Fallout, The Mandalorian, and Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, where I played a suitor. I’ve learned a tremendous amount from being on professional sets and from working alongside incredibly talented actors, directors, and crews.

Music is another huge part of my identity. I perform as EVeryman, creating hip-hop that draws heavily from funk, boom bap, old-school hip-hop, and the culture that inspired me growing up. I’m a DJ, rapper, producer, and songwriter, and I’ve also been involved in developing original creative projects including a pilot and web series “Boyz In The Wood.”

What I’m probably most proud of is that I’ve stayed true to myself throughout all of it. I’ve never wanted to simply wait for someone to give me permission to be creative. If I have an idea, I try to make something out of it. That could be a song, a character, a screenplay, a television concept, or something completely unexpected.

What sets me apart is that I bring a lot of different experiences together. I understand performance from the actor’s perspective, music from the DJ and artist perspective, and storytelling from the writer and creator perspective. I also bring a lot of personality, humor, energy, and authenticity to what I do.

Ultimately, I think I’m known for being someone who keeps creating. I’m curious, adaptable, and not afraid to try something different. I’ve built my career by following my interests rather than trying to fit neatly into one category—and that has become one of my greatest strengths.

Can you share something surprising about yourself?
One thing that might surprise people is just how many different worlds I’ve lived in and how much of my creative life happens behind the scenes. People may know me as an actor or as EVeryman the rapper and DJ, but I’ve also been a B-boy, stand up comedian, worked as a stand-in, produced music, worked with sound, written screenplays and television concepts, and spent years learning the craft from almost every angle.

I think another surprising thing is that I’m actually pretty sentimental about where I come from. I was born and raised in Portland, Maine, and even after building my life and career in Los Angeles, that Maine upbringing is still a huge part of my identity. It shaped my sense of humor, my comedy, my work ethic, and the way I look at people and community.

And maybe the biggest surprise is that I’m still incredibly curious. Even after all the things I’ve done, I don’t feel like I’ve “arrived.” I still get excited about a new beat, a new character, a new idea, or a completely unexpected opportunity. I think that curiosity is probably the thing that has kept me going the longest.

I’m so grateful I have been able to follow my dreams and I get to live them everyday. My family lives by the motto “don’t quit.” Before my mother passed when I was 14 she always said never quit doing what you love and always follow your dreams and I feel that I’ve been blessed to be able to do that.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6krNDVOGgGBzGJdhevtPiP
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/evanshafran_everyman
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everyman.music
• Youtube: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCzrfi8hdwCFC55v4HP2Eh0w
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/everyman_music
• Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2818129