Please introduce yourself. What do you do? Why? What do you want people to know about you?
Hello my name is Christopher E. Miller I am a Chicago native born July 1st 1989 in Maywood, IL. I am an actor and I have proudly served my country for 14 years in the Air Force Reserves and have been an actor for 10 years.
I started my acting career when I was 23 years old at Triton College where I took my first acting classes and went off to do Theatre and films throughout Chicago for the past 10 years and would finally graduate with my Bachelors degree in Communications and Media from Concordia University Chicago.
I started off in film doing extra work on a film called divergent for about a month or so and networked on set where I would learn how to get an agent etc. The rest was history as I grew from being an extra to working on independent projects, student films, and short films.
I booked my first costar on Chicago Med last year in April and have done some amazing projects last year as well my firs ever voice actor credit in “Harold and the night Train” a fireside radio show produced by the Merry Beggars on Spotify and Apple music.
This year i will be joining the Black Box Acting Academy as a short and will be immersing myself in their program for 100 days. This program will allow me to grow as an actor and fully give to myself in the art of acting.
What qualities make you different and unique from everyone else in the industry?
What makes me unique in this industry is my background, there is nobody like me I have my own story. Me being a veteran, being the first male to graduate from college in my family and being a 33 year old Black American in this modern American society is more than a common theme.
My artistic background in hip hop music and Black culture that I got accustom to at an early age as a birthright, made me appreciate who I am more and cultivate me as a person.
Amongst me having a two parent household both whom also served in the Military, life for me wasn’t easy I had to learn to adapt to other cultures that weren’t my own because my parent moved a few times in my life for their careers.
These are the life experiences that have made me unique going against adversity and challenges at a young age in this world when faced with change. I bring these experiences to every character that I get as I have seen the work call for an outlook on life in many forms while still being your true self.
Describe THAT moment when you realized you’re doing what you were born to do.
While I was attending Triton Community College where I took my first acting classes, I had the pleasure of auditioning for my first ever play called Marvin’s Room. I was Just starting my acting career and was nervous because it would be my first time competing for a role.
I was told by my teacher whom was directing the play, that only the best would be considered for the role as there were many students that went out for the part even people from outside of the college came to audition. I auditioned and was told that just because she was my teacher didn’t guarantee me a role.
Prior to the audition I worked hard for hours and days trying to prepare for it, I got the notification after a call back audition that I got the role. I would go moths into rehearsal and prepare for this role and meet some long lasting friendships along the way. When the lights went up and the show started I felt this sense of belonging I was comfortable with my cast and crew.
I remember each show that ended I didn’t want to leave the stage, even though it was small the moment for me was so big and everyone could see me really become the character.
After the show I shook a lot of hands and even gave an autograph, it was the most amazing feeling to have been around so many people showing gratitude. That was the moment I knew where I needed to be and what I needed to become over the years which was an actor.
What’s been the biggest challenge you’ve had to go through and how did you grow through it?
It had been a few years since I had really worked on anything big in the industry.
I had just got casted last year April for my first Co-Star on Chicago Med, I remember being so nervous not knowing what was going to happen what to think, feeling unprepared as I only had one line.
I just wanted to get that right, as time progressed we got to my scene as I was saying my line the director stopped me and asked me what did my character want ? What does the scene call for I remembered all the times in training classes I took I heard this question and I made the adjustment to give myself into the scene more.
Who are the TOP 3 people you’d want to meet that could elevate your career or business? Why these specific individuals?
Growing up my favorite artist to watch were Jay Z, Denzel Washington and Quentin Tarantino.
Jay Z being the first Black American Billionaire could teach me so much about business and how to diversify yourself in the business world of entertainment, amongst other Billionaires I would definitely like to meet Fredrick Smith and Byron Allen as a side note I feel that they would have the knowledge to help me navigate through the world of business and marketing.
Quentin Tarantino I feel as a director would allow me the subtlety of acting and what it means to focus purely on your talent by letting me be free on set as he promotes a free workspace that is for the actor. Lastly Denzel Washington, just working with him would be a masterclass on set to learn how he pulls the character together and makes the choices to have those moments we see in the movies he makes.
I’ve seen actors whom play beside him go on to have great careers, I don’t mean to take anything from them and the hardworking they put into creating their characters but I know iron sharpens iron and working with someone like Denzel Washington could only make you better.
Drop your social media links.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/youngwhitted/