Please introduce yourself, what you do, why you do it, and what you want people to know about Paul Blain.
My name is Paul Blain. I am a SAG Eligible actor based out of Houston, Texas with representation by MJB Talent (Los Angeles) and Del Corral Talent (New Orleans). I’ve had quite a journey from where I started until now.
Originally a native Michigander, I moved cross-country in 2009 looking for work. I came from a very poor family with 6 siblings, and at that point in my life, my dream was simply to secure a good job, buy a car, get an apartment, pay my bills, and be independent.
When I have a goal, my work ethic is insane! I worked 3 jobs simultaneously, slept 2-4 hours a day, was even admitted to the hospital for over-exhaustion, and finally landed a great position with the county.
I quickly achieved the goals I had and was content for a while. Before long, however, I began to wonder, “now that I’ve done what I HAD to do, what is it that I WANT to do”? This is when I began to think about my childhood dreams of being a “movie star”.
What qualities make Paul Blain different and unique from everyone else in the industry?
A few things that set me apart are the facts that I train constantly with military/law enforcement-type weapons and tactics to bring realism and authenticity to my roles.
My weapons/tactics instructor has taught me many things, but my favorite part is how he will give me a real-world (or film) scenario, we will walk through it, do an initial reaction, critique, adjust, and repeat. This has trained me to be more aware and always have a plan.
I also worked for 7 years as a 1st Responder and have been on the scene for more carnage than most people will see in their lifetime. This has shown me first-hand the dangers, consequences, and tragedies, that occur from (in many cases) avoidable circumstances.
It has also taught me many communication techniques for de-escalating a situation, gaining information in a crisis, and establishing command presence.
Describe THAT moment when you realized you wanted to do what you do now. Who did you tell first? What has it been like since that moment?
At about 10 years old, I remember watching some western films with my siblings. Later, I would get my cowboy hat out, put my bandana and cap guns on and stand in front of the mirror saying lines from the films. That was when I first really wanted to be an actor.
After that, life went by fast. Moving across the country, working, ending a long-term relationship. Fast forward 20 years, I responded to an ad on Craigslist which ended up landing me a principal role in a national commercial.
This was the first time I’d ever been on set. It was intoxicating. It was everything I ever wanted it to be. I immediately knew this was what I wanted to do.
After that experience, I sat down with my wife and we talked about acting as a serious career plan. We had to figure out how I could do it and we could still pay the bills. I ended up juggling days off from work and traveling all over for auditions and callbacks.
Working a 40+ hour job and pursuing an acting career on top of it, has been one of the most challenging yet fulfilling journeys I’ve ever experienced. I am extremely grateful that my wife supports me and encourages me to follow this dream.
What has been the biggest challenge you’ve had to face and how did you overcome it?
The hardest part was getting started. I jumped online and found lots of ads for acting classes, scams, and background roles. The most difficult thing for me was finding resources to help me get past square one. I finally found some online groups that posted casting calls for local films and began submitting.
Not long after that, I landed my first lead role. And after that another! Things began to speed up, but I wasn’t satisfied with just local short/student films. I began submitting with agencies for representation. Out of the hundreds of emails I sent, I had 2 agents respond. They both wanted to sign me. Since they were so far apart (Los Angeles and New Orleans) I was able to sign with both!
If you had to pick the TOP 3 people you’d want to meet that could take your career (or business) to the next level…who would those 3 people be?
I already have met so many people that are enabling all of us to get to the next level and move forward. But if I had a top 3 dream list, it would be…
1. Tom Hardy — because he’s an actor I look up to. I believe he can portray anything, Yet he is also humble, smart, and kind. In every film I’ve seen him in, he stands out with his amazing performance. I would like to learn from him.
2. Christopher Nolan — Who wouldn’t want to be on one of his sets? He is one of my top 5 favorite directors. I appreciate how he brings so much depth to a story. There are always some details that I’ll catch, watching his films again. It makes me want to be a part of something — a truly great story.
3. The Casting Director of Vikings: Valhalla — when it comes down to it, I would love to portray a Viking character in the sequel to my favorite series (Vikings). My mother has traced our family tree back to our Viking roots, so I feel a connection to the stories and characters.
List the direct links/URL to your social media profiles so people can follow Paul Blain:
- Instagram – www.instagram.com/PJBlain
Follow Paul Blain to keep track of what his future holds.