“I love acting because it is always changing and evolving. I also believe story has the ability to reach anyone anywhere. And so being a story teller is truly an honor.”
About Steven Holmes
Steven made his stage debut in 2011 in an original production of “Let me Up” by Peter Grasso. Since then he has been pursuing a career in theatre and film. Steven was nominated for a Leo for his performance in “Afternoon at Gudrun.” He was also nominated for best supporting actor at Sundance Film Festival for “Justice,” a film by David Vardanyan.
The Interview
1. What is the force that drives you forward? What fuels your ambition?
What is the force that drives me forward? What fuels my ambition? The force that drives me forward would be love for story. Ever since I can remember I have always had a love for film and artistic endeavor in general.
2. Can you talk about your greatest “failure”? (something that led to your most significant shift in consciousness, and made you who you are today).
My greatest failure would be… I spent a majority of my life surviving. I came like many from a broken home. I lost both of my parents at a young age and I was an extremely self destructive angry person. I believe there were many failures and things done I wish to this day I could take back. One day in midst of anger and self destructiveness just woke up. I cant really put into words what the psychic change may have been. But I couldn’t’ continue blaming the world , or god or the system or people in my life that may have hurt me at some point.
3. Are you happy? What does happiness mean to you?
Am I Happy? This is an interesting question. I just saw a great interview on line with the recently departed Phillip Seymour Hoffman, who I am a huge fan of, and I tend to agree on his interpretation. I believe at times I experience pleasure or contentment. I’m not entirely sure if I am happy. Or if I’ll ever reach “happiness.” But I suppose it gives me something to work toward.
4. What do you think is your greatest strength? What is your greatest personal challenge (something you struggle with)?
My greatest strength and my worst enemy has always been a very bad temper. As long as I can remember it has always been there. At certain point in my life, I’m sure it was to keep myself safe. At other times it was very destructive. Furthermore, it has been an advantage in the art form I have chosen to pursue, giving me an ability to relate to very angry and darker characters, and to find what is underneath the anger and have compassion for that need the character might have. In this way it has been a very helpful tool, and I wouldn’t change it about myself for anything.
5. What do you love about what you do?
I love acting because it is always changing and evolving. I also believe story has the ability to reach anyone anywhere. And so being a story teller is truly an honour.
6. What is the one habit that you’ve implemented that has had the greatest impact on your success so far?
Hard work. I am not the most intelligent man. I come up short in a lot of way. But I do know I have heart.
7. How do you deal with doubt?
By looking to friends, teachers and within myself to learn about courage. Yoga has been an instrumental tool that has really given me a hope that one day I will be able to live without it.
8. Is there a quality that you think artistically successful people have in common? What is it?
I think that would really depend on ones interpretation of success. If this perhaps is referring to the ones who get “paid,” I think that’s only one form of success. I think all artist’s share a need to create. And also that anyone has the ability to create, and not just “artist’s”.
9. Do you have any advice for artists? Perhaps advice that you wish you’d been given when you were first starting out?
Love what you do. And every time you have to deal with adversity of any kind… fall back in love with what you do.
10. What is your happiest memory (could be related or unrelated to your field)?
My most pleasurable moment was…. my little sister, who has struggled a lot in her life, telling me she was accepted in film school. I don’t know why, but it gave me a sense of contentment.
11. What is your favourite book? It could be about your craft, or maybe just an excellent story. If that is too difficult to answer, who are your favourite authors?
Joseph Campbell’s “The Hero With a Thousand Faces.”
Check out the favourite books by the other interviewees
Follow Steven:
IMDB: Steven Holmes
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