The world of entertainment is a fascinating journey filled with creativity, passion, challenges, and endless opportunities. In this exclusive interview for the Hellenic Los Angeles Media Network, Dimitrios Kannavos sits down with Michael Sullivan, a versatile American actor, producer, and writer whose professional journey reflects his dedication to the art of storytelling.
Hellenic Los Angeles Media Network
Exclusive Interview with Michael Sullivan
The world of entertainment is a fascinating journey filled with creativity, passion, challenges, and endless opportunities. In this exclusive interview for the Hellenic Los Angeles Media Network, Dimitrios Kannavos sits down with Michael Sullivan, a versatile American actor, producer, and writer whose professional journey reflects his dedication to the art of storytelling.
With experience across film, television, and commercial productions, Michael Sullivan brings a unique perspective to the entertainment industry, sharing insights into his career, creative process, the challenges of Hollywood, and his aspirations for the future.
In this engaging conversation, he opens up about the experiences that have shaped him as an artist, the importance of perseverance and authenticity, and the dreams that continue to inspire his professional journey.
Join us as we discover the person behind the performances and explore the passion, ambition, and determination that drive Michael Sullivan forward.
Your Journey into Acting
I never had a grand plan to become an actor, nor was it a childhood dream. But I’ve always been a cinephile, and I always wanted to see what it was like behind-the-scenes on a big TV show or movie. So when I got laid off in 2023, I decided to sign up for Central Casting. I’d lived in Los Angeles for nearly 10 years at that point, but I’d never had time for Central Casting between various jobs and other side hustles.
I got lucky – I guess I’ve just got one of those easily ignorable faces that works well for background actors. And so I wound up in Grey’s Anatomy and 911: Lone Star pretty quickly. Even as a background actor – as human furniture – I realized that… I loved being on set. Being on set was far better than any other job I’d ever had. So I very quickly reorganized my life so that I could credibly apply for as many jobs as possible, in every possible facet of the acting industry: student films, foreign-produced vertical short-form dramas, table reads. I took the philosophy of saying yes to everything, just so I could get more repetitions and more experience – I was starting WAY later than most, after all.
Building a Career in Hollywood
The biggest challenge I faced was that I was starting from zero – no real connections, no experience, no education (I’d never even been in an acting class), and I don’t have the physique or looks that one often associates with actors. What I did have was a deep and abiding passion for the industry, and 4 decades of fandom. And more importantly, I used to be a project manager in my corporate life before becoming an actor. So I quickly created workflows that could maximize the number of jobs I applied to, the quantity of self-tapes I could submit, and the way I managed my calendar. I’m still not anywhere close to a good actor, but I present myself in a credible and professional way, and that helps me stay busy.
The Art of Becoming a Character
If I may be allowed to indulge myself for just a moment, the one quality I do have as an actor is that I have a really good voice. So the first decision I typically make is related to the character’s voice. What register am I using, does he project, does he have an accent? Then I want to know about my wardrobe, and then I want to see (or at least visualize) the location this character inhabits. Once those components are in place, I feel like I have a much better handle on figuring out the character – what he does on a day-to-day basis, and how he would behave in the specific situation being filmed.
Film, Television, and Commercial Work
I do a lot of cameo-based supporting work, especially on YouTube and on vertical drama series, but even sometimes in film. So in projects that last 60 to 90 minutes, many, MANY times, I’m only going to be onscreen for a minute or two. And the first thing I have to figure out is whether I’m supposed to be a presence in the scene, or if I’m supposed to be someone you’re specifically supposed to NOT pay attention to. (I think of those characters like a mirror – my role is specifically to reflect light back onto the star.) Obviously it’s more fun to be the reason for the scene, but it’s also a lot more pressure. And I think I might be better than most actors at understanding when I’m supposed to fade into the background and let the star shine through. (A lot of actors think that they’re ALWAYS the star, and they’re supposed to win every scene.)
I’m rambling a bit there, but my point is that I find it most creatively rewarding when I’m able to make a big impression with a big character in a very small window of time. Commercials, YouTube series, and vertical drama series are particularly good about allowing for that sort of explosion. I don’t aspire to exclusively do those sorts of roles, but it’s great when they’re available and I’m chosen to deliver in that manner.
Memorable Experiences on Set
One experience I talk a lot about was my first fight scene, which occurred in a feature film called Mauler, filmed in late 2023. I was in my mid-40s, and to say that I was out of shape is an insult to the concept of geometry. At the time – and to some extent, still today – I was basically built like a bag of sand, with similar quickness and flexibility. My scene partner, Breck Cuddy, was the titular villain of the film. He’s a legitimately 7-foot-tall former college athlete. And the first scene direction in the script called for me to roundhouse kick him in the face. A 7’ tall man. I’m 5’9”, with hamstrings tighter than garage sprints. I couldn’t kick myself in the face, let alone Breck.
So with a LOT of help from stunt coordinator (and MMA practitioner) Adam Arabshahi, we were able to heavily modify the fight scene to something that looked – to my biased eyes, at least – like it actually belonged in a movie.
The Challenges of the Entertainment Industry
I don’t know that I’m qualified to say how people should stay motivated in the face of these challenges. I guess my initial thought is to say that actors are getting less and less external validation these days, because nearly all auditions have moved to vertical platforms, and there are fewer adequately paid acting jobs than there were even a few years ago. If you don’t already have strong internal motivation, it’s going to be difficult to handle all of the rejection inherent to the industry.
There are so many challenges to making a living as an actor, but the biggest one right now, in my eyes, is the practical financial side. The middle class of acting has all but disappeared in 2026. Actors who were starring in films a few years ago have started taking TV roles, and that trickles all the way down. People who used to lead TV shows are now taking guest roles. Actors who were guest stars are taking feature positions. Former feature actors are now taking anything they can get, which leaves actors who don’t yet have solid resumes competing against people with Super Bowl commercials for one-day spots as the auctioneer in a vertical.
As such, the majority of actors aren’t full-time actors anymore, and even the ones who had progressed far enough to join SAG-AFTRA are largely not even able to get enough work to be eligible for health insurance. It’s a tough road right now, for sure.
Creativity and Professional Growth
Before I took up acting, I’d worked as a writer, producer, and I even have an experience or two in sound, editing, and production design. I’ve done enough of those jobs to know that I don’t excel at any of them, but I think all of that helps me as an actor when I try to envision the finished scene, and understand the perspective of the director when I’m receiving notes.
Advice for Aspiring Actors
There’s so much in this industry that you can’t control. Make sure that the things you CAN control are done to the best of your ability. Communicate promptly. Keep your headshots, acting reels, and resume updated and easily accessible. Make sure all of your credits and information are correct on IMDb. Be nice to the crew.
Future Projects and Ambitions
This is so silly, but the #1 thing on my acting To-Do List is to be in some dumb action movie where I get shot with a shotgun and go flying backwards through the air on a wire. Or some other… you know, big, showy stunt that isn’t ACTUALLY dangerous. You’ll never catch me climbing the Burj Khalifa barefoot or anything. But I yearn to be a minor villain who gets obliterated by a passing hero.
A Personal Message to Our Readers
The Milky Way’s visible disk is about 600 quadrillion miles across. The Milky Way is one of about 2 trillion galaxies in the observable universe. The universe is maybe 13.8 billion years old or so.
The chances of you existing as a sentient being in THIS time in THIS place are impossible to calculate. Your existence is literally a cosmic joke.
Stop making your bed. None of this means anything.
Hellenic Los Angeles Media Network
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Interview by Dimitrios Kannavos
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