Bookpleasures.com welcomesas our guest Kevin E. West author of Life In A Word and  7 Deadly Sins: The Actor Overcomes. 

Kevin is a veteran television actor in Hollywood with over 65 plus credits including Guest Starring on Aquarius, Criminal Minds, Bones, Castle, Touch, CSI: Miami, Justified, Leverage, Lost, 24, Desperate Housewives, NCIS, Alias, CSI, Judging Amy and dozens more. He recently wrapped shooting on, The UnHealer, starring Lance Henriksen and Natasha Henstridge. 

Kevin is the founder of The Actors' Network and as such  has been recognized as the top expert opinion leader industry-wide on the ‘business of show business.’ The Actors’ Network is the most endorsed actor's business organization in the U.S., winning consecutive BackStage West "Reader's Choice" awards (06/07). A few of its alumni include Emmy Nominee Masi Oka (Heroes), Chelsey Crisp (Off The Boat), Chris Gorham (Covert Affairs-Ugly Betty) and Maggie Grace (Taken trilogy).

He created the extensive interview series, ActorBizGuru, voted #1 online educational resource by BackStage West. The series features, 49 video interviews with top industry professionals. In addition he Co-Authored the 2-hour audio CD with former top commercial instructor, Carolyne Barry, The Actor's Guide to GETTING THE JOB.

In the Spring of 2004, Kevin’s philanthropic soul, created the Hack n' Smack, Kerry Daveline Memorial, Celebrity Golf Classic benefiting Melanoma research. The event was voted one of the top 10 celebrity golf events in SoCal by Southland Golf magazine.

Norm: Good day Kevin and thanks for participating in our interview.

What has been your greatest challenge (professionally) that you’ve overcome in getting to where you’re at today?

Kevin: That’s always a great question to start with and from the professional acting career aspect of my life it’s a fairly easy one – I wasn’t related to anyone famous or powerful. Ha. Now, I’m always careful with these types of ‘challenge’ questions because I was born a fairly healthy white male in America. A personal credo of mine is to never forget how lucky that makes me in many ways. With that said, as it pertains to trying to build an acting career, coming from rural Tennessee with basically nothing ‘in the bank’ so to speak as an actor, Hollywood is extraordinarily difficult when you don’t know anyone in a powerful or successful position…AT ALL, to assist you.

Norm: When did you know you wanted to become an actor, what was your training and do you specialize in any particular acting technique?

Kevin: Boy, I’m going to try and keep this short but that will be a challenge. I didn’t “know” I wanted to be an actor. I actually started QUITE late by Hollywood standards because all I ever wanted to be, was a professional athlete.

There were a series of events that happened (like a lot of people) in my life that led me to making the choice to ‘become an actor’ with the intent to make a living.

What I did know, was “I, am a goofball” and this was no mystery, just ask my high school teachers. So along the way of trying/wanting to be a professional golfer – I stumbled upon a person, that led to a conversation, that led to a class, that led to me participating in a huge event in New York (where I wrote/crafted my own Commercial) and performed on stage…and, I WON.

That was the beginning for me, which led to a game plan, and I wound up in Atlanta for two years. One of the keys for me was I grew up ‘in a tough scenario’ so working hard was normal and from the difficulty of being a collegiate athlete I had humility because I understood that I knew NOTHING about acting technique.

I studied with an ole school ‘Method’ acting lady named, Sandra Dorsey, in Atlanta and when I moved to L.A., she referred me to the man who taught her and that was, Mr. David LeGrant (rest his soul).

David was fairly method-based but at the same time had a little modern to him by the late 80s and then beyond him I even massaged his technique into a bit of my own. Ultimately, truly brilliant acting is the ability to ‘believe in your truth in the moment’ yet perform it with someone else’s words, knowing you’re pretending, in front of other people so that they believe you.

So since I believe deeply in the, The Core Answer to everything in life, learning to pretend with sincerity came to me easier than I expected. And by the way, pretending with sincerity is NOT the same thing as being a good liar. Folks like to judge or poke at actors by commonly minimizing our craft for just being a “good liar” but they’re not the same thing.

And while I wouldn’t say that I have a particular acting technique that I specialize in, certainly the types of roles I have commonly been cast in are what we call, ‘Hour Episodic’ (Drama) So, I slowly developed a technique for myself based on Sandra and David that I call, Kevin’s 10 questions, which is found in my 2-Hour audio program. But whether it is me as an author, public speaker, as a former Stand-up comic or consulting another actor I’m always seeking to get to, the core answer, and work with truth from there.

Norm: Have there any been any roles that you have turned down and were sorry for having turned them down?

Kevin: Well, usually if you’re not a top star, it kinda isn’t the role you turn down it’s more the job. Jobs, in acting, are what we call Credits like on any resume. So, the role isn’t really the resume it is really the credit and the billing you turn down. Perhaps one of the elements of my childhood that has helped me sometimes is that when I step around or aside from almost anything – I rarely look back.

I learned pretty early on in my life to try and think things through, be honest, and therefore you won’t have to look over your shoulder much. Now, that doesn’t mean I haven’t made a TON of poor decisions. Ha, we all have, and that’s life. But, I don’t really regret anything I’ve “passed on” because I also said “Yes” to a few things that surprised people. I did a theatre play once in this campy goofy British show playing this idiot affected German character and people who saw it were like; “what the hell made you do that?” I didn’t care, because I did it for me, and I had a freakin’ blast. However, I will say that I did pass on Ally McBeal way back in the day – and for good professional reasons but kinda wish I had that on my resume today, or maybe I just I would have acted with Calista Flockhart. Can ya blame me? ☺

Norm: What did you find most useful in learning to act? What was least useful or most destructive??

Kevin: Great question and I love the answer. The most useful part of truly learning the craft of acting, is learning about yourself, and not only how to use ‘who and what you are’ but also understanding the difference between acting and yourself as well as the similarities.

I RARELY ‘react’ with the level of venom or depth that I have within me, in life, anymore – because hopefully that is maturity and wisdom. However, learning about that depth and drama within me, was both a major tool as an actor and of tremendous value as a human. In terms of the destructive part of the question I’m unsure.

I’m only unsure because I never suffered from any addiction issues or severe depression etc. and that is fairly common in our industry. Be clear Norm, I’m not saying that with some sort of chest puff, and looking down on anyone. I’m just an old school rural country kid who has certainly had his ‘share of good times’ and fortunate days to still be alive after doing something REALLY stupid while drinking etc. but what I mean is that my basic nature is to be productive and responsible. So, a lot of what an artistic career can lull anyone into, is the addiction of going off the rails for art.

That just wasn’t my nature, and I’m big on The Core Answer of who you are. However, the one element that does fit your question for any of us would be the self-centered part of being an actor. We know all of the jokes and stories and they’re honestly quite true about a fairly high-percentage of the acting community. Certainly I had my years of trying to build a career and talk about one’s self a lot – but because I also founded, The Actors’ Network, and other such aspects of my life like playing serious amateur baseball on the side, I was maybe a little more balanced in that area but narcissism can be terribly destructive.

Norm: What advice do you have for our readers who might dream of becoming involved in the theater as an actor, producer, director or any other involvement?

Kevin: Well, I’ve been speaking on the ‘Business’ of show business for 28+ years (over 1500 appearances), written a book, and have about 125 hours of material in my brain, so we would run out of space here so I’ll have to answer this with some simple philosophy.

Dreaming, is great, as I’m a Pisces…I’m all for it. But as the ole cliché goes; “A goal is just a dream – with a deadline.” In addition to that quote, I would add, that you don’t just have a deadline you also have a plan.

Secondly, do not treat acting like it is some flim flam thingy. I always have hated, but also have laughed for 30+ years whenever I hear an actor say; “yeah, ya know, I’m doing the acting thing.” I assure you, Meryl Streep, Al Pacino, Denzel Washington didn’t call what they were doing, ‘a thing.’

This is a multi-billion dollar industry, it is a profession, a career and a commitment just like being a lawyer, doctor, therapist, Olympic athlete or anything else. So do research, learn everything you can and give it a lot of respect before you start, IF and only IF, you want to actually make a living at it…because yes, anyone can have fun acting anywhere in the world – but don’t come to L.A. or N.Y. and have a hobby attitude.

Norm: How do you think acting has changed over the years? As a follow up, what is the greatest challenge of the acting profession today? 

Kevin: Honestly Norm, I don’t think acting has changed much in the modern era. Sure, acting was much more ‘over the top’ and theatrical back in the 30s-40s-50s & 60s or so but once you got into the 70s with movies like Chinatown, Network, Jaws, Star Wars etc. it hasn’t altered that much, in my opinion.

Certainly the technological advancements of filmmaking itself has but I actually think the art of the work hasn’t changed much. Once again, HOWEVER, what I do think has changed a great deal is what the more recent two generations “THINK” acting is…that is my answer. Since the turn of the 21st century we’ve had our evolution with reality television, the challenge shows like Survivor / Amazing Race etc. along with Apps and mechanisms that we view acting through a YouTube’er or Influencer lens.

For me, even as a kid, I never viewed an Entertainment magazine show like Entertainment Tonight as acting, or a Game Show host, like Richard Dawson as acting. For me, that was a Host with an outward and sometimes funny personality who was moderating a certain “type” of entertainment, but it wasn’t acting. I think now a lot of folks between say, 15-35 view anyone who is making money or has a lot of followers that is ‘fun in front of a camera’ is an actor, and THAT is where I would draw the line and disagree…so that is certainly a change.

Norm: What are the qualities in actors you most admire?

Kevin: FLEXIBILITY. I do love many actors who have had a very linear style of what they’re really good at, and that is what they do. Two that come to mind are Bruce Willis (Drama) and Bill Murray (Comedy). Both, at one time or another, tried to do a bit of the other side, and the public didn’t really accept it.

We need those type of actors, for sure, because we want to “count on” a particular type of entertainment. I love Vince Vaughn and Matt Damon, and so does everyone else except maybe when they step too far outside of ‘how we like them’ the most.

But, for the small number of actors who truly have marketable flexibility, I freakin’ love it, because I know how much I enjoy playing the tough lawyer or the goofy German guy and truly pulling it off. For example, Philip Seymour Hoffman, so tremendously flexible. Hell, there are so many, we’d be here all day. I love artistic flexibility that is so good – the audience accepts and embraces all sides of an actor. 

Norm: If you could change just one thing about the industry with the wave of a magic wand, what would it be? 

Kevin: I ONLY get one? Crap. Well, ironically, some of what I would have changed is now actually happening. Digital technology has allowed Television to expand in such a way, that while it has come at a financial cost to actors in many ways (a whole other subject), diversity has broadened tremendously since 2010.

More than ever before we have real diversity in both story and casting. I can tell you as a ‘white dude’ of a certain age who isn’t a major star – since 2015 my career has become more difficult than ever. I’m not complaining, I love the diversity in our shows and industry, so that WAS one thing I would have changed. So since that will continue to happen I would say, as any non-privileged person would, that I wish the Representation for actors and the H.R. (Casting aspect) of our profession were a much more equitable playing field. Sadly, it never will be, and that is likely why it is my answer. Boom.

Norm: What is The Actors' Network all about? 

Kevin: Well, it was and still remains, the ONLY business education and information membership organization of it’s kind ever created in the history of acting. There are a lot of ‘distant copy cats’ out there but no one ever did what that award-winning organization did both in assisting actors but also educating them.

Understand, I started The Actors’ Network over a conversation in my apartment in 1991 (an entirely different world back then) and officially CLOSED the physical studio on June 30, 2013.

I have a 100 educational webinars on the website (25 hours of my expertise) but the entity is now online only. T.A.N., as we all called it, was like joining a really unique inspirational, motivational, educational club that also focused on building the idea of, “Help Us, Help You, Help All of Us.” And yes, that was The Actors’ Network credo, long before the movie, Jerry Maguire. ☺ In the end it was about creating a smarter, more intelligent professional actor, who understood how to actually manage and handle all of the scenarios of their career while also learning unique ways to pro-actively pursue their career.

The one thing in this interview I want to be ultra-clear about is that there has been a common business model that actors spend money on and engage called, Casting Workshops, and it is very important to me, that your readers know that The Actors’ Network was NOT a casting workshop entity. Actually, we were kind of the anti-workshop place. While the studio is closed, I still consult people all the time, via Skype, all the way to Sweden/Russia and back, but it was time for me to close the studio back in 2013. ☹. www.actors-network.com. 

Norm: Could you tell our readers a little about 7 Deadly Sins: The Actor Overcome? And Life In A Word

Kevin: Well since we’ve been talking mostly about my performance career so far I’ll cover my Show Business book first. I think I filed my first copyright document for a book on the business of show way back in 1992. Ha, I laugh. It was about 18 months into the inception of The Actors’ Network, I think.

Shortly thereafter so many new ideas came to me, and I was working in television, and building this organization and also in consecutive relationships that for about 12 years I just didn’t look up and well, never wrote the damn book. So, early into say, ’03 or ’04 I outlined this really wonderful set of books I was going to do as an analogy to college, in that I would have the Freshman – Senior four books and then the fifth would be Grad School level. Well, no sooner than I had gotten that all laid out, the actual big shift with technology in Hollywood started around ‘05/’06 which corresponded with the beginning of another relationship for me that also involved a child.

So, as Lennon said; “Life is what happens while you’re busy making plans”, another few years went by and we were in full technology culture. Nobody, as an actor at that point, was likely to read a set of FIVE books. So, in my mind, I just shelved the idea…at that time. My relationship came to an end in 2014 and I decide it was time to finally write it but what was AWESOME was, it took on a massively different tone. So while yes, 7 Deadly Sins –

The Actor Overcomes is absolutely an educational and motivational book on the business of show business it also is likely much more steeped in the PHILOSOPHY of making a living as an actor as it is practicality and vocational teaching. I’m telling your readers right now Norm, if you buy it, read it and pay attention to it (especially parents of young performers) it will save you five years, ten thousand dollars, and a lot of unnecessary heartache, for sure. Understand that the most key element to being an actor, is that you’re a human being, and the 7 Deadly Sins did not evolve from animals or animation, they’re a product of people. So my chapters are based on Actor Lust, Actor Sloth, Actor Greed etc., all of which, fit right into all of the programs and business creations I had written over 23 years of The Actors’ Network. Yes, I do feel very strongly, it is a must-read for actors of all ages anywhere in the world.

Now, when it comes to Life…in a Word (Kevin’s Dictionary) I’m taking your reader away from me as an actor and going to simply the man, the person, the human, the Pisces, the little silly goofball in me who was briefly a Stand-up comic and who used to write poems when I was a kid. I’m also Norm taking you down the road of one of the KEY reasons why it was necessary for me to finally close the physical organization and storefront of, The Actors’ Network. For decades I had this running list of ideas of things I wanted to create, or write, blah blah, just like we all do. Well, going back to the question about ‘the dream of’ and my answer. Hell, I finally realized, damn it – I’m NEVER going to get any of them done because the one thing none of us can buy back – is TIME.

So, I was walking with a dear friend back in 2007 (he is no longer with us hence the dedication in the book) and we were talking and he was telling me a story. He ended the story and boom, this word came flying out of my mouth, and there it was – the idea for the book. The actual idea didn’t hit me for about 15 minutes as we walked but when it did I just kept it to myself, and finally when I closed T.A.N., I was able to begin writing it. The book is simply, as it’s tag line says: “A picture is worth a 1,000 words but sometimes a word can be a whole new picture.” 

It is a one of those little cute square gift books you get at Barnes ‘n Noble or Anthropologie (who is really the retailer that should carry it. Ha) that catches your eye and your heart and you buy it for anyone for any occasion. The story my friend told me that day you would likely describe in many ways with a word but likely NOT the word that came out of my mouth. So that is the content/premise of the book is to see a ‘scene from life’ and define it with an unexpected word. So there are 50 words in the book and the word is at the top, but when you go to read the story associated with the word, the story is NOT what you would have expected. And so this little gift book is simply part of who I am as a creative person, not the actor, the ball player, the brand name joke I call myself – The Hollywood Redneck, it is just a small piece of me – on paper…cuz yeah, I’m a GOOFBALL. 

Norm: What motivated you to write the books and what were your goals and intentions in these books, and how well do you feel you achieved them?

Kevin: Ok, so I’ll take this in reverse. I’m JUST getting started. ☺ I know how valuable my acting business book is because I lived it. I came from rural TN, went to Atlanta, and then on to L.A./Hollywood. I KNOW what that book would have done for me if I didn’t have to live the 25+ years of life/experience which led to what is on those pages. So my intention with that book was clearly to save actors time and money, but honestly and far more importantly, was to save their hearts from so much heartache and pain associated with trying to book work as an actor. That certainly was my motivation for that one – and if a new or aspiring person both reads it and infuses its principles into their career then I know my desired result for them will be achieved.

When you talk about Life…in a Word or both of them for that matter they’re honestly just a true CORE extension of me. Just like not ‘knowing’ I wanted to be an actor, but knowing I was a goofball, was more of an evolution than an idea. What I mean by that is; I was the class clown, who decided to do stand-up comedy and is now a public speaker. Dude, with a mic, in front of people. Evolution. I was 11/12 years old, writing poems and my mother was a country singer, and now I’m an adult writing a gift book that is a play on words, life scenes and their definition. Evolution. So for me it’s just been a natural transition, effortless within, but a TON of effort in terms of work…but a natural process, like breathing. When you discuss goals, no, I’m not satisfied because I want my books to be read and embraced by thousands of people, but I’m working on that, literally as I write. ☺

Norm: What upcoming projects are you excited about? 

Kevin: Well at present, as an actor, I’m terribly thrilled that this little short film I was the Co-Lead in called, Tin Can, has won about 18 Film Festivals across the country. The film was written/directed by a buddy of mine, Pat Battistini and the subject matter is immigration…so at this moment it is still out there being screened in various places.

As a writer my publisher, Titletown, commissioned me to do the 1st of nine potential companion books to, ‘Life…in a Word’. Because we’re sitting in August of 2019, we are officially in the political cycle until the national elections of 2020. Well, one of the nine companion books is of course, ‘Politics…in a Word’. Ha. I’m wrapping that up, again, literally as I’m writing this and it will be published by October 1, 2019.

Aside from that I have books 4 and 5 right around the corner. They’re all different, cuz I’m a goofball, in terms of genre. For over 20 years I’ve wanted to write a book specifically about dating, so I am. I can’t wait – this world is SO in need of the one I’m writing…I promise. My 5th book is a HUMOR book, cuz, why not? I don’t want to say too much about it but again, it will be one of those small fun cute funny books you just have to pick up for yourself or a friend based on the title. Tell ya what, once that one is published, I’ll come back and do another interview…but I promise, it’s freakin’ hysterical.

Norm: Where can our readers find out more about you and your two books, Life In A Word and  7 Deadly Sins: The Actor Overcome?

Kevin: Well like almost everything else, they’re both on Amazon, but you can also get ‘Life…in a Word’ directly from the PUBLISHER

Norm: As this interview comes to an end, what question do you wish that someone would ask about your books, but nobody has? 

Kevin: Oooooh, I like that for a finisher, well done. Hmmmm, ok, something I’ve yet to be asked by a professional since I’ve been an actor and entrepreneur for so long is; “Hey Kevin, I get having an idea, but how do you start a book in terms of the structure of the beginning and how long does it take.”

As we know from the 20 million books on Amazon a lot of people either write a book or just think about it forever and never do it. Often times, a very high-percentage of those written are not taken on by a publisher for any number of reasons but a lot of times it wasn’t that the idea was bad, the execution was just lesser than.

As the old cliché goes; You never get a second chance to make a first impression. Well, while you can stop and restart HOW you’re structuring the layout and content flow of your book most times folks rarely take the time or have the perspective to do so. Add to that the ego of not wanting to have anyone affect your ‘idea’ you have a lot of poorly designed books. I had my show business book idea in 1992, I published it in 2016. I had my gift book idea in 2007, it was published in 2018.

Now that wasn’t the writing time but rather, the maturation time. With all three of my books, I have had to alter and add concepts that were not originally what I wanted. You might be able to tell from this interview and a bit of my background that I have a very strong will, opinions and ideas…but I always sit back, put it down, listen to trusted others, and then write it again. I had to rewrite all three of them about six times – completely. It is exhausting and that is what most folks don’t ask about.

Norm: Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions. 

Kevin: My absolute pleasure Norm. Thanks so much for having me. Cheers.