We had the good fortune of connecting with Jett Wilder and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jett, what role has risk played in your life or career?
A friend of mine recently talked about a perception of risk I really liked (Thanks Phillip!). It was the idea that if we knew that after a set number of failures, we were guaranteed to succeed, we would run to begin failing. If we knew that after 100 fails, we would succeed, we would try to fail 100 times as fast as we could to get to our goal. It really resonated with me and re-shaped my perception of failure from what most of us view failure to be, which is a loss or a set back, to just another step and place to gather data and feedback and GROW on our way to achieving our goals. This way of thinking makes me more excited to take risks. Failure seems more and more like a construct, because can we ever truly fail? I think it can be a choice. And if we choose to keep going, to keep pushing forward, failure is never actually a reality or a result. It’s just a step.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Oh goodness, such a loaded question! My story is long and elaborate, as all of ours are.

My name is Jett Wilder. I am an actor, dancer, singer and creative. This year I took a very large leap in becoming a more authentic version of myself. I shaved off all my hair and changed my name. The shift in “identity” has been terrifying and amazing. I found that it’s given me more permission to take risks in my work. I’ve become less apologetic about my artistic choices because I am learning and working to trust and like myself.

I’ve undergone all the classic challenges an actor/performer endures. THOUSANDS of “No’s”, “you’re not pretty enough”, “not skinny enough”, “too small”. Of course the journey has not been easy, and I still feel like I’m in the thick of it. I don’t know if that will ever end as an artist.

But I found myself at this place where I was complaining a lot about how “unfair” the industry was. And someone said to me “if you’re going to be miserable at least go be miserable at a job with benefits”. And it really woke me up! I am pursuing this life because it’s what I want to do everyday. I realized I wasn’t actually miserable, it was just a trap I fell into because we as a society find belonging in shared unhappiness. I could sit and complain, or I could do something about it. So I did something about it! I became happily obsessed with my work and the game that is the film/tv industry. I got really honest with myself, dove into deep casting and marketing research for myself, got back into training heavily and actually showing up for it (not just physically). And I started booking. I found great reps who believe in me. Shed old relationships that were holding me back, as painful as that was. And I surround myself with like-minded creatives who also are on the path of constant growth and gratitude to pursue the arts. I truly find joy in all parts of it, and am so grateful to be on this wild journey.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
FOOD! Los Angeles has the BEST array of food options. Whenever my friends come to visit I feel like all I wanna do is take them to eat, haha.

Breakfast at Blu Jam (obviously), to get some crunchy French toast OR! Pedalers Fork in Calabasas. I’ve been taking a lot of my friends up to Ojai lately. There’s the cutest bookshop called Bart’s Books, that’s completely outdoors. It’s so peaceful. I bring my old books and exchange for a new read and then pop over to the little town for an ice cream cone.

Dinner has got to be Miyako Sushi in Noho. It’s a little hole in the wall joint behind a Chinese restaurant, and it is always amazing.

Vegan? LA has got you. I LOVE O’cado in Sherman Oaks, or VeStation for some amazing vegan Thai food!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My production team: Mark Holzum, Makenzie Dustman and Phillip Chbeeb who encourage my risks always.

And my students at Shanelle Gray Studios! May you always be excited to take risks and welcome “failures” with open hearts. KEEP GOING!

Website: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5360561/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_6

Instagram: @_jettwilder

Image Credits
Photography by Bobby Quillard and Mason Trueblood Photography On Set of 911-LoneStar

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