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

Hi Boris, what do you attribute your success to?
I was born in a small city of Chisinau, Romania. I was raised by a single mother with my siblings, At the tender age of 7 years old my mother and siblings migrated to the U.S. The journey to the U.S. was not an easy one; financial hardship and a lack of a male role model was a difficulty that was very familiar to me until my early teens. However, my resiliency proved me otherwise; the human spirit is an amazing thing when you’re looking to defeat crutches of the past.

I was 15 years old when I fell in love with body building and nutrition; it helped me escape and understand some of my life long goals. I was young, but ready for my dreams to come true. I started create a body that I only dreamed of, working out daily and becoming a Personal Trainer. As my love for body building grew; I decided to grow my talents in modeling, acting, and even got into Real Estate. I immersed myself in all I could learn and started the journey to my career as a 6’6 Model/Actor.

However, it wasn’t until I stumbled across TikTok that I became one of the largest influencers to date with over 500k followers. My genre within TikTok, is entertaining as a couple of roles, my favorite roles is acting as a modern day Vampire, a similar Lucifer (Tom Ellis) type, and a Mafia male figure. My audience love the entertainment as some label me as Inspirational; no matter what odds you are up against, your will and goals can get you where you need to be. I even have helped many audience members with weight loss and nutrition, losing 55 pounds! This is where I feel my success is starting to show.

I consider myself a seeker and helper; I feel my history of hardship and will is what created my successes within my brand, without that I’m not sure if I would be who I am today. As I venture into the world of modeling, acting, and body building. I hope to create more positivity within this world and inspire others to go after their dreams. You can be successful as well, through hard work, dedication and the will to reach for the stars, Is all you need.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’m an actor and model; getting here was tough. It took juggling my career and personal life, which can be tough and sacrificial. My journey of becoming a model started when I blossomed within my fitness journey as Bodybuilder/Trainer/Nutritionist. As I developed in the fitness space both physically and mentally. I started to seek interest in modeling and acting professionally.

Because of my 6’6 stature and physique, I found finding modeling gigs to be slightly difficult at first but as time passed, it got easier. Now I take acting classes since my dream role in a syndication or movie would be a Mafia boss or a wise guy. Acting is a tough job, but its amazing to learn and grow within this space as I take on new roles.

Because acting and modeling can be tough;. I find that resiliency is important. Having a focused attitude and lifestyle serves me well. I’ve learned so much along the way, but one thing I’ve learned in my career is patience. Its important to be patient in this journey.

what I would like people to know is, no matter your background, your experiences, and hardships. You can do anything you put your mind to, just believe in yourself.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would say some of my favorite spots are in Century City, CA. I enjoy Italian food at Toscanova and/or Eatly. They have a great ambience and food. If you’re looking for a breakfast spot, check out Bottega Louie, scrumptious food and baked goods.

I’m not much of a drinker but if I’m going to enjoy a beverage; Pump restaurant has a great selection.

Also if you love to hike like myself, you might catch me on the Hollywood sign trail and or headed to Malibu for a walk on the beach.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to dedicate this to my followers and supporters without them, I wouldn’t be who I am today. Thank you!

Instagram: https://instagram.com/boris_fit

Other: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRBKjpr9/

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.