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

Hi Joel, what do you attribute your success to?
To be honest as long as I am acting I will be happy. You really cant ask for more than that. Money comes and goes and it certainly helps but loving what I do will always be my priority. I believe that if you love what you do, you are successful. Its a tough industry as it is very competitive. You are very lucky to be working sometimes. Thats why it is so important to not get discouraged. You have to take the risks, put yourself out there and see what the world has planned for you. Have a drive to be happy and success will follow.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I have had a passion for acting and film since I was 4 years old. I get a lot of my passion for film from my Uncle JT. Its been a long journey and it certainly hasn’t been easy. There were many times I did not believe in myself, but I had so many people supporting me who wouldn’t let me quit. I learned a lot from the extremely talented people I have worked with along the way. We have to grow and change daily to try and constantly better ourselves, even if that means starting over. You have to put in the time because your lucky break wont find you if you are not actively searching for it. I was so blessed to have been cast in a short film called Jokers Wild starring David Howard Thornton as the Joker. I was lucky enough to play Robin who is a character I have loved since I was a kid. Working with such an extremely talented crew was so moving for me and staring alongside David was a dream come true. I learned so much on that set and I am very excited to see what happens next. You never know where life will take you so be open and be willing to learn from those around you. No one can do it on their own. Hopefully this is only the beginning of my career and I am so eager to see where it goes next!

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 love watching movies, Thrifting, live shows, the beach and of course finding new places to eat. You have to start by going to Buffalo Exchange and Jet Rag which are vintage clothing stores in the LA area. Definitely would need to eat after so next stop would be either Crave Cafe or Ramen. After the food you have to see a movie at The New Beverly Theater which is always a great time. They are constantly playing the greatest films but the staff and atmosphere make it an amazing experience. The lucky thing about living near LA is there is always something to do or a great band to catch live.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I have so many people who have believed in me along the way. I truly have the best family and friends who have always supported me on my journey. I would not have the drive or courage to do this without so many of them. From the bottom of my heart I want to say, Thank you and I will always be grateful.
I have to mention Hunter G. Williams and Aaron W. Bennett for giving me a chance as well as helping me open so many doors for my future. Thank you so much and I feel optimistic for the future!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/regularjoel/

Youtube: https://youtu.be/QhOsABSCRj0?si=mJP6OOrZYbZdaq5C

Other: Backstage Profile https://www.backstage.com/u/JoelLeBlanc/
IMDB https://www.imdb.com/name/nm13377313/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk

Image Credits
Chris ML Bates
Jason Keith

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