Meet Nick Thurston | Actor & Writer

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

Hi Nick, what do you attribute your success to?
There is an image that has occurred to me at various important turning points in my life. It shows up especially when I am approaching a difficult project, decision, or pressing through a period of resistance and creative drought.

The image is this. I am in a river: the water surrounding me, flowing, pulsing, churning over rocks in all its thunderous intensity. Whenever I imagine this, I think about where the river wants to go. Which direction is the water flowing? What obstacles does it effortlessly circumvent? Which obstacles does it press through with its momentum and native force? What path is it carving from the silt, sediment, and bedrock below? And where is the central focus of its power?

When I sit with these questions long enough, I seem to become the river. And when this happens, I no longer question the direction of the flow. Instead, I am in it. I am of it. I am it. I am carried along, carrying myself along, and there are no more questions. No more resistance.

This is one way of thinking about the ancient concept of the Tao. It is a sense of, or an intimate connection with, the direction and flow of experience and of life. When one is in this flow, life proceeds smoothly and effortlessly. When one fights against it, things go… less smoothly.

Obviously I am not always ‘in the flow.’ Or rather, I am less aware of it. But I believe that it is finding and following this natural course that leads us towards happiness, success, and abundance in our lives.

I attribute my greatest successes in creative work and in life to being ‘in the flow.’

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I make a living as an actor and a writer.

I’m currently working on a project called Moonsong, which is an epic fantasy audio drama that I write and produce. The first season tells the story of a great king named Hafnir who, in an effort to avoid his fate, tries to kill his own new-born daughter. She survives, and the following episodes carry us along on an epic tale of revenge, love, betrayal, and beauty.

It is told with immersive sound design and characterization, in a style drawing from Scandinavian folklore and Greek mythology.

I think of fantasy as an opportunity for us to get in touch with ancient, archetypal stories and wisdom that tend to be obscured by aspects of our modern culture. Moonsong is my way of examining these stories and presenting them in a way that is fun, exciting, and provocative.

While the podcasting space has become thoroughly saturated, there are actually very few other podcasts that are doing what I’m doing. Anyone who loves fantasy like Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones, the Witcher, and is looking for more in this vein will love it.

Of course making a project like this isn’t easy. No truly worthwhile creative endeavor is easy! My focus hasn’t been on making money, or on telling stories that every single person will love. I’m carving my own path, and asking questions that interest me. I’m trying to be true to my own creative instinct, and following it where it takes me. This is true freedom, and offers the deepest sense of fulfillment I have found!

What I’d like people to know about what I’m doing is that they should do it too! Our world is on fire. Following the course set down by the great machine of society is not for everyone. It might not even really be for anyone. We need people willing to follow their instincts and their passions, ask deep questions, and create more light and love in our world.

Find those who support you and cleave to them. Find those eager to help, and accept their guidance and love with humility and grace. And then do whatever you can to help them in return.

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.
In no particular order…

– Tacos at Guisados (any location – all are bomb)
– Taiwanese food with a dope ambiance at Pine & Crane (don’t sleep on the three cup jidori chicken!)
– Hiking in Griffith Park
– A day in Venice, checking out the Venice Canals and laughing at the absurd housing prices
– Coffee at Kumquat on York
– Antique shopping in Old Town Pasadena
– Brunch at Aroma on Tujunga! Be ready for the line…
– Head up the coast and hit the beaches in Malibu, Carpinteria, or Santa Barbara
– Is Mandy Kahn doing anything? Find out. If she is, go see it.
– Yoga at Roam LA in Frogtown

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Henry Shukman is my primary teacher, and has been an immensely influential figure in my life in the past two years. His book One Blade of Grass is extraordinary.

Website: https://moonsong.captivate.fm/listen

Instagram: @nickontoast

Image Credits
Matt Kallish, Dominic Gill