Meet NJ Brown | Actor/Writer/Director/Producer

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

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Any honest actor will tell you that this industry requires thick skin, perseverance, talent, hard work, patience, and it doesn’t hurt to be a bit of a crazed dreamer while keeping both feet on the ground. Even though a couple of my films have done well on the Film Festival Circuit, I’m not where I want to be yet as an Actor or Indie Filmmaker. It is non-negotiable that I have to keep putting in the work. This means, keep taking classes/workshops, listening to podcasts, keep writing and producing films, listening to my Manager and Agents that bust their butts to get me auditions. I do all this while working my other business, which fortunately, keeps me funded and is flexible enough to allow me to continue to pursue my real passion which is in film.

It’s not easy, and it gets tiring sometimes. Especially when you hear that your friends and fellow actors are booking roles when I’m in the desert. I learned that when I got jealous or envious, it tripped me up and weighed me down in my own race to accomplish what I wanted in this industry and that was my bad. So I worked on my attitude. One of my favorite quotes is from Producer Todd Holland, “Protect Your Joy.” That simple quote had a huge impact on me. I focus on running my race and that frees me up to genuinely get excited for friends and others when they post their bookings or share the projects they’re working on while running their own race.

I’m a storyteller. I do it through my acting and my films. If someone can watch the characters I play in a movie or series and believe it, I’m happy. If they can watch one of my films and not just be entertained but take something from it, I’m good.

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 have one friend that has never been to LA. I know right? She is not just a good actor, but she’s an even better person. There are some tourist spots like, Disneyland, Universal Studios, and Hollywood, for sure… but one of the places she has to eat at is Aladin’s near K-town. There’s also a place in Koreatown that has great fried chicken, but I can’t remember the name of it, but she can help me track it down. She loves theater, so Antaeus, Odessy, and or Fountain would be on the list.

My escape after auditions or callbacks to reflect and chill is the Santa Monica Pier… so that is an absolute must. In the evening we can go on the Promenade and grab dinner at The Misfit and walk third street and listen to the incredibly talented musicians performing on the streets.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Wow… what’s the character limit? My family encouraged me to get back into the industry and have been very supportive ever since. Cody Dorkin of Studio24, really got me grounded and looking at the industry realistically. Mary McCusker and Leslie Kahn getting me to think outside the box and take chances. It also helps to have a circle of friends that have your back and won’t hesitate to be constructively blunt with me when called for (I’m not going to rattle off names because I’m bound to miss one and I’ll have to leave the state). I will say in the beginning, Anne-Marie Olsen really pushed me when I returned to the craft. My amazing partners at FNC, Anthony Bretting, Jim Last, Moshiu Knox III, and Anne-Marie allow me to focus on creating while they handle the rest. My manger Wendy Peldon, keeps me busy and is always there when I need to chat or a reality check. My agents Courtney Peldon and Lawrence Har of Aqua Talent and also Nicole Younce and Olivia Tehrani of NYLO for taking me on, keep me busy, and pushing me to always be working on my craft. I’ve also had the pleasure of working with so many incredibly talented actors like Jim Last, Kendrick Daniels and his son Enzo, who were in my most recent short film. They are among many actors that I’m so grateful and honored to have worked with that brought my screenplays to life. There are others that have been there for me, even if it was just for a season, I remain grateful for all of them.

Instagram: @theartistnjbrown

Other: http://www.imdb.me/njbrown

Image Credits
Main photo taken by Siobhan Webb