Today we’d like to introduce you to Richard Follin.
Hi Richard, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, you could tell our readers some of your backstory.
I grew up listening to my father and his friends tell stories about their younger days and their adventures, and I fell in love with how stories can captivate the mind and take you to a completely different place. I also always loved movies, was raised on the Clint Eastwood classics, and was used to being on stage at a young age from piano recitals, choir concerts, etc. I only thought about being an actor once some friends recommended I take theatre in high school for fun. After a few school plays and musicals, I was hooked. I had found a way to combine my love of storytelling and being on stage into one act. From there, I attended a 4-year acting program at VCU in Richmond, VA, where I met some of my most incredible friends, teachers, and my first real director, Dorie Barton. She cast me as the lead in her award-winning second feature film ‘Welcome to the Show'(RIFF), which is where I got my first real on-set experience, first opportunity to put what I had learned about my craft in school to the test and make my debut into the world of film. After that films release and my graduation from VCU, I moved to Los Angeles in September 2020, and have been thankful to be a part of many fantastic projects since then, the most recent of which was James Ward Byrkit’s new series ‘Shatter Belt’ which just premiered at SXSW this year (2023). I have been very fortunate to have met a lot of talented creators at pivotal moments in my career thus far, and the rest is just doing your best to ride that wave and give it your best shot.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
This industry breeds a lot of high highs and low lows. When you get the opportunity to do the thing, it’s unparalleled. You feel like anything is possible, and the sky is the limit. The problem is just getting through those moments between projects and opportunities. Dealing with the imposter syndrome, the “why is no one calling me in,” the “I hope that audition went well”‘s, etc. But, again, every time you do get a win in your career, you remember exactly why it’s all worth it.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Besides acting, I am also a musician. Having other passions outside of acting is important to fill the gaps. And being a good actor requires living a full life. For me, that’s in the pursuit of music. I am playing lead guitar for singer/songwriter Zoe Kilgren in the LA club scene, and its a wonderful creative outlet and a way to feel like I am still chasing something and progressing as an artist when the acting phone hasn’t rung. I can’t imagine myself living without playing music, and there are few things in life more fun than playing on stage in a rock band. One of my favorite parts about Austin is the incredible music scene. It’s hard to walk down the street without running into some world-class musicians killing it on stage. My absolute dream is to succeed in both avenues, and with the band I am currently in, I have little doubt.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
Being raised on the Clint Eastwood classics, I have an unwavering dream of someday starring in a great western. If that happened, I could die happy.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.richardfollin.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/richard_follin/
Image Credits
Alex Kent, Mitchell Orcino, Stephanie Girard, Joshua Weiss
