Today we’d like to introduce you to Hollis Edwards III
Hi Hollis, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
As for how I got started in acting, I’d say the very first instances that sent me on this path were when I was maybe five or six. I would do different impressions—like Crocodile Hunter, generic British accents, cartoon voices, stuff like that. One day, we were having a reunion on my mom’s side of the family, and they organized a talent show at a park out in Topeka, Kansas. My mom was like, “Get your butt up there and do your little voices.”
I was like, “Do whaaat??”
Because, as I said, I’m like seven and still nervous around adults, you know? I didn’t know what was going on, but she kept pushing: “Get up there. Take the mic and start doing your voices. And if you’re nervous, just turn your back to everyone.”
So, I grabbed the mic, nervously shuffled up to the concrete slab that was the “stage,” and started doing my voices. At first, it was kind of meek—barely audible—but as I got more comfortable, I eventually turned around, faced everyone, and really got into it!
Another defining moment was visiting my dad every other weekend. Ever since he and my mom divorced when I was around five, he would take my sister and me to see movies. I fell in love with film instantly. I also watched all my TV shows at his house since my mom couldn’t afford cable, which heavily influenced me as well.
Beyond that, one of my biggest inspirations came from the first time I ever got to be on a set. My dad was a cop for about 30 years, but he was also an actor on the side. He actually had a degree in RTF, but since he fought in the Vietnam War, he figured being a cop was the most stable thing he could do relevant to his experience.
At one point, he was acting in an indie feature, but since he had us for the weekend, he took us to set. I was completely enthralled by the allure of acting and film—seeing how everything worked, the little behind-the-scenes secrets, even just sitting and waiting. I loved all of it.
As for how I got started professionally, I just did theater throughout elementary school, middle school, and high school. I went to college for a bit but didn’t finish, though I still did theater during that time. I kept doing professional theater all the way up until about 2023.
I’d say I technically started acting professionally for film in 2019 when I got my agent, Collier Talent. That’s when I started booking professional roles—commercials, indie films, and other industry-level projects
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Oh, heavens no—it has definitely not been a smooth road. For most actors who weren’t born into connections, wealth, or just pure luck, it never is. We live in a society where basic needs aren’t guaranteed, so if you want to pursue art, you often have to live a double life—working a job you don’t care about just to survive while chasing your craft.
For me, the biggest challenge has always been financial. I moved to Austin at 20 and had to figure out adulthood—paying rent, handling taxes, and navigating relationships as an adult—all while trying to build an acting career. Any time I wanted to focus on acting, it was like, Oh, I gotta work. That dual life was a constant struggle.
At one point, I was actually homeless for about three months—part of it living in my car, part of it crashing on the couch a kind hearted former boss provided me, part of it sleeping in parking garages. Thank God it was summer. I was just trying to find a job to get off the street. Eventually, I landed a sales job, which, weirdly enough, ended up helping me in the long run. Sales taught me networking, self-promotion, and how to handle the business side of acting.
Even after I got back on my feet and started making decent money, I was working 60-hour weeks with zero time for acting. I couldn’t even take on small student projects to build my reel. That was its own kind of trap—finally having money but no time to pursue what I actually wanted.
In 2019, I finally got my agent, Collier Talent, and started acting professionally. That was a turning point. Now, acting pays most of my bills, and I only pick up part-time work occasionally (unless acting work is slow or I need to stack extra cash). But that doesn’t mean I’m comfortable. I’m still budgeting carefully, still working toward the point where I can just focus on my craft without financial stress.
I’m confident that, The Relic: Dragon, along with other recent projects—but especially Relic—will be what elevates me to that next level. Not just making a living from acting, but doing it comfortably.
If I’m being real, my struggle is one that a lot of people can relate to—financial instability. Hell my story isn’t even that crazy compared to those who have had it worse than me.
And it’s not just actors. In late-stage capitalism, maximizing profits over people is the priority. Most people’s main battle is financial—whether they’re providing for kids or just trying to survive. Sometimes, it’s literally a choice between paying rent or going to the hospital.
Beyond money, I also had to deal with mental health struggles in my early 20s. Some of it was internal, some of it external circumstances I didn’t fully understand at the time. Either way, I had psychotic breaks and hospital stays. Unlike financial struggles—tied to the system we live under—those were personal battles, born from my own brain chemistry.
But whether it was money or mental health, both shaped me. They’ll keep me grounded when I do reach that next level. They’ll remind me to extend a hand to others instead of becoming another gatekeeper.
Some people come out of struggle bitter, thinking, I suffered, so you should too. That’s not me. If anything, my mental health battles gave me insight into parts of my mind I may not have otherwise accessed. And my financial struggles will make me more grateful when I do get what I’ve worked for.
At the end of the day, that’s the best we can do—learn from struggle, grow stronger, and when we finally have everything, use it to help those who have nothing.
In other words—pay it forward.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m a classically trained actor, but also a musician, writer, and occasional stand-up comedian. Acting—especially screen acting—is my main focus. In theater, I’m probably most known for my role as Chad Deity in The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity at Zach Theatre, followed by playing Sherlock Holmes in Sherlock Holmes and the Hound of Baskerville.
For film, I’ve done several award-winning shorts, like 50 Ways to Kill Your Lover (which placed at DIFF) and 4 Influencers and a Funeral (which played at AFF). You might’ve also seen me in commercials (Best Buy, Country Archer Beef Jerky, USAA, etc.). But the project most people will likely consider my breakout role is The Relic: Dragon—an adventure-horror feature film where I had a co-star role alongside an incredible cast and crew. It’s currently in post-production, and I can’t wait for it to hit streaming!
What sets me apart? Something I call Fun-Tensity. Meaning, I know how to go all in—completely locking into a role with a maniacal level of focus—while also knowing how to be a total goofball on set. One moment I’m making dumb SpongeBob references or crab dancing around the crafty table, the next I’m dropping into a dramatic death scene. Much like The Force, It’s about balance.
Now don’t get me wrong, i’m sure there are some very well known actors who also display this “fun-intensity” , even if they don’t call it that a but what makes it truly unique to me in my opinion, are some key experiences that helped me fully develop that mindset.
It all goes back to the first time I ever lost myself in a character . I think I was a senior in high school when I played Lucien P. Smith in, The Boys Next Door. Lucien was an adult with the cognitive capacity of a three-year-old, and my theater teacher (shoutout to Ms. G!) had real-life experience with that world, so she took extra care to ensure we treated the roles with respect. Over the summer, we did research, talked to real people, and by opening night, I was so deep in character that I blacked out—I didn’t even remember performing. After each show, my friends had to sit me down and talk about anime or comics for 30–45 minutes just to bring me back to myself. It was (and still is ) absolutely intoxicating. That moment made me realize—I needed to act. Like a fish needs water. Like how a flame needs oxygen to burn. Like the second law of thermodynamics, my acting is simply a fundamental constant of the universe. Once I had the realization my destiny became irreversible.
However as I moved into professional theater and later film, I realized that completely losing myself in every role wasn’t always possible—especially in indie film, where you have other responsibilities and need to be adaptable on set. When you’re first starting out, you can’t just stay in character all the time. Well you can , but it depends on the character, like if that character is an asshole, it may be no bueno. Also you’ve gotta be present, listen for set directions, and hit specific marks for the camera.
That’s where the Marine Corps came in. I wanted something that would test my willpower and help me snap into intensity on demand. After researching, I found out that the Marine Corps has a reserve unit—one of the hardest non-special-forces military trainings you can go through. It was exactly what I needed. It taught me how to turn focus on and off instantly.
To this day, that training helps me. Whether its physical, via shooting in 20-degree weather with heavy winds in the middle of January , deep in Palo Duro Canyon for The Relic: Dragon – or staying locked in & digging deep to bare my soul for emotional scenes, I know how to stay present but also have fun. That’s what sets me apart. That’s Fun-Tensity!
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
So for the film industry, I do see it having some major shifts over the next 5 to 10 years.
AI is creeping into everything – I’m talking editing, script, writing, even AI actors. Big Studios will for sure use it to cut costs of
(as they always do), but hopefully unions will continue to push back-just like they did with our most recent actor/writer strikes.
Indie filmmaker’s however, will likely use AI for VFX and budget hacks, but human storytelling will always remain at the top of the food chain.
There’s also the idea that movie theaters will have to start evolving to prevent obsolescence. Don’t get me wrong, big blockbusters will still thrive, but mid budget movies will struggle.
So I’m thinking more event driven releases -curated screenings, live Q&A’s and IMAX exclusives.
Subscription fatigue is super real as well, leading to more platforms merging together (looking at you Disney +) , and ad supportive models like Tubi and Pluto, which have been really gaining popularity lately.
Genre films(action, sci-fi, horror – like The Relic: Dragon for instance), will continue to dominate because they’re really profitable, cheap to make and usually translate well internationally.
Speaking of international I feel like global cinema is also on the rise. For example, South Korea, India, in the Middle East are all becoming major players, making bilingual performances and coat productions, more valuable.
But overall, I think the biggest change is going to revolve around how creator owned content is taking over. Hollywood gatekeeping is fading and more filmmakers are funding are funding through Patreon, Kickstarter, and social media.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.therelicuniverse.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hollisledwards
- Youtube: https://youtu.be/rQuL5I473Ko
- Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9270642/
Image Credits
Arthur murroquin
