Meet Anthony Hull:
In the pursuit of dreams, everybody runs into obstacles. That’s no different for me. I feel like I’ve come a long way, but I’m still not where I want to be; and even when I get there, I’ll still reach for more. That’s not to say I don’t feel grateful for what I’ve been given and I understand that with passion comes productivity. It would be crazy of me to say that everything I have accomplished, personally, in acting, film making, and even within hosting, is solely because of me and as a result I’ve learned that creativity is best experienced when shared with others.
Jackfroot Interview With Anthony Hull
How did you get into acting and at what age?

I actually started acting very late, not until college. It was something I always wanted to do, but my time was always consumed by sports.  I joined an amazing theatre company at the University of Colorado called the Interactive Theatre Project. Shortly after I took my first TV/Film acting classes at a studio in Denver. Two weeks after starting classes I felt confident enough to audition for an agent in Denver and a month later I was in my first local commercial. That chain of events finally led me to put down the basketball sneakers and to try my hand at acting. Since then I haven’t stopped.
Who are some of your role models or your favorite actors that you look up to?

As cliché as it sounds, my role models have always been my family – my mother, father and older brother. In so many ways, I feel I was prepared for the work that goes into acting because of seeing their work ethic. The values I have learned from them have been directly applicable to acting: be punctual, work hard, and be kind to people. Those are musts on any film or TV set. As far as my favorite actors, I like different actors for different reasons. I love Meryl Streep, Cate Blanchet, Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Johnny Depp for their ability to truly shape shift and embody any type of character. I love actors like Will Smith and Denzel Washington because, as an audience member, they command your attention and are so present. Lately, I have been obsessed with Ken Jeong and Anthony Mackie. Ken Jeong is so comically brilliant! I love watching him on Community and I think he is a great example for Asian actors having a career and doing well. Anthony Mackie is just an overall strong actor that I have such high regard for. I think he is truly an artist in every sense.
What do your parents think about your career path?
My parents are very supportive. My father has always allowed me to make my own decisions when it comes to my career path. With my mother, I had to prove that this could be a viable career. She’s from South Korea and, of course, as with most Korean mothers, education is the most important value. She would have loved for me to be a doctor, engineer or lawyer, but that just was not my career path. My mother comes from a generation where stability is important; this career at times doesn’t offer that. It can be a roller coaster. Seeing the commercial was major proof point for her that I can do this and at the end of the day she was super proud. She actually started bragging to her Korean friends; Korean mothers love to do that 😉
What nationality are you?

My nationality is American, as I was born at an Army Base in New Jersey. Ethnically, I am half Korean and half black. However, I was raised in a very customary and traditional Korean home, which I value so much. It is a big part of my identity. I always say, as far as aging goes, I have the best of both worlds.
What do you enjoy doing for fun when you’re not working?

I find it super important to decompress. I do that by being around close friends. I’m a recent implant to New York City and what I have realized is that there are so many things to do. My friends and I go to gallery openings, bars in the lower east side, restaurants and museums. New York really just covers the gamut of things to do, but when doing these things I enjoy being with my friend most.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I know in five years I’ll still be doing the work I love, and in whatever platform that is, I still want to be doing work to benefit others. At the end of the day that is what’s most important.
How did you land the role in the HTC commercial?

Like anyone else, I had to audition for the part amongst hundreds of candidates. My friend worked at the ad agency that conceptualized the commercial. He put it in the casting directors ears that I may be a good fit for the part. I received a call about the audition, and it was cleared through my manager so I flew out to L.A. immediately. I went in for the audition and thought I bombed it, so I flew back to New York right after. Five minutes after I landed in New York I got call saying I received a call back and had to be in the casting office the following day. So I had literally landed and had to fly back right away. My callback went a lot better, and 10 minutes after my second audition I got a call from casting saying that I had booked the HTC spot. I took a lot of risk to get the spot. I told them I lived in L.A. and was a local hire so I could be considered and spent money on tickets for something I believed I could get, but didn’t know for sure. In the end it paid off.
If you can have any superpower, what would it be?

I don’t know if this is a super power, but I think it should be considered one: I would want to be able to speak every language in the world, just for the sole purpose of knowing I could go anywhere and communicate with anyone.
What are some of the struggles and obstacles that you’ve overcome in your career?

One thing about this industry is that there are going to be highs and lows, it’s inevitable. There is no such thing as overnight success, even the people we think gain overnight success have been working for years. That being said, I think being patient can be a struggle for me. I understand that you have to be, but that does not mean it’s easy. It’s something I am absolutely getting better at.
What advice can you give to new aspiring actors out there?

Constantly be work on acting, always study, learn, and grow. Be resilient because there can be a lot of no’s and let downs. Most importantly, treat the people you work with well and have fun, because at the end of the day, it should be fun.Â
Watch Anthony’s Video Bio:
In this very up close and personal Interview, Anthony talks about the work he has done in the media world. From acting, hosting, and documentary film making, Anthony takes us inside his thoughts on the work he loves to do.
Connect with Anthony:
www.anthull.com
www.vimeo.com/anthonyhull
www.twitter.com/anthull
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