Bill Kelly, a Kentucky native, began his acting career in 2003 as a regular actor in student productions at the prestigious Florida State University College of Motion Picture Arts. He’s had lead or supporting roles in over 35 independent and student film productions.
His first professional role was in USA Network’s long-running series, Burn Notice in 2012 which had lead to co-starring television roles in shows like Graceland, Ballers, The Detour, Halt and Catch Fire and a recurring role as “DEA Agent Clay Grunwald” in 9 episodes of the successful Netflix series, Bloodline. Bill will be recurring in the new FOX series, 24: Legacy which premiers after the 2017 Super Bowl on Feb. 5th. He can also be seen in SIX on History Channel and Underground on WGN in early 2017! (Source: IMDB)
Thank you for the opportunity to interview you. We look forward to learning more about your fantastic career! Let’s get started. You landed a recurring role on the hit television show 24: Legacy. Tell us about Officer Paul Vernon.
Vernon is a Metro DC cop who encounters Eric Carter during his day. He’s not the nicest guy to Carter, to say the least.
What similarities and differences do you see between yourself and Paul?
Boy, we are nothing alike! I’m a really nice guy who would never treat anyone with disrespect in any circumstance. Vernon is a guy who is obviously tough to deal, whether you’re his partner or just someone walking down the street.
What is the best part about appearing on the show?
“I’ve been a fan of the 24 franchise since minute one! This was the top of the list of shows that I wanted to be a part of from the start of my career. Thank you FOX for bringing it back!
You have guest starred in several hit television shows, such as the critically acclaimed Halt and Catch Fire, Underground, and Ballers. What has been your takeaway from each role?
I got to play three really different characters in each of those shows so it allowed me to explore what each person was experiencing. I really enjoyed H&CF, where I got to play a distraught father who was getting rid of his son’s gaming equipment after his son’s death, only to find out that my character’s privacy was being violated by Mutiny. That was something that nobody had even dreamed possible in the early days of the internet. (C:\ was the name of the game back then!)
You have also starred in several short films. How does the film process compare to television?
The short films I’ve done were mostly student films and a lot of them shot with real film instead of the digital cameras most shows use today. So, there was a lot of, “Cut! Gotta reload!” going on. It’s great working with students! You get to see a lot of them really develop during their school years….only to run into them again on the set of a TV show. I’ve seen several FSU Film School grads working on shows that I’ve been on.
Looking back at the characters you’ve played, which one(s) can you say you closely identify with and why?
Probably Clay Grunwald from Bloodline and Dr. Paul Grodan from Ballers. Both are really likable characters who care about helping people in tough situations.
Comparing your character Clay Grunwald (Bloodline) to Officer Paul Vernon (24: Legacy), what is the main difference in bringing each character to life?
Grunwald was a good agent trying to get to the bottom of things, so that one was easier to play. Vernon required more simply because this guy was a real jerk, which is not always easy to play.
Back to the Officer Paul Vernon character. Being able to create a believable character is a challenge. Do you draw from any particular experience to play Paul?
No.
You have a busy schedule this year, what do you do in your spare time to relax?
I love going to the beach, out fishing in a kayak in the Gulf, or heading to Apalachicola to eat oysters. I am also going to start racing Go Karts, again, this summer. The world goes away when you doing 90 mph two inches off the ground!
Could you share any other projects you’re working on?
Nothing as of late. Auditioning a lot, hoping for more film roles this year.
What’s next in your career?
I’m hoping to land a series regular role on a show and would really like to get into more films.
Again, thank you for your time. We look forward to seeing you star in your next project!
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