Toronto-based actor Neil Whitely discovered his love for performing at a young age but kept it a secret until his daughter got into show business. Accompanying her on set made him realize he still had a desire to act and pursue acting as a career in his mid-40s. He’s worked on a variety of projects including Lost Girl (Showcase/SYFY), Breakout Kings (A E), The Firm (Amazon Prime), Nikita (CW), Beauty and the Beast (CW). His new feature film ‘A Sisterly Christmas’ will be aired on the OWN Network in December. We had the opportunity to talk about his career and forthcoming projects.
Neil, thanks for taking the time to speak to us about your work. How and when did you decide to fully embrace acting as a career?
I knew I wanted to be an actor from the time I was seven years old. But it was something I never thought was attainable for a black kid from Scarborough, Ontario, Canada so I kept my dream a secret from everyone, even my parents. As life progressed, I established myself in the fashion industry and started a family. I pushed my dream of becoming an actor in the rearview mirror. It was still my secret. Then, one day my daughter Nicki, who was nine at the time, came to me and said “Daddy, I want to be an actor”. As a minor Nicki needed a guardian with her whenever she was working on set so that was me. Spending time with Nicki on set forced me to confront the fact that all these years later my desire to be an actor was just as strong as when I was a child. So at the age of 46, I decided to embark on this new career. Best decision I ever made!
Who has been the most influential in your career and why?
I would have to say that the most influential person in my career is my daughter Nicki. Not only because she is the one who inspired me to pursue this career but also because she is such a brilliant actor herself, she pushed me to be better every day.
Your first big break came when you were cast in the feature film RED, starring Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, Hellen Mirren, John Malkovich, and Richard Dreyfuss. Please share with us your experience working on the movie.
That was an amazing experience right from the casting process. A week after my audition, which was with the local Toronto casting director, I received a call from my agent to tell me I was required for a callback. That in itself was not unusual. What was unusual was that award-winning LA-based casting director Deborah Aquila was flying to Toronto to observe the callback. That was when I started to realize how big this project was. I looked around the waiting room at the audition studio and saw several established veteran actors who I knew were up for the same role. It was a little intimidating. Months went by and I heard nothing about the role so I assumed it had gone to one of the heavy hitters in the room that day. Needless to say, I was shocked when I was eventually offered the part.
Actually being on set with some of the biggest names in Hollywood and getting the chance to not only watch them at work but to talk to them as co-workers was definitely inspiring. It reminded me that anything is possible and there are no limitations except the ones we create ourselves.
You’ve worked on a variety of projects including Lost Girl (Showcase/SYFY), Breakout Kings (A E), The Firm (Amazon Prime), Nikita (CW), Beauty and the Beast (CW), Nightmare Alley (Searchlight), and Utopia Falls (Hulu) to name a few. To date, what have been your most memorable experiences working in the industry and why?
Every job is memorable for different reasons, but I would have to say working on Nightmare Alley was pretty special. It was my second time working with Oscar-winning director Guillermo del Toro and knowing that he had specifically requested me for the role was very flattering. It was also cool to work with Bradley Cooper who I had just seen as a presenter at the Oscars the night before. I appeared on a series called Utopia Falls for Hulu. We had a big fight scene in one episode and because of the logistics of the scene we could not use the stunt double they hired for me, so I had to do the stunts myself. Probably the most fun I’ve ever had on set so far!
You’ve joined the cast of the hit drama series When Hope Calls. set to make its season two premiere on GAC Family this December 18th. Please tell us more about your role and what audiences should expect?
Being cast in When Hope Calls is very exciting for me. I don’t get many opportunities to work on period pieces. When Hope Calls is set in 1919. My character Harley Lawrence is a wealthy rancher in the town of Brookfield where the show takes place. as the series progresses more will be revealed about Harley’s history. Episodes One and Two of Season Two are our Christmas-themed episodes and will air back-to-back on December 18. I can’t give too much away but fans are in for some surprises for sure
We can also look forward to seeing you be in the new film A Sisterly Christmas set to air this December 7th on the OWN Network. Please tell us more about the plot and your character.
A Sisterly Christmas is my first movie for OWN. It is also my first appearance in a Christmas movie with a predominantly African-American cast so I’m very proud of this project. The movie is about two sisters who have been estranged since the passing of their beloved Mother. Their aunt gives them a trip to an exclusive ski resort in an effort to rekindle their relationship. My character Colton Fisher is the owner of the resort and plays a key role in helping the sister reconnect. We shot the movie in Ottawa and had such a great time. It was my first time working with Director Jerry LaMothe but hopefully not my last. He is a great storyteller and collaborator. He made it effortless.
What would you say has been your most difficult or demanding role, and why?
In The Girlfriend Experience, I play a businessman named Emery Wright. He was a foul-mouthed bully who enjoyed intimidating people to get his way. Of all the characters I’ve played so far Emery is the one who is furthest removed from who I am as a person. It was exhausting to play him, and he stayed with me for a while afterward. I loved the challenge though.
What advice would you give to young actors embarking on their careers?
Make sure you are honest about why you want to get into the business. Make sure you’re motivated by the desire to be an artist more than the desire for fame. The fact is most actors are not household names. We are just working men and women who happen to have a cool job. Take care of your body, take care of your mind, take care of your money.
Where can our readers find out more about you?
I’m on Instagram @neilwhitely. You can also visit my website neilwhitely.com
Images provided courtesy of Neil Whitely
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