From Ohio to Hollywood: James Black’s roots give him wings

                        
Summary: When aspiring actor James Black drove cross country to L.A. two decades ago, the Dover native was following a dream that had lain dormant for many years – that of becoming a Hollywood actor. Now working in the craft he loves, Black returned to his hometown on Sept. 10 to share the tale of his journey in a humorous tale of perseverance, motivation, and faith. It’s a long way from Dover, Ohio to Hollywood, California. The distance is measured not only in the miles of roadway, but also in having what it takes to go from being a small town guy to making your mark in movies and television. Perhaps no one is more aware of that difference than Willa Washington, who still lives in the Dover home where she raised her son, Dover High alumni and all around athlete James Black. Black had played football for Akron University, the Cleveland Browns and Ottawa Rough Riders, as well as held a variety of jobs after college graduation including selling resort properties, radio announcing, peddling newspapers, and being part of an improvisational acting troupe before he approached his mom with his new dream. “James came to me in the middle of winter, and told me he was driving to Los Angeles in that beat up old car of his,” she stated, shaking her head ruefully. “I told him that car shouldn’t be driven out of Ohio, let alone all the way to California!” “That car broke down six times on my way to L.A.,” chuckled Black, as he spoke before a large group at the Dover Library on Sept. 10. “I drove out of Columbus, broke down in Missouri, and then broke down in Flagstaff, Arizona. So I called my mom, and she called and paid for me to get an AAA membership so they could tow me out of there!” Black arrived in L.A. just as his first scheduled audition was ending, but he managed to convince the director to give him a chance anyway. He auditioned in the parking lot, got the part, and his career as an actor began. Black first ‘got the bug’ for acting when he went to see a high school play. But Black was fully immersed in football, wrestling, and track, and couldn’t figure out a way to incorporate theater into his schedule. He did, however, participate in the choir and a select singing ensemble. He described himself as a ‘class clown’, a fact confirmed by former wrestling coach Paul Mowrey, football coach Jim Meese, choir director Walter Heck, and principal Fred Delphia, all of whom were in the audience and heartily agreed with Black’s self-description. But Black also commended those same educators for teaching him how to conduct himself. “From them, I learned that how you do anything is how you do everything.” The actor has now been on the west coast for about twenty years, and in that time has done ‘at least twenty movies and 70 TV shows’ as well as countless commercials and print ads. He is currently starring in Anger Management with Charlie Sheen. “That guy is nuts!” Black exclaimed. “I love that guy. We make each other laugh all the time on the set.” Along with Sheen, Black has worked with such well known actors as George Clooney, Eddie Murphy, Jennifer Lopez, and Kurt Russell, the latter who took him for a hair-raising 150 mph ride in Russell’s Roadster down the Santa Monica Airport runway during shooting of Soldier. “You have to work it nine to five every day, just like any job. I auditioned for everything I could...I also did a lot of work for free. And I still do. Because you never know when what you are doing today is going to prepare you for something else tomorrow.” When asked what has kept him ‘out of trouble’ and ‘motivated’, his response came without hesitation. “My motivation is my faith,” he replied, quoting Philippians 3:13. “’I press toward the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.’ And my mom has always been there, taking me to the Church of Christ twice on Sunday and every Wednesday night, even dragging me out of football practice to attend. Mom has always been my motivator.” “Every day isn’t a great day, but I love what I do. It’s a lot of fun.’


Loading next article...

End of content

No more pages to load