CHRIS SEVERIO

When did you first get involved in the film industry?

I first got involved in the film industry when I first got out of high school. At a young age I was in love with film and would constantly act out scenes from my favorite movies with my parents. So growing up going through high school the time had come where I was graduating and I had no idea what I really wanted to do. I’ve always been someone who had big dreams about life. My parents told me that I could be anything I wanted to be but it was up to me go after it, grab the bull by the horns, and create my own path. That really stuck with me. So, I decided that I would chase that dream of mine as a kid to make movies. So, when I graduated I began taking acting classes/acting workshops for a while before I ever started auditioning.

Who or What inspired you to pursue a career as an actor?

It’s crazy to think back on this, but there have been many inspirations that come to mind when I think what got me to pursue acting. The most important ones would have to be my family. I grew up with a good childhood, loving parents, and a huge imagination. But every one has their hardships they have to deal with, overcome, and persevere. With those hardships growing up I channeled the way I dealt with things by digging myself into film. I would watch a movie over and over just so I could keep my mind busy but in that came a blessing. I fell in love with film. So, I would get inspiration from so many actors that I would look up to and they became my role models. Actors like Jim Carrey, Mel Gibson, Keanu Reeves, Jackie Chan, Clint Eastwood, Will Smith, Anthony Hopkins, and so many more that I could just go on with were inspiration to me. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen Dumb and Dumber sitting there watching it not even noticing that I’m acting out the scene as if I was in the scene.

How has your acting evolved since you first became involved in the industry?

I think my acting has evolved tremendously from when I first began. Even after doing some work in the film industry and taking some time off I know that I have reached new heights with my abilities. In the beginning even when I was auditioning and landing parts in film I had no idea what I was truly doing because I was so scared in my own shoes. I was constantly looking for approval in what I was capable of I never just stopped to focus on the task at hand. The fear of failing overwhelmed me and I feel it clouded me as artist to be able express myself on set as well as in the casting room. After taking some time off so that I could live life a little so I could experience some other sides of what life had to offer I began studying film again as I did as a child. I had lost my love for movies for a while because of the auditioning process and filming itself. The pressure had got to me. I started to have so many people look to me and I just felt smothered. I didn’t know how to handle it because this was all things I’ve never dealt before and no one around knew how to help so I became lost in what I was doing. I was slowly destroying a dream I created as child to do something I thought I loved. With the time of thought I loved. With the time off though I once again found my passion for film. So, now that I have that time, I’ve been studying, working with my craft, and a new fire inside me to chase my dreams I know I have leveled up more than I thought was possible. So, I’m excited to see what the future brings!

I’m sure you have met a lot of celebrities/fellow actors along the way. Would you share 1 or 2 of your favorite stories with us?

Yes absolutely, I would love to share a story with a fellow actor. In the film Greater Neal McDonough plays my brother(Marty Burlsworth). Little did I know in the beginning when I first got the part as a lead in the film I had no idea Neal was signed on. Neal is one of those actors out of many in my mind that were inspirations to me as a kid. I watched in Minority Report, Walking Tall, and Angels In The Outfield many times! When first meeting Neal was the first time I ever felt star struck. He was everything I ever thought he would be and more. The most genuine down to earth soul you could ever meet. While filming we spent much time together. I got the opportunity to talk to him about so much like any kid would want when meeting their idol. Neal and I played so much on set between scenes like we were real brothers. We would wrestle, race each other, and ever roast one another for a good laugh. It was something I could hold dear to me until the end of time. One of the last nights I was on set with him we had some tough scenes to do. After we got done he came to me, held me in his arms, and he told me a little something that I’ll forever be grateful. Which majority of what he said I will not share but I’ll share one piece. He said you’re great kid, I love ya, and your ride isn’t over! He slapped me on the shoulders, smiled, and walking away pointing at me. In that moment someone from the production caught that on camera. So, I actually have that picture where we shared that moment.

Neal McDonough and Chris Severio signing autographs at Pulaski Academy before the Little Rock premiere.

Which ingredient do you think makes you special and unique as a performing artist in an industry overflowing with new faces and ideas?

Honestly? I believe we are all unique in our own way, but if I had to give an ingredient to what makes me special as a performing artist it would be my ability to give back and help others along their path in life. Through my accomplishments of working in the film industry, I have had so many people from all walks of life from children, teenagers, and even young adults tell me how I have inspired them! How I have motivated them. How I helped them because of my journey in life. It really gets to me on such a deep molecular level that people have turned to me holding me up as someone they look up to. I often get emotional when I receive such messages from those who tell me how I have helped them. I do my best to reach out to those who try to contact me so I can show my appreciation for their support and as well give back to them in anyway I can. If it’s a kid wanting to play football I will reach out to them to give them words of encouragement and show my support for them. I believe we all have a purpose in life and I’ve always felt that in someway I always wanted to help others. Acting has given me that platform to do so and I want to be able to continue to keep reaching those who could use a little help in life. Life isn’t always the easiest, but having a little help goes a long way! So if I can do that I absolutely will!

What has been your biggest challenge as an actor? Have you been able to overcome that challenge? If so, how?

My biggest challenge as an actor would have to be if I did good enough. I’ve always been someone growing up who looked for approval in everything I did. I wanted to be great at something. For so long I lacked confidence in myself. That truly held me back for a long time in life just in general. I was a chubby kid growing up who got severely bullied and I just felt like I couldn’t do anything right. I became a loner most of my child good. I’m not saying I didn’t have friends because I did but I mostly kept to myself staying in my room closing myself off to the outside world. It wasn’t until later in high school where I was able to break out of my shell and truly start learning what confidence was. It took a long time for my to gain confidence and self belief. Now when I started acting I was never bullied or made fun of but I lost my confidence along the way. The constant battle of day in day out auditioning one part after another to not land anything. I can’t tell you how many parts I’ve auditioned for until I landed my first role. That was crushing to me. I was working so hard to feel like I was getting no where. I felt like I was failing at everything and in that my confidence was diminished. It wasn’t until after I stepped away that I was able to regain my confidence and how I finally overcame that challenge was accepting the fact that failing is part of the process. We can not succeed and accomplish the things we truly desire unless we have failed trying to obtain it many times. If you truly want something you will find a way! When you fall down it doesn’t matter if you fall down a hundred times it only took that last time to stand back up before you get it.

Your father is actor and Sci-Fi/Horror film director, Tony Severio. Tell us about the films you have been a part of and what it’s like working with family. Please explain.

So, working with family is probably the funnest projects to ever work on. I’ve been doing film projects with my dad since I was a child. As I said before my family has been my biggest inspirations and that has a lot to do with my pops. It was a lot of fun as a kid growing up going home to my pops where we would come up with silly ideas and go out in the backyard or his shop to create funny little skits/short films. I remember so much of those days growing up. We did this Star Wars fan film many years ago. I was probably about 10 or 11. A fat little chubby padawan making his debut on the Millennium Falcon shooting down Imperial Tie Fighters. It was quite hilarious. Imagine this chubby kid holding a make believe canon in his hands shaking it back and forth like he’s shooting everything destroying anything in sight and my flab shaking everywhere. My dad didn’t have a lot of money, but he worked with what he had and we made the best of it. Within that we created so many memories that we still recall to this day. The fan film was called, Spy Wars.

Chris Severio, with his brother Lee and their father Tony.

Loved your work in the feature film, Greater. Were you surprised when you got the news that you landed the lead role? Please explain.

I was so surprised when I landed the lead in Greater! I can’t tell you how incredibly excited I was. Let’s put this in a little perspective so we can understand the weight of it. So, I was auditioning constantly in New Orleans one after another. Remember how I said my confidence in my craft was crumbling. Well, this was one of those times where it was fading for me and I lost all drive to continue to want to be an actor. I had so many auditions and I was failing one after another when I started to tell myself it was probably time to find something else or start looking for a big boy job and hang out my dreams. I was working at a gym at the time. I was a morning manager where I would open up the gym at 5am and I would usually get off pretty early in the day, so I always had time to travel for auditions. So, I remember vividly that week I was pretty down on myself because I had gotten an audition earlier that week and I just remember bombing it out. I couldn’t believe this was happening to me when my agent called. She said Chris how fast can you get to Nola. I told her I guess I could after work. She said look I have a huge opportunity for you and I need you there right away. My ears perked up! I told her yes ma’am, I’ll be there whenever you need me.

So, that day I got to Nola from Baton Rouge with my pops, because he was actually auditioning too for another role. So, it was really awesome to go together for that. When we arrived I received the breakdown for the part. Not even realizing at the time it was for the lead in the film. It wasn’t until I was in the room with Matthew Morgan the Casting Director for the film that it was for the lead role. I went cherry red in the face. I got more nervous that I have ever been. I was basically doing a cold read because I hadn’t gotten much time to rehearse so I was doing the best I could in such a short period of time. So I managed to gather up my bearings and went after it. I left that day so discouraged... I told my dad that I didn’t think it had went well at all and he said, man no worries let’s just head home and get a bite to eat. So, honestly after that day I just tried to forget about it. I didn’t wanna to beat myself up over it. A week went by and that’s when I got a call back audition. I had to drive up to Fayetteville, Arkansas which was a 10 hour drive from where I lived. So, when my family found out my pops said he would go with me and when the day came we left to head up there just me, my pop, and my step mom! When we arrived I had done so much research for the role as Brandon, trying to get to know who he was and how I could relate myself to him. I had worked so hard for this call back there just came a time while we were on the trip where I looked at my dad and I told him that this was mine. He smiled saying, you bet it is boy! Well, we get there that day and I’m sitting there with two other monsters of men who were auditioning for Brandon as well. That confidence I had began to diminish. I was looking at these guys thinking, man I’m no where near as big as them and they look a lot more like Brandon than I did. I closed my eyes until I heard my name called. I hear Chris and walked into the room. There sat the director David Hunt, the producer Brian Reindl, and the casting director Matthew Morgan as well as a few other assistants in the room. I took a deep breath. They greeted me with smiles and it just felt really light in the room, which to me I always feel a heaviness when I’m auditioning.

The audition began! For 45 minutes it felt like was in the room going on scene after scene, reading for other parts, and improvising scenes with the director. I felt great about the work in the room that day! When I left they told me how much they loved what I did and I walked out on cloud nine. I just knew I had this in the bag. They told me they would give me a call. So we went home and I went back to work. A week went by and nothing. My anticipation to hear from them was going through the roof. Just when I thought I wouldn’t hear from them I got a call from David but it wasn’t the call I thought I was getting. I answered the phone so excited! I couldn’t believe it, I just landed the role. That’s when he answers to say, Chris you got a second? I said yes sir. David says, man I’m sorry, but we gave the role to another guy. I was crushed. I didn’t even know what to say. I usually don’t even get phone calls back to say I didn’t get a part. So, I was lost for words. I somehow managed to say, Thank you so much for calling me to tell me the news. I know you didn’t have to do that and I just want to say thank you for giving such a great opportunity to perform and audition for your film. He giggled. I was confused. He said how would you feel about another big role in the film? I said oh my goodness, yes absolutely what is it? So, he told me the part. I agreed. He said okay, I’ll give you a call next week and we will get the ball rolling. I was ecstatic!! I didn’t get the lead but I still managed to land a big role in a film. A dream of mine coming true. Words can’t explain what I was feeling. I had such a swagger about me after that walking around like I just won the lottery! Not in an arrogant way, but in a way where I just felt the best I ever have. Next week comes and I receive another call from David. He tells me hey Chris stand by your phone some things are changing and I wanna keep you in the loop. I said okay, but really nervous as to what that meant. A few days past and no call...

Chris Severio as Brandon Burlswoth in feature fim, Greater.

Then, it was at the end of the week on a Friday when I finally heard back from him. David calls and I picked up telling him hello and he says, man I really need you to sit down. I knew what that meant. He was about to tell me bad news. I said okay. Even though I kept standing. My step brother was there with me that day standing next to me listening. He goes well there isn’t any easy way to say this but we are cutting you from the part we decided to give you. My heart sank. This is what I was fearing the most from my last call with him. So, I began to say again how much I appreciated the call and thanked him for the opportunity... when he says, but look if you still want the role for Brandon it’s all yours! I said, WHAT?? He laughed out loud. He says yes sir, me and Brian talked to over and over. We just felt like you were the best fit for Brandon and could portray him with the capabilities that we are wanting to show to the audience. I literally collapsed! I was in shock. David congratulated me! He got off the phone telling me I would be flying out to Arkansas the next week. I began crying, my step brother didn’t know what was going until I told him. He jumped up with joy. Then, I jumped up in Joy! We started being crazy screaming at the top of our lungs in our apartment that we were living in, sing the song Started From Bottom! It was one of the biggest moments of my life and something I’ll next forget!

Your portrayal of Brandon Burlsworth was amazing. What was it like?

Being able to portray Brandon Burlsworth in Greater was not only a dream come true, but it also saved my life. Not the role, but the life of who Brandon was saved me because the many things he went through in life, I happened to walk a path in similar regards. So, I was able to relate to him on a personal level. With that, I had lost my connection to god years ago before landing the role. I was living in a dark place in my life before meeting Brandon (figuratively). Getting to know his story, meeting his family, and some of his teammates was so eye opening, which gave me a bigger pathway to know who Brandon was. His relationship with God was something I no longer had, but in the process of filming Greater is when I was able to mend my relationship with him and if it wasn’t for Brandon, I probably wouldn’t be having this interview. So, when I say it truly means everything to me that I was able to receive such an honor to portray him it was also an honor to get to know his life and the legacy Brandon left behind! I wish I could thank him somehow, but I know doing this film is in some way, it shows him how thankful I am to be part of his story!

Chris Severio as Brandon Burlswoth in feature fim, Greater.

What projects are you currently working on... that you can talk about?

Currently, I can not talk about anything I’m working on, but I can say that you will be seeing me back shortly! I have high hopes for the future and can’t wait to bring you all along with me!!

What’s next for you?

What’s next for me, is to continue being a daddy to a beautiful little girl, who I adore very much! We have school projects coming up. I’m looking forward to creating some school art! We also have Halloween coming up so I intend to get us some pumpkins soon so we can carve, paint, or glitter up. Also, spending time with family creating some good memories, following my dreams, and helping others where I can! I also wanna take my mom out on a date soon! We haven’t done that in a while and I know she would enjoy a dinner and a movie with her youngest favorite son. Since, I’ve received such great feedback from so many, I’ve been wanting to work on a program where I can come out to talk to kids/teenagers in schools, share my journey, and encourage them to follow their dreams by creating their own path in life!!

How can fans-to-be follow your career?

Anyone can follow me on: IG @cseverio Tik tok @cseverio Facebook Chris Severio