We’re looking forward to introducing you to Curtis Cunningham. Check out our conversation below.
Good morning Curtis, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? When was the last time you felt true joy?
That’s a very good question. Last winter, myself and some friends drove from Jersey City to Acadia National Park in Maine. We left around around 9pm and drove through the night. Making pitstops along the way in Massachusetts and Rhode Island at gas stations and drive-ins, it was a very calm night. After Many hours of driving we finally start see signs for the National Park. it was around 5am when we pulled into the parking lot of a lookout spot in the park. we got changed into all of our winter gear and went to the rocks along the shore and watched the sun rise. I think about that sunrise quite often. I the cold air brushing you from the wind coming off the water, heavy eyes from a long night of driving, just to watch the big yellow ball in the sky to break over the horizon. surrounded by good company. it was a core memory for sure.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My Name is Curtis Cunningham, I am an actor living in New York City. I moved to New York in 2021 for college, I attended The American Academy of Dramatic Arts (AADA). Growing up in the middle of the Canadian Rocky Mountains, I spent many early years out in the woods camping, hiking, fishing and a bunch of other outdoor activities; but there was always something bigger calling to me. My whole family has the travel bug, My Father spent 10 years travelling the world before he decided to back to school, and that brushed off on my self and my siblings real bad. we all decided to travel once we were old enough to do it on our own. What was supposed to be a 3 months trip turned into about 6 years on and off travelling the globe by myself. I handled the life style of traveling until the money ran out, then I would return to Alberta for a while, save up and then hit the road again. When I wasn’t traveling abroad, I was teaching Outdoor School with the YMCA right in the heart of the Rocky Mountains just steps from Banff National Park. I loved that job so much, I was getting paid to live in a Tipi and fall asleep by a campfire every night. I was teaching rock climbing and canoeing, hiking and wilderness survival skills. I would go horseback ridding with my students and teach them how to chart a map and build a fire, best job I ever had. For the better part of a decade I was living out of a backpack, whether it was in Canada or out in the world. After sometime I was craving a new adventure, I was able to get a working visa for Australia and packed up my entire life and moved down under. I lived in Melbourne for as long as I could, I was bartending at the youth hostel I was staying at, it was an absolutely incredible time. throughout my life, people would say to me that I should get involved in acting (I consider myself a pretty dramatic person in general), but i never really believed it or knew what to do about it. I came back to Canada to spend the holidays with my family, it was a random morning in late December, I was looking at flights back to Melbourne when I came across an ad for The American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Just like that, the fireworks went off in my mind and I knew that was my next goal; to pursue a career in acting in New York City. After some hard work, a global pandemic, and more work I was accepted into the Academy and moved to New York in September 2021. Since graduating in April of 2023 I was chosen to take part in the Academy’s third year company program, I was given the opportunity to engage and work with some tremendous actors and directors, truly a life changing experience. Since my departure from The Academy I was been involved with a few sketch comedy shows here in New York, I was part of the Netflix show Zero Day, as well as a film in Adamstown P.A. called Factory Chase which has been premiered at a few festivals in Pennsylvania. each project I have worked on has been an incredible journey both for myself and my career and i am beyond excited to see where my next projects take me. Personally I have always wanted to take part in some sort of Western. I understand that a bit biased given where I am from but I can’t help but think that would be just the coolest thing to be a part of. It also just so happens to be that I share a birthday this one of the kings of Westerns Mr. John Wayne. Fingers crossed that little dream of mine is waiting on my horizon very soon.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
That’s actually kind of a tough one because I feel for most things in my life I can easily jump back into them. Honestly I realized about a year ago or so that I’m more focused now on growing roots somewhere. Spending so many years travelling and camping, flying and hiking; I realized that I don’t have the energy for or the patience to live out of a backpack anymore. Overall it was one of the best experiences of my life and I wouldn’t trade it for the world but at that same time I had a shift in focus and even that, it grew my desire to settle somewhere. The days of arriving in a foreign city and doing as much as I can just to be on the first bus, flight, train, moped or whatever form of transportation was before me has come to a well deserved end …for now at least. I try to come back to it here and there when I can. Some friends of mine and myself went to a 5 day festival just this past summer and that was nostalgic for me, dusted off the old 60L backpack, filled it and hit the road again. It was very reassuring that I still “had it” so to speak. What was even better was knowing I had a nice big bed, a fridge with food in it and some decent indoor pluming waiting for me when I got back to the city.
What fear has held you back the most in your life?
Oh wow that would for sure be the fear of embarrassing myself. For sure the one thing that I have been struggling with my whole life. That comes with the bad habit of trying to get everything right the first time you do it, it’s a real double whammy. I do find it a bit funny from someone like me who is trying to make a career of being seen by others.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
No matter how far my career takes me or how high it takes me, the plan is to eventually buy a small plot of land with a hill on it and construct my own Hobbit Hole and live in it full time. I am constantly checking websites and apps for plots of land in the middle of nowhere. I am a huge nerd for The Lord of the Rings and other works by Tolkien, and the idea that is The Shire truly sounds like the exact life I wish to live one day. I can’t help but smile at the thought of spending my days as slow, peaceful little hobbit. I know that’s where I am going because I already try to spend as much time as I can barefoot.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I go to visit the actual film set of The Shire from The Lord of the Rings set in Matamata New Zealand. it was an absolute dream come true. the best part about the whole thing was that for most of the film set it a guided tour as they show you specific spots where certain scenes were filmed and what not. I was dropping so many facts from the movies and books about the shire that my tour guide pulled me aside at the end of the tour and said “if you want, I can speak to my boss and get you a job here because you were talking about things that I didn’t even know about” those words were music to my ears. unfortunately I had to decline this legendary offer because I was visiting the country on a tourist visa and was not allowed to work. but to end that story on a happy note, I went and bought a golden dwarf coin from the giftshop ( it was a coin from Erebor which was the fortress under the Lonely Mountain, home of the line of Durin0). That coin has stayed in my backpack since the day I bought it in 2018 and I don’t intend on taking it out any time soon. It’s certainly not real gold as most of it has rubbed off by now, but it is by far one of my most prized possessions.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.curtiscunningham.net
- Instagram: @the_goose26
Image Credits
kyliemurphyphotography.com
@mozianmedia
@evie_tahmazian
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