Meet Oswald Hunter

We recently connected with Oswald Hunter and have shared our conversation below.

Oswald, first a big thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and insights with us today. I’m sure many of our readers will benefit from your wisdom, and one of the areas where we think your insight might be most helpful is related to imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is holding so many people back from reaching their true and highest potential and so we’d love to hear about your journey and how you overcame imposter syndrome.

The truth is that I didn’t. And I honestly believe no artist who truly loves and dedicates themselves to this craft ever fully does. We’re always self-critical, always looking back at our performances thinking: “I could’ve gone deeper. I could’ve researched more. I could’ve let go more.” That fine line between self-doubt and the pursuit of perfection is where I live.

And while nothing can ever be perfect, that hunger for perfection drives me. It pushes me to outwork others, to never settle, to keep reaching. I find myself deeply inspired by great performances, and while that comparison can feed the imposter syndrome, I’ve learned to use it as fuel.

Instead of trying to silence it, I acknowledge it. I let it sit beside me. I treat it as a framework for growth. That doesn’t make it easy, but it keeps me humble without being modest, and it forces me to constantly take the next step in perfecting my craft.

Imposter syndrome also brings anxiety. In the early years of my career, that anxiety felt like an anchor. But over time, I discovered something: anxiety and excitement create the same physical sensations. The difference lies in mindset. So now, I choose to call it excitement. I let it remind me that I care. I let it sharpen me. In that way, imposter syndrome rather than being a curse, has become one of my greatest teachers.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

At the heart of it, I tell stories. Sometimes that’s through acting, sometimes through writing, and more recently through filmmaking. What drives me isn’t just the craft itself, but the chance to touch on something universal. Those moments of vulnerability, struggle, or resilience that remind us we’re not alone in this world.

I started out as an actor, but somewhere along the way I realised I wanted to shape stories from the very beginning, not just step into them once they were written. That led me to screenwriting and filmmaking. Today, I’m fortunate enough to call myself an award-winning filmmaker and screenplay writer, and yet I still feel like I’m just scratching the surface of what’s possible.

My latest project, Faces, is the biggest and most personal work I’ve taken on so far. It tells the story of a professional musician who suffers from visual agnosia, the inability to recognise faces. But the film isn’t only about his condition. It’s about the web of people around him, and how their lives and identities shift as they walk with him through rehabilitation. What fascinates me is how we’re shaped by the relationships we invest in. Healing, in this story, doesn’t just happen to one person, it ripples out to everyone involved.

For me, Faces is more than a film. It’s a statement of where I want to go as an artist: international, ambitious, and deeply human. It’s the project I hope will carve out my place on a larger stage while still staying true to the intimate, emotional storytelling that matters to me most.

Alongside the film, I’m finishing my third book, The Other Side of the Line. It follows a healthcare worker who suddenly finds himself in the vulnerable position of being the one in need of care. That experience transforms him, forcing him to confront how he shows up for others and what it truly means to hold responsibility for another life. In many ways, it’s about empathy. How fragile and powerful it can be when we allow it to change us.

What excites me most isn’t any one project, though. It’s the journey itself. I don’t see boundaries between acting, writing, and filmmaking. To me they’re all different instruments in the same orchestra. Each one gives me another way to chase truth. And truth is what I’m after, every single time.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

If I had to narrow it down to three, I’d say resilience, curiosity, and discipline.

Resilience came first, and it wasn’t something I chose. It was something life demanded of me. Like most actors, I’ve faced more “no’s” than I can count. I remember early on, walking out of an audition that I thought went terribly and convincing myself that maybe I just wasn’t cut out for this. That feeling can crush you if you let it. But over time I learned that rejection doesn’t define you, it sharpens you. Every “no” pushed me to dig deeper, to get clearer about why I was doing this in the first place. That’s resilience. Falling down, questioning yourself, and still finding the courage to show up again the next day.

Curiosity is what’s kept me growing. Living in different countries, from the Netherlands to Sweden and now Italy, has given me a chance to see the world through different lenses. That naturally spilled into my craft. I became obsessed with asking: Why do people act the way they do? What’s underneath the surface? That’s why I studied different techniques, Meisner, Uta Hagen, Stanislavski etc, because I wanted to understand truth from every angle. Curiosity makes me listen more, watch more, and notice the small details that bring characters to life. It’s what stops me from getting complacent.

And then there’s discipline, which I believe is the backbone of any creative career. Passion lights the fire, but discipline keeps it burning. For me, that’s meant setting aside time every day to work on my craft. Whether it’s rehearsing, writing, or even just observing life with intention. When I was writing my first screenplay, there were nights I wanted to quit, when every page felt like climbing uphill. But showing up consistently, even when the inspiration wasn’t there, is what turned an idea into something real. That’s the part most people don’t see: the hours of quiet work that build the foundation for the moments that end up on stage or screen.

For anyone just starting out, my advice is simple:

-Build resilience by making peace with failure. It’s not a verdict, it’s a teacher.

-Nurture curiosity by staying open, by never assuming you already know.

-Practice discipline as a daily ritual. Not because it’s glamorous, but because it’s necessary.

If you commit to those three things, the journey won’t always feel easy, but it will feel meaningful. And meaning is what sustains you when the applause fades or the doors close in your face. It’s what keeps you moving forward.

Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?

I can still picture the moment. I was standing at a crossroads in my life. Not just a metaphorical one, but a real, gut-deep pause where I had to decide who I was going to be. I had lost everything material: my house, my sense of stability, even the safety net I thought I’d always have. For the first time, I was stripped down to nothing. And when you’ve got nothing left to lose, you start asking yourself the questions you’ve been avoiding: Do I settle for a “normal” job, keep walking the hamster wheel, and live a life that feels like a nightmare? Or do I finally chase the dream that’s been burning in me since I was a kid?

I chose the dream. Not because it was easy, but because it was the only thing that felt alive. From that moment on, there was no “Plan B,” no half-hearted let’s see what happens. It was going to happen, plain and simple. That decision became the foundation I’ve built everything on since.

But the truth is, making that choice didn’t suddenly open doors. In fact, the industry met me with plenty of headwind. Arrogance, rejection, closed-off faces. Not everyone is eager to help you, especially when you’re just another actor trying to break through. But I kept pushing. I studied at a prestigious school, I reached out to professionals, and I forced myself to keep learning even when the odds felt impossible. Every setback became fuel.

And while I was pushing forward, I had two people standing firmly beside me: my mother and, later, my wife. My mother has been an anchor from the very beginning, steady in her belief even when I doubted myself. And when I met my wife, she became the fire that kept me moving when exhaustion whispered that it would be easier to stop. They’ve both been the voices reminding me why I started, and why I can’t give up.

Inside the industry, the person who truly transformed my path was John Stevens, the owner and coach at Act With Purpose International. Meeting him felt like stumbling onto a hidden doorway. His teaching isn’t about surface-level tricks. It’s about digging into who you are as an artist, pushing you into genres that scare you, and sharpening your ability to bring truth into every audition. He challenged me to stretch further than I thought I could, and in doing so, he gave me the confidence to step into rooms I once felt unworthy of.

What sets John apart is his genuine investment. At the end of each course, he doesn’t just wish his students luck, he creates opportunities. He organizes showcases with top agents and casting directors, and it was through one of those that I signed with my agency. That single connection elevated my career in a way that still ripples through everything I’m doing today.

So when I look back, the people who have helped me most are a blend of personal and professional. My mother and my wife, who held me up when I thought I’d fall, and John Stevens, who opened the door and taught me how to walk through it with strength. Without them, I might still be standing at that crossroads. With them, I’m moving forward, no matter how strong the wind blows against me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.oswaldhunter.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamoswaldhunter/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iamoswaldhunter
• Other: https://www.oswaldhunter.com/faces

  https://www.actwithpurpose.world