“I was born and raised in a little town in Nova Scotia on the eastern seaboard of Canada,” said Corey MacIntosh, Los Angeles-based actor. “This August marked my ten years here in Los Angeles, I’m in my thirties now, and more comfortable in my skin than ever before in terms of my artistry.”
As a child Corey imagined becoming a lion tamer or paleontologist (he’s great at remembering dinosaur names) among other professions, but his fifth grade teacher recognized his knack for acting. “She saw something in me that I hadn’t even really been aware existed,” he said. Corey’s teacher created a drama club that became an outlet for his wild imagination. “The summer following that class, she encouraged my parents to send me to a new theatre school that had sprung up in my hometown, the NOSCO Academy of Theatre Arts; I attended that summer and every summer for the next ten years.”
In his 20 years of acting, Corey has starred in multiple classic musicals: Grease, Guys & Dolls, Godspell, etc. “When I moved to Los Angeles in 2005, it was initially to attend the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, so I immersed myself in even more theatre work while I was a student at AADA.” After graduating, he established his own theatre that focused on re-imagining classics and producing original works. Since 2012, he refocused his attention to film and television.
This is a still from the short film All or Nothin.
His favorite roles often involve a specific time period or particular zone. “Whenever you slip into a garment that isn’t contemporary it’s easier to understand the world that that character must inhabit. The feel of clothing, how it restricts or frees up movement largely informs that style by which people use their gestures.” He continued, “Shows like Vikings, Salem, Game of Thronesgo to great lengths to provide us with a submersive experience as an audience.” Corey also highlighted The Walking Dead as a show that establishes a holistic world (he’s often told he resembles Rick Grimes).
“In the time I’ve spent so far in Los Angeles, I’ve really come to appreciate certain qualities I possess that actually link back to my homeland. Where I come from, people tend to think & speak quickly in a celtic kind of rhythm. That also imbues us with a natural sense of comedic timing which I kind of took for granted growing up. On top of that, I’m learning more and more that my natural ability to open up to people and work with empathy only helps deepen my understanding of the human story and how to put those things to work in my craft.”
This still is from Tyler Ward’s music video S.O.S.
Corey keeps himself busy by self-submitting to various casting calls (in addition to the submissions his agency makes on his behalf). “I also try and do lots of research on who people are in the capacity of what they’ve worked on and what my six degrees of separation are from them. I firmly believe that it’s not all so complicated as it’s made out to be—provided you’re diligent and willing to put in the work.” Now, he’s executive producing and acting in a new original comedy series called Unnecessary Force. “Essentially it follows the lives of the agents of the most top-secret secret agency in the world and how they work to work to battle in injustice both real and benign. It’s like a live-action Archer shot in the vein and flavor of Parks & Recreation or The Office; single cam comedy in mockumentary style.” Corey has worked on this production for the past two years and his team has begun editing it.
Here is a screen shot from the show Unnecessary Force.
“I watched my father work a job he hated just to put food on the table. He didn’t really go after what his true passion was and so I made a vow to myself early on that I wouldn’t be history repeating. I think that if the universe or God or what have you puts that passion inside of you for something that on some level you are meant to bring that to light in the waking world. It’s your soul’s calling.”
In the final segment of the interview, Corey wanted to encourage others to create their own content. “It’s easier than ever before to shoot something and get it online where people can see it. Some of what you do will be s***—keep going. Build an audience—it’s making more and more of a difference with who gets cast based on their social media following.” He also stressed fighting the fear of failure. “Acting like any art is an organic process—you’re bound to make mistakes—that’s good, it’s fodder for growth. But keep going. If you knock on the door long enough—eventually someone will answer.”
Check out his website:
www.coremacla.com
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Original article appeared at Dreamer Loop. Reprinted with permission.
Photo credit: Dreamer Loop