NECESSARY DRAMA
Interview by Danielle Eliska Lyle
Joel Steingold is a Detroit native who believes his hometown gave him the tools he needs “to go anywhere in the world and thrive.” Joel is one of the few I know with a positive character that reflects in action while he moves through life with refinement. He is determined to make his dreams, reality. AffluentMag.com is exposing who he is behind the lights, camera and action. Joel gives us the script on the journey of an actor, the importance of staying focused and Denzel Washington’s 2002 win at the Oscars.
Joel was in his first school play at the age of 10 and took his first acting class at 11. “I was 15 years old when I knew I wanted to act”, the artistic, 31 year-old tells AffluentMag.com.
After graduating from college in 1999, Joel stayed in Detroit for a year doing industrial films for Ford, GM, and Chrysler along with some voice over work. “I felt lucky to work as an actor at home, but the work I was doing wasn't what I’d dreamed.”
Joel made the decision to move to Los Angeles. After quick success in the Detroit market he thought he’d be a working actor within two years. “I learned quickly there are so many uncontrollable elements within an acting career”, says Joel. “Putting a timeline on success is impractical. 2003 is the year I booked my first television role. I played a sheriff on a show called ‘Firefly’.”
Joel currently has two national Chrysler commercials running on television and is performing promotional voice over work for FX Network. “I also play two animated character voices in the independent comedy ‘Universal Remote’ by Detroit native, Gary Hardwick, writer and director of ‘Brothers’ and ‘Deliver Us From Eva’. I just booked a Bud Light National commercial. The shoot is this month.
“My biggest break must've been when I booked my first pilot on a new show called ‘Threshold’ in 2005. I remember I was in the Denver Airport on my way to shoot a co-star role I had in a made-for-television movie called 'Locusts’. I felt like I was on cloud 9. I was booked for two weeks on ‘Threshold’ and had the most lines yet. That job taught me a valuable lesson about ending up on the cutting room floor. I told all my friends to watch and they cut so much of my dialogue that my part ended up looking quite small.”
Although acting is Joel’s ultimate passion, we all “gotta eat.” Joel talks about substitute teaching and his impact on his students. “Working as a substitute teacher is more about classroom management. I rarely get to teach an actual lesson on a subject. The positive side of that is I talk to students about preparing for their future and explain there are various ways to achieve success. Not every child fits the mold educators and parents attempt to squeeze children into. I use my career as an example.”
When Joel’s not acting, he loves traveling. “One of my favorite quotes is ‘Life is like a book. If you don't travel, it's like you never read past the first page’. Most of us get our ideas of what other places are like from television. It's like looking at life through a peephole. You only see a distorted, inaccurate picture.” Joel also enjoys snowboarding and stays in shape by playing basketball a few times a week and frequent workouts.
The talented, young actor expresses his thoughts on African-American representation in film.
“Black actors in film and television have two jobs at once. They have to entertain you and also be an on-screen role model to ensure their character doesn’t reinforce negative stereotypes. It's unfortunate because it impedes the creative process. White actors perform without thinking about what the White community will think. Jim Carey creates extreme and crazy characters and is not concerned with upholding an ethnic high ground. In a perfect world, Black actors wouldn't even think about it, but racism is alive. How Black characters are portrayed on television is the responsibility of the performer.
“So far I haven't had any roles that made me feel I had to compromise my ideals just to work as an actor. I want to be able to look back at my career and be proud of what I accomplished.”
Many people resent Denzel Washington winning the Oscars for the role in “Training Day”. While some believe there was nothing wrong with role, others believe it to be a stereotypical situation of Blaxploitation. Joel gives a balanced perspective.
“The Oscars are very subjective. First, I think it's important to consider who votes. Most academy members are not people of color. This affects how and why Oscars are given out. Denzel Washington did a great job in "Training Day", but "Malcolm X" was an epic performance of an iconic figure in history that was performed to perfection. News flash, life ain’t fair and neither are the Oscars.
“Success for an actor is defined by the individual. I believe a successful actor must have thick skin. Your pride will be tested regularly. You must constantly think about the business side of ‘show business’ and discover creative ways to market yourself. Find ways to stay motivated. Don’t hang out with a lot of non-working actors. The last thing you need is other actors talking about how frustrated they are. Misery loves company.”
Joel desires to bring a fresh, real sense to a character when acting. “It's entertainment and the audience needs to want to watch you.”
Joel is gifted, intelligent and handsome with a debonair sense of style. For the ladies who faint when they see him on television or in photos, this is for you. We asked 5 things a woman of interest must possess to catch the attention of this gorgeous, eligible bachelor.
“I love a woman who knows how to listen. There are few things that feel better than when your lady brings up a story you told her and relays some of the intricate details you shared with her. Those moments are priceless. It's as if she's telling you, ‘YOU MATTER’.
“Be adventurous and spontaneous. It helps keep a relationship fresh.
“One thing that really attracts me to a woman is when she knows how to light up a room. I don't know if it's learned or innate, but when I see a woman that uses her grace, beauty, and conversation to make an impact in a crowd it's like magic.
“A woman should be comfortable in her own skin. Relationships are hard enough. No man wants to spend time building his mate’s self-esteem. Hopefully, she is continuously learning about herself throughout life.
“Be sexy and have a sense of style.”
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