10 QUESTIONS WITH…KIOWA GORDON @CircaKiGordon

KIOWA GORDON was born in Berlin and moved to the US shortly after, settling down in Phoenix. It wasn’t long before he landed the role of Embry Call in The Twilight Saga. The rest is history. 

He recently won best supporting actor at the 2013 American Indian Film Festival in San Francisco and is currently working on a Sundance original series called The Red Road.

Massive thanks to Ki for taking time to speak to THE ACTORS PAD. 

10 QUESTIONS WITH…KIOWA GORDON

When did you realise you wanted to be a professional actor?

I didn’t realise I wanted to be a professional actor until I actually got the chance to be one. My first audition was for the twilight saga: New Moon. I was 18. Needless to say, I booked it and my mindset toward life shifted. Being on set for the first time was surreal. The hair and make up trailer. My own trailer I had to take naps, study lines or do whatever in. That’s made I set my mind to continue down this path for as long as I can sustain it. 

What’s your proudest career moment/Job?

My first audition was the biggest one and had such a huge impact in my life and my career trajectory. Before that, I never really felt a sense of pride. I had another proud moment some years later when I booked my first movie outside of the twilight franchise. A little indie film, based off of, The Lesser Blessed, a novel by Canadian writer, Richard Van Camp. Another moment came from the http://Sundance.tv series, The Red Road, created by Aaron Guzikowski and starring Jason Momoa, Julianne Nicholson, Martin Henderson, Tamara Tunie, Allie Gonino, Tom Sizemore and yours truly. That ran for 2 seasons. You can find them on Netflix, along with, The Lesser Blessed. 

What’s the hardest thing about working on a tv/film set?

The hardest thing about working on a set is probably staying fresh and if it calls for it, energetic. Doing the same scenes over and over can become stale.

What’s the best piece of advice someone has ever given you? 

“Suck it in and tell ’em the truth.” – Chaske Spencer.”

Do you watch the projects you’ve appeared in? What’s that like?

I do. At first to critique myself and the rest of the project. And again, as an audience member. It can be hard to watch sometimes. I try not to look away though.
 
Who’s the best actor you’ve ever worked with? Why?

Best actor I ever worked with? I can’t name a single one. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. They make us human. None of us are better than anybody else. Sure, there can be some technical aspects that you can rate but I’m not very technical. I just try to live in the moment. 

How do you approach learning lines?

I real everything I can, to get the context and then I work on memorization which leads to making it become my voice and more natural. 

What advice would you give to your younger self?

Don’t shy away from your fears, run at them head on, with intelligence and courage.

If you had to choose between working in theatre or TV or Film for the rest of your life, what would you choose? Why?

Film. That’s my speed. That is where I feel the most engaged with everyone working towards the same goal everyday. The cohesiveness and getting to the point of it all. When the story ends, that’s it. You move on. I want to tell the most concise story without too much adulterated content. Also, I like to hide in front of a lens when I’m being that vulnerable. 

What have you got coming up?

I’m working on some music projects with some friends. Nothing big. This winter I’ll be working on a film, Whisper of The Wolves, a psychological thriller set in a small town nestled in the woods. Details are fuzzy.
 
Thanks for reading.