It’s been too long!!!

Hmmm…so California…Los Angeles…interesting…

I am well aware that it’s been a year since I last blogged…truth be told, I didn’t feel I had anything to blog about. I started my blog on such a high note, that I felt if it couldn’t compete, so I’d keep stuff to myself. But, I just turned 25 yesterday, so this is going to serve as a record of my 24th year and all those kids I’ve been outta contact with for the last year. All the “dude, whens your next role? Have you made it yet? When am I going to see you on this big screen again?”. This is to put all that to rest.

Let me start by saying, Hollywood, even with all the bums and fecal matter on the sidewalks, is actually kind of a beautiful place. Nobody here, is from here. And if they are, they are hipsters who ride their bicycles right past us. Yes, there are the prom king’s and queen’s from every middle American town here to hit gold, and weirdos who would sell their soul to a reality show. But there are also kids that truly enjoy acting/music/entertainment/writing, producing etc. And anybody who can pack their shit up and head to one of the toughest towns in the country has to have something going on their head! I use the respect I have for them to fuel my OWN confidence and kudos…I have met some of the most talented people that you don’t know…and sadly, will never know. It’s just the laws of probability, we can’t ALL make it!

I didn’t come to LA thinking everything was going to be a walk in the park. I won’t discount the advantages I had, ie: agent/manager…there are people that have been out here 5 years and don’t have representation. KUDOS TO YOU! But even with these advantages, the struggle is just as tough. I have made 180′s in this town…but you HAVE to see the silver lining in everything. Very difficult, yes. But, for all the bullshit I’ve been through in this town, God (or someone) has sent blessings to me at ALL the right times. I wont elaborate in specifics, because this is the internet and it’s none of your fu***ng business : p

I moved here with 2k…almost went flat broke, hit the streets for a gig for a month…and a beacon of hope finally called me. This afforded me the ability to get everything I needed to essentially start a new life across the continent. It helped me pay my rent, and allowed me to meet some of the most amazing people this town, or this COUNTRY had to offer. sidenote: one thing I find so amazing about LA is that you NEVER know who is up to what…you never know if the dude checking your bags at a hotel has been on a big screen across the country, ya never know if the dude parking your car is a freaking hilarious standup comedian, you never know if your bartender is in talks with 20th century fox about selling a script he just finished working on, or if your pizza delivery boy just got back from directing his first feature film and already has a distribution deal. -Thats alot of examples, but I want to speak for all of us in this! All of those guys and gals have someone back home thats wondering when they are going to make millions, and we all have to say “ah you know, working on it, stuff just takes time”. I’ve had this conversation at least 363 times this year. LET ME JUST SAY IT FOR ALL OF US! “WE ARE HERE! WE AREN’T LEAVING! AND BE HAPPY THAT WE ARE ALIVE AND WELL”.

Ok…where was I…remember, this is a year of stuff backed up…and its all exploding onto your computer screen…don’t even say it…Ah yes, so, I was broke, got unbroke…then I needed to move…magically, when I needed to move, an amazing opportunity opened up…almost like it was JUST FOR ME…I learned alot, got closer to the action…had a comfy place to lay my head and brainstorm on what ELSE I could do in this town. Then…on a dreary day…the rug was swept out from underneath me…BOOSH! Back to square one? Would seem so…but this rug being swept from beneath me allowed me to go home and get some serious chilllll time with the family. And we all need that right? Amazing…then…back to LA.. “oh shit, reality”…but one of the amazing people I met while working at the “beacon of hope” has to come into town for a few months for work…BAM, I’m saved, once again! All while maintaining a steady savings account. DAMN THIS BLOG IS THERAPEUTIC!  So, ya’ boy Maxx is safe and sound!

I’m losing steam here, and I have to be to work soon, as do you. So lets rap this ish up.

If your out here…you have done what 90% of other attention loving, talented, vane, geniuses have not done. For that, give yourself a round of applause. DISCLAIMER-This does not pertain to kids that have their parents pay their rent and car note. I’m not hating on you, but these situations wouldn’t pertain to you..and there is nothing worse than a rich kid trying to convince him/herself and those around them that they are working for what they got.

When your out here…learn to broaden your horizons…don’t come here just to act…if thats all you got going on, you’ll shoot yourself. Explore all the facets of the industry. I came out here to act…now I’m here to act, to make music, to write a script, to DJ the hell outta some parties (those who know me know I don’t party) But you know I could rock a crowd!

Don’t come here to get laid, don’t come to party (unless I’m DJing), don’t come thinking success is being the lead in feature film, don’t come if you don’t plan to eat shit for many years, don’t come if you seek cheap rent, don’t come if you like to park your car, don’t come if you dont believe in cover charges or paying over $10 to park your car, don’t come if you dislike being brutalized by police…

Come here and work your hardest to…damn, book a commercial for cryin’ out loud! Book an industrial that will pay your rent for 3 months…THAT is success…TRUST ME! Keep an open mind…as backwards as LA is…its quite progressive. You can legally carry an OZ of herb, you will see dudes holding hands  (and more on the right night in west hollywood) you will see women so hot that unfortunately like other women…you have to accept these things. DISCLAIMER-I’m writing this for people that might not be used to this. I strongly support gay rights as well as the legalization of marijuana, and no, I’m not gay and I’m not a pothead. But, whats right is right. It’s insane to put a lazy stoner in prison and gays, well they deal with enough bullshit all over this country, so at least WEHO gives them a spot to chill!

Ok, I’ve talked about how I went broke, Ive talked about the working class and i managed to get to gay rights…yea, you can probably tell I’m freestylin’ this thing.

Anywho, like I said, ya boy Maxx is all good, and has some amazing things in the works. Don’t you worry. But with the rapid speed hollywood goes…personal success is as slow as traffic on the 405…but when you finally hit that exit..BOOM! You get to where you want with the quickness : )

Damn, I keep thinking I’m done but think of something else. I recently saw a comedian…she was hilarious and I kick myself for not being able to give her a shoutout. But she veered into a segment from her 1 woman show about how even when we think we are doing stuff by ourselves…we never actually are. For all my personal struggles that I beat myself up over or thought, “Why can’t someone just bail me out”…in a sense, someone always did. Every job I got here was because somebody GAVE me the opportunity…if I book something…yeah, I won the room over…but who GOT me in the room? If my car breaks down and I get it taken care of on the cheap, its because I had someone who was willing to help me out! If I get a song produced…yea, I paid for it..but who had the knowledge to make that song be its full potential??

We all gotta do our time, and that time is sometimes long…maybe longer than the kid sitting next to you. But f*** it, thats him and YOU ARE YOU! EXAMPLE- I remember in the midst of shooting a film, I came back to VA to shoot a short I had committed to. It was an overnight shoot and had to be back to the other set the next afternoon. did NOT want to do this. But the other dude I was in the film with, my buddy Erik odom was so stoked for what I was doing. Your always jazzed when someone you know is having success…he moved out to LA…and now…he’s in Twilight with 7k twitter followers…he got his!! Sorry, had to put that example out there to give you a first hand account of how it can go out here!

Ok, really, I have to go. I hope everyone considers this a good posting on the status of Maxx and his experience in LA…Ill try not to make it another year before I shed all this weight.

For all those people that have helped me and stuck by my side in this town and afar…I love you more than words can express and I measure my success by making every one of you proud. Whether I manage a mcdonalds or make a million a film…I will do my best in whatever! (don’t worry, McDonalds wouldn’t hire me) But I was put here to entertain, and I’m going to entertain in SOME facet!

ONE LOVE!

-Maxx

btw-as some of you know, my facebook “LIKE” page was hacked, therefore I have no access to it..so I made a new one and not enough of you have converted! GET TO IT PEOPLE!!  Maxx Hennards FACEBOOK!

Cali Bound

So, without much word, I packed my car to the brim, and I’m heading out west to Los Angeles! I am currently in TX staying with my chum Tim Platt and it feels glorious to be home! However, its a short lived visit and will be on the road in a couple of days to Phoenix then off to Cali. I can tell you, leaving that town (virginia beach) was alot harder than anticipated. You don’t realize the love you have in a place until it’s not around anymore. I have also realized with each mile farther that I drive, I am definitely a mama’s boy because I miss her greatly already! But, I’m 24 years old, and I feel the need to go out and learn how to be an adult…and considering I want to act as a career…why not give it a try in LA? If I can make it in an overpriced, bankrupt state…I can probably make it anywhere! To soften the transition, a couple of my good cronies are moving out there as well! My buddy Corbet Weller, an aspiring music composer for Film and Video games , as well as my brosiv Dan Sieg, a very talented engineer who has actually recorded all of my music for the last 2 years. So, with Corbet being a personal trainer, and Dan being an audio engineer, I should be in tip top shape AND have an EP in the next 6 months!

My tenure with Buckwald Agency was short and uneventful, BUT, I do have a meeting with Jay at Maverick in LA which is definitely something to look forward to. I am going out there with with no fantastical ideas, but the mindset that I have to get a job STAT. No matter WHAT it is…hey, Brad Pitt wore a chicken suit at one time! I truly appreciate all the love some of you have left me on my FB and Myspace and I really hope I can make you guys proud. But just know as well as me, that it’s a long and arduous journey. Some are lucky, and some truck it out forever. Me, if I find I can’t make a living at this gig, I will be a traveler. It would be a damned shame to chase a dream till your too old to do anything else.

I have always said that when I felt I needed to go, I just would, and I guess I finally felt it. I didn’t do alot of goodbyes…they are no fun. Until the moment I pulled outta that driveway, the realness of this just hadn’t hit me. But, much ado about nothin! I wont say VA has been the best to me, but I think I might the best the place had to offer…along with the worst : / But Im only thinking about the best : ) Ill miss you folks and appreciate all the people that have worked with me and for me to have the success I have had. Until I have something righteous to blog about, this will probably be it for awhile. Damn…even saying bye on blog is hard. wah wahhhh.

OKAY! much love

Maxx

Some Quick Shout Outs!

Dear John hits theaters February 5th, keep your eyes peeled and you can catch a glimpse of your boy Maxx! librarian

The new Pics on my site were done by one of the best boys, Michael Hawkins down in TX, it was on a whim, but the boy has got some talent. Hit him up if your in the FDUB.

Also one of my best ever who happens to sing for the band Oh, Sleeper, has started his own lighting company Violent Lighting, so  bands…hit him up, he’s one talented bit.

So, you wanna be an actor?

     Ok, so I seem to get alot of emails…phone calls…etc. from people that want to become actors, or want to know how to break in the biz…well…my first piece of advice is…find another career choice! I’m not being cynical, but this is a tough job! And “making it” is all a personal perspective. Most of the people asking my advice see the million dollar paycheck that comes with “making it”, much like I did when I first began this journey. But folks, it’s just not like that. I look back at when I first started this gig, I made people laugh, thought I was funny, and thought it was a matter of time. “buzzing sound!” Here I am, a short 5 years later, and I have 3 legitimate credits that anybody outside of my hometown actually care about. And when I say care…I mean, they take notice of. Being in a film just doesn’t allow you to walk into an agency in NY or LA and say “hey! I was in a flick! Lets sign the paper work!” No no, not at all my friends. They want legit footage and a plethora of credentials on your resume. And to get to that point, you have to be where the action is. Straight up, no 2 ways about it. You HAVE TO BE WHERE THE ACTION IS! The deeper I have gotten into the craft, the more business aspects that come up, the more I realize that this is not a weekend warrior gig…this is full time commitment. And this commitment doesn’t guarantee the riches. And it’s not all MOVIES MOVIES MOVIES! To be a working actor and to be a movie star are 2 toooootally different things. And I think the average person getting into it does not realize that. Well, they just don’t. Anyhow, I didn’t write this to ramble or discourage anybody from pursuing their dream of acting. But, sometimes, you just need to truth. And sure, I am still learning, but the info I have portrayed in this blog is accurate up the point I’m at. So, first things first…

Premier!!s

Whooooaaa! So the premier was completely nutty! I am so glad theses chaotic last 2 weeks ended with a bang. I was definitely stressing all the way until I made it to the carpet! Luckily I felt like a million bucks! My manager happens to know the executive producer of “criminal minds”, who was generous enough to let me come in morning of the premier and take whatever I needed to wear. And the threads were top notch! The clothes were the last hurdle, once that was outta the way, I went back to the hotel and crashed on the rooftop pool for an hour. 

Arriving at the premier was pretty cool, tons of pretty people that say hi like they know you…and the cameras..I’m not gonna lie, I am still in a bit of shellshock from that, No lie, there is probably about 30 cameras flashing at once! http://www.aceshowbiz.com/events/Maxx%20Hennard/ALO-084584.html The interviews were a breeze though (minus the fuel TV one) I am not sure if that girl had taken speed or xtacy before the show. I also met Ron Livingston which I was just STOKED about! I  have only seen office space about 754 times! Really cool dude!

The actual theater was pretty nuts as well! They were screening in two theaters (IMAX style) and I was sitting right next to Lauren Graham with whom I had some great convo with. Seeing the movie was pretty surreal. I was sad to see myself go! But the movie is actually very entertaining. I don’t know what I expected of the film, but regardless of its genre…or its overall point..I was pretty amazed at how everybody did in the movie. The actors were definitely top tier. Seriously, all of the kids in this movie should be moving on to great things! 

Anywho, it was all in all a wonderful experience and I’m glad I can say I got to do it! I am enjoying the last night I have here with friends, and try to stay up past 10pm! Ok, hitting the beach!

BTW, I had a meeting with the buckwald agency here…it seems the verdict is I HAVE TO BE IN LA LA LA….hmmm…I just DONT KNOW!

http://www.life.com/search/?q0=maxx+hennard&x=0&y=0

LA is Hott Hott Hott

So, got to LA last night…not as smokey as I was expecting. I am staying at the wonderful Andas Hotel on Sunset where I ran into Niecy Nash (that chick from Reno 911)…weird seeing people like that in person. Woke up at 5am thinking my day was supposed to start and could NOT crash back out. My eyes are droopy as all hell right now. My manager is friends with the executive producer of “Criminal Minds” and he set me up a meeting with the wardrobe dept. for the show this morning, so, I got to go and pull clothes that I could NEVER afford…I think I will be spoiled after this. I don’t ever want to wear another volcom tee again! haha! Anyways, it was fun playing dress up. We then went to lunch at Toast, which provided a pretty scrumptious meal and I saw that guy for Royal Pains…once again, weird seeing people like that in person. The premier is tonight at 7, Im dreadfully tired, so Im gonna go soak up some rays at the pool, get some color in my life, and try to take a nap. 

Goodnight Neverland

Solid news ALL THE WAY AROUND!

Okay, so 2 days ago I made a most triumphant journey with actors Keith Gregory and Derek Leonidoff to Pittsburgh to get wardrobe fitting for Unstoppable AND to audition for the film Love and Other Drugs. About 30 minutes after we auditioned, we got a call from the casting director telling us we ALL got callback and they wanted us to come back to Pittsburgh the next day to audition for the director. Now, since I had to leave for Ohio the next day for Unstoppable, this proved to be a problem. So after getting new tires on Keith’s car and chillin’ hard at Sams Club, we dropped Derek off at a hotel so he could make the callback the next morning, THEN! We drove back to VA Beach. I managed to get  a flight into pittsburgh during all this mess btw. I arrived at my house around 5 30am, had the cab pick me up at 7am then got on a plane RIGHT BACK TO PITTSBURGH! I made my callback and got a ride to set in Ohio with production. It all worked out! 

So today I went with actor Kevin Chapman (Mystic River, Ladder 49) to get last looks by Tony Scott. I got some great advice from Kevin and honestly the dude couldn’t be more humble. I also met Ethan Suplee (American History X, My Name is Earl) and TJ MIller (cloverfield, The Goods). We all ended up going to eat dinner at this fantastic Italian place next to the hotel. Had a great time, totally bazaar eating with Ethan. I have seen this guy since American History X. Such a nice guy. People at the restaurant were trippin’ out. SO WEIRD! 

Another good tid-bit is I am on the board for Love and Other Drugs, so I COULD still get a part in it!

Okay, I’m a little jaded, tired, and have a 5am call time…

If you are thinking about acting, refer to the first part of this blog and understand that this job requires the maximum commitment of your time AND your money! It doesn’t just happen overnight and sometimes never happens! Okay, done blogging for now…

Start with a bang!

So this is the first blog I have ever blogged…and luckily I have some cool stuff to talk about! First off, thanks for checking it out! This month is a crucial one! I just came off a great, week long shoot for Modelogic in RVA. Got back and left the next day for NYC to meet with the Gersh Agency. Left from NY to meet T0ny Scott on a callback for the film Unstoppable with Denzel Washington and Chris Pine. On arrival to VA Beach I got the call with an offer for a small part in Unstoppable. Unfortunately! The shoot dates overlap my trip to LA for the Sorority Row premier! So, pending some negotiations, I might be leaving for Ohio to shoot the 31st thru the 2nd, leave the morning of the 3rd, arrive to LA morning of premier! LONG DAY! I will leave LA the 6th to fly to NYC for class and do some SIRIUS satellite radio interviews! Then drive back home the 8th. So…QUITE THE MONTH! Keep your fingers crossed that it can all work out!

Maxx