Young Hollywood actor has Catoosa roots

May 21, 2007
Catoosa County News

Budding star has appeared in movies and with Leno

By Randall Franks

Billy and family moved to Los Angeles after several years of living in Atlanta. That’s where Michael’s interest in acting began and with his success the couple decided to go where the work is — Los Angeles. Since that time he continues to add to his resume. Sharon is a manager in a hospital while Billy coordinates the entertainment careers of their children.

In his upcoming movie Michael worked with director Bob Odenkirk in “The Brothers Solomon,” a project written by Will Forte of “Saturday Night Live” fame. It’s expected to release in September.

In this comedy, two brothers search for the right girl to provide their dying father with a grandchild.

“The story is about a dad who tries to make me and my brother happy all time,” Michael said. He plays John, one of the brothers in a series of flashbacks to childhood.

Michael said he had about three days of work on the film, which included taking a series of childhood photos that are what spur the actors flashbacks.

In another film, released in February, “The Work and the Glory III: A House Divided” Michael worked with director Sterling Van Wagenen in this 1800s Mormon drama based on the Gerald N. Lund novel.

He portrays Young Joshua, the nephew of Joshua Steed, the main character in the film.

“I had to wear clothes made out of wool and ride in wagons,” he said. “They are playing it winter; you had to be filming in summer. It was hot.”

Of course his work is not limited to film he is also popping up on TV shows, even on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” last Christmas where he said he did a skit on Bazaar Christmas Toys.

When asked about Leno, Michael said, “He is pretty funny.”

He also appeared in episodes of “All of Us” on UPN.

Commercials and print ads are also among his experiences.

Michael said there are several aspects of acting he enjoys including meeting all the people and learning the lines, but the main reason he cited is “because it’s fun.”

He said there are no favorites among his work, all the projects are equal in his mind.

It all started because Michael asked to do some acting, Billy said.

“There is a Christian radio station called the FISH in Atlanta and it hosted an event, AMTC, in the fall of 2004 for children acting in a safer environment,” he said. “They actually brought in agents as judges.”

He said Michael did well in the competition and all of a sudden agents were calling them.

Michael signed with Hot Shot Kids in Atlanta and with the Osbrink Agency in California.

Michael said despite the fact he is an actor he doesn’t really watch TV; he’d rather be playing songs like “Freebird” on his guitar. He said he plays every style from classical to rock n’ roll.

Billy said he homeschools Michael who is in fifth grade and does algebra, and his daughter Jamie, 6, who does fourth grade work.

Jamie is also acting even though she didn’t want to at first but she jumped on the bandwagon once she saw how much fun her brother was having, he said.

“School comes first as long as they are having fun,” Billy said. “At times I don’t have fun. That’s when I ask them, ‘Are you sure you want to do this?’ I guess that’s a little bad to discourage them some.”

At almost any moment an agent could call with an audition to get to in some part of the city. In fact the initial interview for this article was delayed when a last minute audition took them away.

“I can tell you 20 different ways to get almost anywhere in the city,” Billy said.

Being a studio parent is not an easy task, especially getting children to auditions at a moment’s notice, sometimes several a day through Los Angeles traffic, and then when one of the children are chosen for a job, getting them to fittings and rehearsals, overseeing their school, and spending days with them on the film and TV sets.

“It works for our family,” he said. “We probably see more of each other than the typical American family.”

Billy said another interesting opportunity from the entertainment work is all of the family gets to meet people they would not otherwise, such as Jack Nicholson, Gwen Stefani and David Spade.