Baltimore-born comic, author and podcaster Stavros Halkias was destined for the highlight. He mastered the microphone at age 3. Now he delivers genuine, unfiltered comedy that blends his Greek-American roots with eager observational banter. It’s effectively on its solution to turning into a cult basic.
Also recognized for his distinctive work with audiences, Halkias is ready to achieve recognition for a unique achievement: performing. Starting October 25thfollowers will have the ability to see Halkias sort out the movies “Let’s start a cult.” Centering on its character Chip, a misfit member of a cult who misses a date with ritual suicide, the indie movie mines pleasure from a darkish place.
Today, the crimson carpet was rolled out for the movie’s Los Angeles premiere on the Harmony Gold Theater in West Hollywood, the place the forged and crew – together with director Ben Kitnick, who co-wrote the movie with Halkias and Wes Haney (who can also be co-starring) – will have fun the success of their creation. These pals, together with their humorous pals, determined to have some enjoyable within the Catskills and ended up placing collectively a must-see film that takes you on a journey stuffed with maniacal laughter, heartwarming laughter, and even a couple of tearful laughs. We just lately spoke with Halkias, 35, on the cellphone.
“Having the chance to make a movie like that is virtually like dwelling a childhood dream,” says Halkias.
(Stefan Vleming)
After years of your sizzling social pictures, it appeared It’s becoming that there was a love scene in “Let’s Start a Cult.” IIt would have been a complete disservice if we hadn’t seen that physique.
Amen, sister.
Where does all of your confidence come from?
I actually do not know. I believe as a baby it was a insecurity. I used to be that man within the t-shirt on the pool after which I believed: there is not any purpose to be like that. Maybe I’m not the most popular man on the market, however there’s a small share of horny folks, so I bought over that insecurity in a short time. Being the category clown as a baby got here naturally to me and I obtained numerous consideration from it. When I began getting optimistic consideration simply by doing what I used to be good at, it type of fueled my confidence in all of it. It’s like a basic “clown origin story” the place being the humorous man will get you observed. Once I bought a style of it, it did not take me lengthy to maneuver ahead. And happily, I had a really supportive immigrant mom who thought I used to be going to be a kind of children who goes to Harvard at age 12. He supported me an excessive amount of.
You have such a tremendous vary and it is actually enjoyable to look at. Is performing one thing you’ve got all the time carried out?
Thank you. I’ve all the time preferred it. I really like stand-up comedy a lot, however lengthy earlier than I believed stand-up comedy was a viable choice, I liked performing. I took half in lots of college performs and after I was a younger religious Greek Orthodox boy I gave readings at my church. I actually did issues in entrance of individuals. My mother and father inform this story about after I was 3 years outdated and there was a Greek pageant throughout the road from our home. As luck would have it, we lived a block from our church, and so they had this recreation space the place they have been going to have the pageant. The band began enjoying a tune I actually preferred as a baby, which I used to sing for my son. mother and father, so I bought up, went on stage and requested for the microphone. I used to be 3 years outdated and I wasn’t scared in any respect and I believed, “Oh, my tune’s on!” It’s my flip to sing in entrance of all these folks! I believe this exhibits you that typically you simply can not help what you want and who you might be.
Stavros Halkias within the movie “Let’s Start a Cult”.
(MPI Media Group / Dark Sky Films)
The first child pageant.
I used to be a spectacle from start. I believe the primary time I felt that pleasure was throughout a faculty play or whereas doing one thing significantly enjoyable. I went to an performing program till sixth grade after which I made a decision I used to be going to be an athlete. It was one of many worst selections I’ve ever made. I used to be like, performing wasn’t for me anymore. I’ll go professional in soccer or basketball. I could not even begin within the Greek church league, however I believed I might get into the NBA.
I believe you thought making it to the NBA could have really been the comic inside you making an attempt to get out.
Yes, it was an enormous mistake. But then I moved into comedy by these basic movies like “Animal House” or something with Adam Sandler, Chris Farley, Will Ferrell, Danny McBride and all of the Apatow movies. I believe my love of being humorous predates my love of comedy, however that is what bought me into stand-up comedy. Having the chance to make a movie like that is virtually like dwelling a childhood dream. I wish to do My Billy Madison. I wish to do my actually silly factor.
Do you suppose performing extra often has modified your comedy?
I believe it positively did. With stand-up, I used to be a really skilled comic and I believe lots of people know me for working with audiences, which develops over time, nevertheless it’s not like I’m giving an enormous efficiency. It’s extra nearly being quick and stuff like that. I believe performing has actually helped me as a result of it makes me rather more conscious of my face, my actions and the way I seem to another person. Acting is a visible medium and you might be so conscious that another person goes to look at it. Stand-up can also be visible, however after I do stand-up, I simply attempt to be as humorous as attainable.
I might pay to see the outtake of “Let’s Start a Cult”.“ How did this movie come about?
Ben Kitnick, who directed it, and my co-star Wes Haney, all of us did a brief model of it, possibly 5 – 6 years in the past. We labored and wrote on it collectively for between six months and a yr and it was an important expertise. We simply needed to do one thing enjoyable and entertaining, and sevens are actually enjoyable. Delusional individuals are the most effective, and I believe numerous the comedy comes out of your shock in others. The approach folks in cults suppose: you possibly can’t apply logic to it and it’ll make you snort. I like cults and suppose they’re tremendous enjoyable, nevertheless it’s not like anybody has been dreaming about this venture for 10 years. It was extra like: it is enjoyable, all of us like working collectively, all of us like foolish, punchy 90-minute comedies, let’s not give it some thought an excessive amount of. Let’s simply do it. We bought a bunch of enjoyable folks collectively, bought a bit of Airbnb within the Catskills, and simply improvised a film. We had a unfastened construction and had numerous enjoyable doing it. I’d prefer to make this an enormous a part of my future profession, simply making a handful of actually silly, humorous, fast-paced comedies.
Taking a web page from the filmHow do you suppose you possibly can obtain the most effective model of your self?
Oh, good query. Well, if we’re sincere, we’ll in all probability cease having enjoyable and consuming greens, strolling and exercising. We’re aiming for a center floor although, as a result of I believe the most effective model of myself is a man who will get to do enjoyable issues, whether or not it is stand-up, TV, or foolish comedy for the remainder of his life. I believe I’m the most effective model of myself. I actually hope folks see this film as a result of I believe my well-being depends upon it.
