Stefan Boehm talks passion for acting and advice for beginners
It’s hard to imagine a time when Britain’s renowned actor Stefan Boehm was on a different career path. He has risen to the very top of his field, but unknown to his many fans around the world is that Boehm was previously an investment banker. However, he got to the point where he was not learning or growing in a way that was making him happy. He knew he needed a change, and left the world of finance. He wondered what he could do that would truly make him happy, and he knew that if he could do anything, he would be an actor. It was a dream he always wanted to pursue, but never thought it was attainable.
“Initially I thought acting was something I could do as a side interest and quickly realized it is something that you have to completely immerse yourself in and learn by studying and doing, whether that be on stage or screen,” said Boehm.
Since making that fateful decision to become an actor by trade, Boehm has never looked back. His innate talent and commitment to succeed allowed him to quickly rise to the top of Britain’s entertainment industry, working on BBC’s Being Human, The Game starring Golden Globe winner Brian Cox, the award-winning Neo Noir crime drama 100 Bullets, Stan Lee’s Lucky Man, Sky’s highest rated drama production, and the film Hush, where he was nominated for Best Actor for his portrayal of Marcus at the Hush Vasteras Film Festival 2016. All of this was achieved within the first few years of pursuing his passion.
“I remember the feeling of being on set for my first ever day of filming and the nerves and the emotional highs were incredible. Being on set is such a special and unique experience and it really imprints strong memories and experiences that you never forget,” says Boehm. “I think as an actor and in life sometimes you forget how far you’ve come. I was lucky enough to work with some fantastic actors early on in my career, like Brian Cox and James Nesbitt. The learning curve was steep, but these are the challenges you want as an actor, and I have always found that the bigger the talent, the more generous they are with their time and experience.”
Boehm’s style of acting is rooted in the real and believable approach. He aims to always be in that moment, in that situation, with that person, feeling the way his character would in those circumstances. He says he does most of the real work before he even starts filming, studying the story of the project he has taken on and the character so deeply, that when he arrives on set, it all feels extremely natural. Audiences can see this commitment to his art with his more recent work on Netflix’s The Liberator, which made it into the streaming platform’s Top 10, the movie Dead Ringer, which took home Best Independent Film at the National Film Awards in 2019, and the new science-fiction flick Override, which was recently released on Tubi TV in early 2021 in the United States and on Amazon in the United Kingdom.
“The main satisfaction for me as an actor comes when people see something you have been in and they share their feelings and opinions with you afterwards. I think storytelling has the power to change people’s viewpoints on many important topics in a subtle way and through the power of emotions and feelings rather than being preached to about something, which often leads to disengagement,” says Boehm.
So what’s next for this illustrious performer? Boehm has a lot on the go right now. He will be playing the lead role of real life American engineering genius, George Washington Goethals in the series Engineering That Built America to hit screens in 2022 on The History Channel. He is due to start shooting the crime drama, Coyote, in New Mexico which will start shooting after he obtains his visa, and can be seen as a fiery Captain Matthews in a remake of War of the Worlds, to hit screens in the UK later this year. On top of this, he will play the lead role of Trent in Tell No Tales, which will begin shooting in the Summer.
Despite his continued success and a decade of work under his belt, Boehm still remembers making that transition from the finance world and feeling uncertain of his future. He remains extremely humble despite his expansive resume, and offers some wise words for those just starting out in the industry looking to follow in his footsteps.
“If you are serious about acting, or even just curious, try it and find a way to act. It could be writing a scene for you and a friend to play out, you can get a part in a student film or just film something on your phone with your friends that you have made up. You could even just take a segment from your favorite film or character to learn and perform, and film it on your phone. If you then want to take things further, go to an acting course in your local town and this will give you the opportunity to delve more into the world and meet other people in the industry. Even simply watching films and thinking about why you like certain performances and why they are making you feel a certain way is a great starting point. Take action. Today is the key,” he advises.
To stay up-to-date on Boehm’s career, head to his iMDB page.
