Rising Star Actor Kent Boyd On The Five Things You Need To Shine In The Entertainment Industry
…It’s okay to create your own character. This idea took some time to hit me. It’s great to follow trends and listen to what’s “in” at the moment, but don’t let that hinder your own imagination. If anything, let it help you!
As a part of our series about pop culture’s rising stars, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Kent Boyd.
Kent Boyd is an actor, producer, choreographer, and dancer. He made his television debut on FOX’s So You Think You Can Dance as the runner-up in season 7. He continued his career as an actor starring in Disney’s hit “Teen Beach Movie” franchise, and had a recurring role on Freeform’s “Bunheads”. He also wrote, produced, and starred in Disney Channel’s online short film series “Free Period.” Kent has choreographed and danced for notable artists including Dua Lipa, Billie Eilish, Vanessa Hudgens, Lauv, Becky G, and All Time Low.
Kent is also making a name for himself on social media. He teamed up with fellow influencers to establish PrideHouseLA, the first LGBTQ+ TikTok Content House. The House gained notoriety when Jojo Siwa came out in a TikTok video posted by PrideHouseLA. The video went viral and PrideHouseLA was featured in People Magazine and on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, among many other outlets. Recent collaborators include Darren Criss, Derek Hough, tWitch, Allison Holker Boss, and Todrick Hall to name just a few. The PrideHouse brand continues to expand with several ventures including their new podcast, Pride House LA, which aims to spotlight issues facing the LGBTQ+ community while also providing a space for listeners to share their coming out stories or discuss anything that is on their mind. It is available now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. They also have a popular merchandise line.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Can you tell us the story of how you grew up?
I grew up in a traditional family of five in Ohio. Raised by farmland and open fields, we definitely had space to explore! As a teenager I was active in school, playing soccer and participating in the arts. I was even homecoming king — can’t get more All American than that!
Can you share a story with us about what brought you to this specific career path?
The highlight of every school year was, of course, the end of it. [laughs] At the end of every year, my school held a talent show. The very first year I participated, I had the chance to dance with my friend Chelsea! We were in kindergarten, mind you, and we had a pink toy jeep that I drove to center stage, picked her up, and then started the dance routine. The auditorium filled with students went NUTS and screamed for us! At the end of the performance, I remember being chased down the halls by my friends as they screamed our names. It was an absolute blast!
Can you tell us the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
During the pandemic, I got to assist my friend Joe Berry by puppeteering on a feature film where a tuba comes to life! We had to macgyver special effects shot where we tied a string to a quarter and had to aim it down the tuba’s flared bell. All of those years playing paper football during study hall finally paid off. [laughs]
Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
I think the funniest mistake I made when starting out was caring so much about the little details of every situation, especially when it came to an audition. I’d get obsessive with what I would wear or over-stress if I didn’t match a height requirement exactly. Stuff like that would really trip me up! But after some years in the business and eventually casting myself, I truly got to understand what matters. That just the essence/vibes of the character is enough and you don’t need to sweat the minor details.
What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?
I recently choreographed a commercial for Walt Disney World Theme Parks to celebrate the park’s 50th anniversary! It was awesome, I got to hire some of my friends and dance through the decades in all four parks! We got to film overnight so it was pretty cool being at Disney after hours.
You have been blessed with success in a career path that can be challenging. Do you have any words of advice for others who may want to embark on this career path, but seem daunted by the prospect of failure?
Awww, yes! I think finding a new relationship with failure has really helped me. Coming to terms with the fact that failure is the constant and success is the variable that keeps me grounded. I truly believe that how you do one thing is how you do everything else, so continuing to practice discipline in your craft will get you to where you want to go. Don’t let failure set you back, let it guide you to the next choice you make. Let it fuel the fire! Remember, the good things are worth fighting for!
We are very interested in diversity in the entertainment industry. Can you share three reasons with our readers about why you think it’s important to have diversity represented in film and television? How can that potentially affect our culture?
It’s so important for modern-day Americans to be familiar with more than just their own way of life! More representations of different cultures, sexualities, and ideas will only enrich one’s perspective on life. Learning about others helps people to be more considerate of each other, strengthening the bond of humanity. Recognizing and celebrating the differences from one human to another allows room for people to show respect. Representations of diversity help us create a safe space and challenge us to evolve! I like to think of the importance of diversity like having diversity in your food, the more you see and hear, the greater the flavor you get to taste and enjoy.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why. Please share a story or example for each.
I think the first 3 answers would just have to be: Yes! Keep Going! You’ve Got This! Starting out young, I was just looking for words of affirmations and positive reinforcement in what I was doing! So many times, I needed that cheerleader to continue pushing and supporting me on the journey. As a trained dancer I can easily be over-critical of myself, to the point where it can paralyze me and end up doing nothing. Having had that coach could have really helped me stay on track and keep me out of my head when I was in those negative places. The fourth thing would be to practice my craft in every way possible. When I finally realized that my purpose in life was to help the world dance more, and entertain, so many doors were opened to help me accomplish it. One of those is social media. Today we have the amazing gift of being able to share yourself online with just the click of a button. Take advantage of apps and other technology where entertainment is valued! You never know who you could help or have a positive impact on. The fifth thing I wish someone told me when I started is that it’s okay to create your own character. This idea took some time to hit me. It’s great to follow trends and listen to what’s “in” at the moment, but don’t let that hinder your own imagination. If anything, let it help you! A lot of the time, when I’m looking for inspiration for choreographing a new dance or posting a new video, I check what is trending at the moment. While listening to the sound or following the moves, I see if my mind or body produces something else. If I like what I see or get excited about the idea, then I have done it! This generation is all about adding your own twist to the trends and I find that refreshing and fun.
Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out”?
Burn out is so real! Listen to your body and try to maintain a schedule. If you start to feel burnt out, take some time to recharge and escape. It can be talking to family, helping out a friend, or even just taking a moment to reflect on your purpose. I also know what it’s like to have to continue, even when you feel burnt out, and that’s when you need a strong schedule in place! Keep to your regimen and think positive. I’ve found that by doing that in times when I’m doubting myself, a new friend randomly reaches out to collaborate or I try something new online and it’s received well. It also seems to be right before you throw in the towel that the best things magically appear!
You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)
Now that we have a stronger understanding of Covid, I’d love for human interaction to come back even better than it was before! Inspiring a movement of people dancing together!
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
So many people have held me on their shoulders for me to see more and I’m so grateful! One, in particular, is my mentor Toogie! She has taught me so much about my own body and how to tap into my soul in even more ways than I imagined. She’s a powerful leader that I’m so thankful for! She’s always releasing guided meditations online and encouraging her followers to be more conscious with their own breathing. She creates frequency playlists for sleep and study too! She’s a magical fairy! @toogiesaurus
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
Express Don’t Impress.
When I focus on expressing myself, life is so easy and fun. But the minute I turn my brain to impressing, I find that I’m not always living my authentic life and considering too much of what other people think. In order to create original art, I try and keep the expression at the top of the list!
Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. :-)
Benny Drama! I love how he uses his voice online and has created such a great brand to his name. To collaborate with him would be so fun. I think we could make some crazy gay content together!
How can our readers follow you online?
Instagram @kent_boyd
TikTok @kentboyd_
Youtube Kentboydtv
This was very meaningful, thank you so much! We wish you continued success!
