Rising Star Derek Johns On The Five Things You Need To Shine In The Entertainment Industry
An Interview With Guernslye Honoré
Try your best to stay positive, there will be way more lows than highs, that’s how the business is. Enjoy the wins when you get them. It’ll help you through the losses.
As a part of our series about pop culture’s rising stars, we had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Derek Johns.
Derek Johns is an actor to watch from Saint-Colomban, Quebec and currently based between Toronto and Montreal. Derek is most recognized for his role as the fan favorite character Love Sausage in the popular hit series The Boys streaming on Prime Video. Most recently, Derek can be seen starring in the new feature We Are Zombies, based on the comic book series The Zombies That Ate the World. He can also be seen in the horror film, The Sacrifice Game starring alongside Mena Massoud.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Can you tell us the story of how you grew up?
Sure! I was born in London, Ontario. My parents moved us out to the Laurentians in 2001, and went to school in Lachute Quebec. When I started college I moved to Montreal and then bounced around various neighborhoods in Toronto and Montreal. What a lot of people don’t know is I’m first generation Canadian, as my Dad was born in England, and Mom was born in Peru!
Can you share a story with us about what brought you to this specific career path?
I used to make home movies as a kid all the time, some of them featured my Grandad, some of them my younger brothers, and even some of my school friends. My parents have hours of footage of me running around in the woods waving a stick around claiming to be a knight. All this to say, I just loved playing “make-believe”, and cracking jokes. And as long as someone was willing to hold the camera, I wanted to be in front of it. Looking back on it, I was probably an exhausting child to be around. But, not much has changed, and I’ve managed to carve a career out of it.
Can you tell us the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
I was asked one time by my agent early in my career if I would be interested in doing a gig that both he and I had never heard of, I was asked if I’d be interested in helping an actor run lines who was in town shooting a movie. My agent said it was a paying gig, and I said, “Yeah sure! Why not?”. They didn’t tell us who the actor was until I had agreed to do it. It ended up being none other than the Princess’ Bride himself, Cary Elwes. He was in town shooting a film called “Best Sellers”. It was a very cool experience, I got to run lines with Cary in his trailer, and sort of worked a bit like an assistant to him. He was very kind to me, and I got to meet a hero of mine, Sir Michael Caine who also worked on the film. All in all, it was a pretty neat experience.
It has been said that mistakes can be our greatest teachers. 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?
On one of the first projects I worked on, I remember meeting the Director after doing a fitting, they brought me over to meet him briefly, and I was so excited and so new to the business, that despite him clearly being very busy having discussions with some of the producers and designers, I started asking him a million questions such as, “do you know what day I start on”? and “where will we be shooting this scene? Or that scene?” He just sort of gave me an “Uhhhhhhhhh” and I was quickly swept away from the vicinity. I later learned that there are certain times, and certain people, who you ask these kind of questions. I didn’t know any of that. But I learned quickly who can and should be answering certain questions, and WHEN it’s appropriate to ask all the burning questions you may have.
What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?
Unfortunately, there isn’t much happening right now, due to both the writers strike as well as the SAG/AFTRA strike. So I hope those are both quickly resolved and they get what they are owed. I had two films premiere at Fantasia, “We Are Zombies” and “The Sacrifice Game”. Two very different projects, but are both very fun. I also have a couple of projects that haven’t been released that I can’t talk about yet. But keep your eyes peeled, as they should be releasing fairly soon!
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?
It’s both a very rewarding career, and a brutal one. There is a lot of rejection, and a lot of variables that are totally out of your control. If you view every audition that doesn’t go your way as a failure, then it can be very difficult to stay positive. My advice would be, to learn as much as you can from every opportunity, and make the most of them. Always be learning, and getting better, because if you aren’t, someone else is. It’s a competitive business, and it’s hard not to compare your success to others, but everyone’s path is different. With all that said, there will be heartbreak, and if you work hard and get lucky, there will be jubilance. It’s important to enjoy the highs, because they make up for the lows.
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?
I think it’s very important to have diversity in the entertainment industry. There are lots of stories being told now, that we would have never heard in the past. There is beauty and talent in every corner of the world. When you look outside, you see people of all different backgrounds and ethnicities. Why wouldn’t that be so in the stories we are telling on Film and Television? The more diverse creators and artists in the space, the more perspectives we can see of the world. It’s important for people to see characters or enjoy stories that they can relate to.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why?
- Don’t compare your success to others. As mentioned earlier, everyone has their own journey.
- Be confident. Not cocky. No one likes a braggart, but if you want people to be confident in your abilities, you have to show that you are confident in your abilities.
- Support other artists as best you can. Help them with a self tape audition if you can. The next time you need a reader, they’ll be so much happier to help you, if you were there when they needed you.
- When working on a set, what will stick with people more than your acting talent, is how enjoyable you were to work with. Be pleasant, be polite, and know that everyone working on the production, is probably working harder, and longer hours than you are.
- Try your best to stay positive, there will be way more lows than highs, that’s how the business is. Enjoy the wins when you get them. It’ll help you through the losses.
Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out”?
I don’t have any tips for this. I’m still learning this myself. Drink lots of water and get good sleep, I guess. Don’t ignore the signs your body tells you. This advice goes for just about anyone I guess. Good question, I wish I had a better answer for you.
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. :-)
Be good to people, treat people the same way you would like to be treated. I know it’s simple, but it works.
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?
My parents have always been very supportive, so I owe them a lot, for all the things they’ve done for me. They’ve always been very helpful in every aspect of my life, as far as my career goes, I’d probably say my manager, Josh. If he ever retires, I don’t know what I’ll do. He always goes above and beyond what he’s supposed to do. He’s very hands on, which isn’t for everyone, but as scatter-brained as I can be at times, it works for me.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
“Smile, and the world smiles with you; cry and you cry alone”
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. :-)
Good question. I’d have to go with Paul Rudd, only because he just seems like one of the most genuinely nice people in this industry, as well as one of the funniest. There are lots of other people I’d like to meet and pick their brains, but I feel like with Paul Rudd it is bound to be a pleasant experience.
How can our readers follow you online?
They can follow me on Instagram at @RealDerekJohns . I lost access to my other account a few months back, so I made a new one, complete with a pretentious sounding handle. They can also follow me on Twitch @DerkaJohnsTV, I haven’t streamed for a while, but I plan on getting back to it soon.
This was very meaningful, thank you so much! We wish you continued success!
Thank you very much for taking the time for me. They were great Questions.
About the interviewer: Guernslye Honoré, affectionately known as “Gee-Gee”, is an amalgamation of creativity, vision, and endless enthusiasm. She has elegantly twined the worlds of writing, acting, and digital marketing into an inspiring tapestry of achievement. As the creative genius at the heart of Esma Marketing & Publishing, she leads her team to unprecedented heights with her comprehensive understanding of the industry and her innate flair for innovation. Her boundless passion and sense of purpose radiate from every endeavor she undertakes, turning ideas into reality and creating a realm of infinite possibilities. A true dynamo, Gee-Gee’s name has become synonymous with inspirational leadership and the art of creating success.
