Written by~ Sharry Flaherty
A talent for the big screen and rock and roll stage runs through the veins of actor and musician, Johnny Alonso. He has been pursuing his passion of performing since he was a young man on stage, playing in his rock band as a teenager. Johnny has continued to bring entertainment to movies and TV shows, such as popular Netflix series, Outer Banks, Gotham, One Tree Hill and Midnight Releasing’s new film, Harvey.
Johnny made the move to acting when he realized his knack for music and performance was quite similar to the big screen. “I knew I wanted to do something with music or acting. I (got into NYU and) went into the actors program, and I used my energy I would get when I was playing live on stage. I put that kind of energy and that thought process into scripted dialogue, and I absolutely fell in love with it.” Johnny says during an interview on Youtube channel Eastin’s Edge.
Many professionals, even actors and film crews were required to take a break during the peak of COVID in 2020, but not Johnny Alonso. He and his co-stars for the psychological thriller, Harvey, were one of ONLY 8 indie movies approved by the Screen Actors Guild to be filmed during the worst of the pandemic.
Johnny co-directed and co-produced the film, Harvey, with Ranelle Golden, his friend and fellow writer/director. “I dig Ranelle’s writing, so when she said she wrote Keith for me, I knew the dialogue would be something to sink my teeth into. I had a lot of room to play with this character.” Johnny said in regards to helping write and direct Harvey.
The film takes place in a sleepy Florida town where the short tempered protagonist, Harvey, must figure out a murder mystery that could potentially ruin his life. Courtesy of Midnight Releasing, Harvey is set for its VOD release on January 7, 2022.
Johnny’s love of rock and all things spooky and thrilling has led him to star in three separate episodes of A Haunting, a show where they take real stories of paranormal experiences and turn them into film adaptations. Johnny played a large role in each episode, applying his talent for writing and producing to bring the story to life. “A Haunting producers have reformatted the show to be a lot darker and scarier, adding practical and CGI paranormal effects. They’ve also returned the reins to the actors for full on screen scripted dialogue. This season is definitely darker and way more mysterious.” You can catch Johnny in the episodes, Hidden Terror, Shape of Evil and Nevermore (premieres February 11, 2022) through the Travel Channel or Discovery+.
Alonso’s smaller acting roles on popular TV shows like One Tree Hill, Dawson’s Creek and Gotham opened up the door for his gig on Outer Banks as Psycho Surfer Joe. Johnny’s hobbies and long-time talent of board riding, including snowboarding, skating and surfing also helped to highlight why he was the perfect fit for the role. “They were looking for authenticity for some of these characters… languages and special skills for acting. It’s about acting, guys! It’s about having real things. If I didn’t have that ability to surf, skate, and snowboard, I probably wouldn’t have gotten the audition for psycho surfer Joe.”
Working with the crew and on the set of Outer Banks was another great opportunity for Johnny to experience, “It was great getting back on a big league set. It reminded me of my days on One Tree Hill, Gotham and Dawson’s Creek where everything is automatic and systematic.”
Not only did Johnny enjoy the acting opportunity, but his outgoing and eager personality is one that is easy to get along with. He formed a friendship with the Outer Banks lead actor, Rudy Pankow over their mutual hobbies. “Working one on one with Rudy Pankow for several days was awesome. We’re both huge board sport fanatics, so we talked about snowboarding, surfing and one-wheeling every chance we had between setups.” Getting to use Johnny’s gift for sports only added to the experience and fun he had while filming Outer Banks. “Playing the Psychotic Surfer was such a blast in season 2’s episode, the Darkest Hour. I’m looking forward to season 3.”
With Johnny’s recurring role in Outer Banks, he is looking forward to more jobs like this one. His experience airing multiple times in several different shows speaks volumes and will hopefully one day land him a recurring position in another prime-time TV series. Johnny’s passion for filming in A Haunting makes him a perfect candidate for a lead role in a dark or horror motion feature.
Johnny Alonso’s acting career is one that he is proud of. He continues to land more gigs and has several new projects coming out in the next year. You can catch him on Outer Banks, A Haunting and Harvey this year. Not to mention the other acting projects that Johnny has in pre-production, due to be released in 2023.
Attention bloggers, online magazines, and pod-casters, for follow up interviews with Johnny Alonso or any of the cast or crew of HARVEY, be sure to contact Sharry Flaherty of Samera Entertainment at: SameraEntertainment@Gmail.com