Bo Yokely is an actor known for his role as coach Ken Nichols in Apple TV’s “Swagger.” He will soon appear in the crime mystery series “Blue Ridge” and has previously starred in films like Lifetime’s “Secret Lives of Housewives,” “Switched Before Birth,” the “Ponysitters Club” films, romance novel-turned-film “After the Storm” and Tubi original “Gridiron Grind.”
He was also featured in Luke Comb’s music video “The Kind of Love We Make” and will next appear as the supporting role of James Brown in Tosca Musk’s adaptation of the romantic comedy novel “Wallbanger” for Passionflix.
Beyond his acting prowess, Bo is a dedicated advocate for the “Not Alone Foundation,” lending his support to aid individuals battling end-stage renal disease. His commitment to philanthropy and exceptional contributions to the cause will be honored with the prestigious Diamond Award at the end of the month by the “Not Alone Foundation.”
indieactivity: Reflecting on your early experiences, can you share a specific moment or event that ignited your passion for acting and set you on the path to becoming an actor?
Bo Yokely (BY): Yea for sure. The very first “acting ” I was able to do was in the film Guardians of the Galaxy 2. It was just a very small role that was shot for 2 weeks but I was able to be on set watching the magic unfold before my eyes and I was hooked. The next month I was also offered a small role in the film Baywatch where I was fortunate enough to shoot for a week on a beach with a hero of mine, Zac Efron. After these experiences, I knew that I would do this for the rest of my life and I have not looked back.
In your journey to becoming an actor, can you delve into a pivotal moment or decision that shaped your career, such as a significant study, coaching experience, or the name of a school that played a crucial role in your development?
Bo Yokely (BY): I was able to have a small conversation with Zac Efron on the set of Baywatch and just seeing how nice and normal this dude was made, the dream seemed so much more attainable. Before that , it seemed like an impossible thing to ask of the universe, but after that experience, I knew that with the right training, right connections, and the right timing, it was attainable.
As an actor, you’ve likely adopted specific techniques or belong to a particular school of acting. Could you share details about the acting technique you resonate with and how it has contributed to the improvement of your performances?
Bo Yokely (BY): I have trained in several techniques from Meisner, Stanislavski, and Chekhov, and honestly each and every role I do requires something specific for that role. There is no one single technique I do, it’s almost a combination of each of these. I just do whatever helps me perform to the best of my ability and what allows me to get out of my own head and focus more on the story and the actor across from me.
Comparing your experiences on different shows, can you highlight the differences in direction, scene setups, and working with fellow actors? How does each unique experience contribute to your growth as an actor?
Bo Yokely (BY): Every set is different, that is for sure. To be honest, the atmosphere on set is the responsibility of the director. I have been fortunate enough to work with amazing , collaborative directors, and also with Directors who in fact do not want to collaborate at all, they prefer a dictatorship. It is very hard to perform and give a great , subtle performance when the director does not give you the confidence to discover things about the character, but may be more interested in every word being quoted word for word. It zaps the creative energy out of the room and I try to avoid working with these types of directors to the best of my ability. Any film or show I have worked on has shaped me and my ability without a doubt. Everything I learn I try to take with me to the next set. One is never done learning in the line of work.
Getting into character is a crucial aspect of acting. Can you share insights into how you approach this process? Considering the direction you receive, the set environment, and other contributing factors?
Bo Yokely (BY): The first thing I will try to sort out is my character’s relationship to the full story. I am here to serve the story as best I can. When I start to work on my character specifically. I will start with figuring out the voice of my character and the walk of my character. Those really inform the rest of the charter building I will complete. I try to get to a place where the set isn’t even a factor. Because, you will not know the set up until the day. And by that time the prep should be done. Words come last in my prep. Music plays a huge role in character development for me. I will create a song or hopefully a playlist I can listen to. In order to tap into that character quicker.
On a production set, what principles do you follow to stay in character between separate cuts, takes, and retakes? How do you maintain consistency in your performance?
Bo Yokely (BY): Again, that is based on what character I am playing. If I am playing a hard nosed coach to football players like I did the in the film Gridiron Grind. I would keep my distance from the rest of the cast. Being a little rough on the edges. Because this would as a result cause the other characters to be a little standoffish towards me during the scene. Which served the story best. If I am playing a caring husband. I will want to become absolute best friends with my leading lady. And make them as comfortable around me as possible. Because this will cause a reaction where they can really trust me on set. Which again will serve the story best.
Excitingly, you have upcoming projects like the crime mystery series “Blue Ridge” and the romantic comedy “Wallbanger.” Can you share some details about these projects?
Bo Yokely (BY): Blue Ridge is coming out April 7th of this year. It stars Johnathon Schaech and I had an amazing time filming it in the great state of North Carolina. My good friend Gary WHeeler was Executive Producer and Director of several of the episodes. He was the EP on another film I did “Country Roads Christmas.” We swore we were going to work together again. “Wallbanger” is a Passionflix film directed by Tosca Musk, Elon Musk’s sister. It was led by the amazing Kelli Berglund from the Starz original series “Heels.” And it is coming out later this spring. Working with that cast and crew was fun and very fast paced which I love.
We would love to keep up with your latest projects! Where can we follow your journey?
Bo Yokely (BY): Best place is Instagram for me, @bo_yokely. I will post any and all updates on projects I am working on and where/when to watch!
Tell us what you think of the interview with Bo Yokely. What do you think of it? What ideas did you get? Do you have any suggestions? Or did it help you? Let’s have your comments below and/or on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.
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