From building and running a successful construction company to an international acting career… not many people manage to make such a drastic switch and thrive, but Floridian Bradley Bowen is doing really well for himself. In 2016 he travelled to Europe to film the action thriller Out For Vengeance by Salar Zarza, adding a charismatic role to his already impressive movie resume, which includes parts in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2, Ant-Man, Furious 7 and Allegiant.

“This has been an amazing year for me,” Bradley says. “Not only did I get the chance to travel to Belgium and the Netherlands and work as a co-producer, but I’m also very happy with my role as Viktor Romanov in Out For Vengeance. Originally I was cast in another role, based on my professional martial arts background. But eventually the producers made a switch and I’m glad they did, because the character of Romanov fits me really well. Like me, he’s a family man. However, he gets involved in narcotics and runs into some pretty brutal characters. Romanov wants to do positive things with his business and focus on the production of medical marijuana… but his son gets into trouble with people on the bad side of the industry.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bradley’s interest in acting got sparked in 2013, when he played a background actor on a movie filming in his hometown. He enjoyed it and subsequently got booked as a background actor for various movie projects. “On set I used to spend my time watching and learning,” Bradley recalls. “I’m like an animal when it comes to that. In general I keep quiet, do what I have to do and network with the cast and crew. On top of that I do a lot of research on acting, because I’m relatively new to this business. It’s my ultimate goal to evolve from background acting to leading roles. Apart from movies, I regularly work on commercials. Sometimes I get to work with my wife Aimee and teenage daughter Jayden, who also act on a professional level. It’s a lot of fun to work on set as a family!”

International cast and crew
“During the filming process of Out For Vengeance I got to work with an extremely talented and international cast and crew. There are a few strong European actors in it, but also people from Australia, Canada and the USA, amongst other countries, who have an impressive background. For example, one of the producers and actors, Michel Qissi, fought against Jean-Claude Van Damme in multiple movies. On top of that we have an incredibly passionate director, Salar Zarza, who has been working on it since 2009. He not only wrote the script, but also directed the movie and stars in it. So it’s a dream come true for him and for me it’s been a pleasure to work on this project. But it was also a learning process as I got to watch him work. Salar will soon start on the editing process and the movie will come out in the beginning of 2017.”

Caledonian Skies
In the meantime Bradley is not resting on his laurels! He’s producing a feature film, based on the novel Caledonian Skies by author Hugh Wilson. Bradley will play the main character Ian Mackay. “The story is an action adventure tale set in pre-war Scotland. February 1939, Ian Mackay is 42, a veteran WWI flying ace. Although the term is not in the book because it did not exist at the time, he is clearly suffering Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms from his war experiences. While away to WWI, he loses contact with his one and only true love, Ellie and can’t find her upon his return. Now at 42 he is still alone and has never married, despite being a highly desirable bachelor. While out for an early morning hike up ‘Ben Lomond’, he sees a high flying aircraft with no markings. With war clouds gathering, he suspects it is a Nazi reconnaissance flight. He warns the authorities, but the sighting cannot be confirmed and Ian volunteers for a spy mission to Germany to see what he can learn of the mystery flight. He is an amateur spy and nearly blows his cover on multiple occasions. Without giving it all away, the story culminates in a daring escape flight. Attached to the project is a renowned-well respected writer and director with over 30 years experience. We look forward to his vision!”

Inspiration, advice and going with the flow
Does the 47-year-old entrepreneur-turned-actor have a few words of advice for people who would also love to turn their lives around, but are unsure or too scared to follow their hearts? “As long as you’re ready, willing and available, you’re going to run into someone who will give you an opportunity to start living your dream,” Bradley insists. “Life is short… be sure to follow your passion, inspire others and give back to people. I’ve always been the sort of resilient person who goes with the flow. I want to encourage people to do what they love and advice them to be open to wise words from experienced professionals. Some people can’t handle critiquing very well, but if you’re open to constructive feedback, you can learn a lot that can help you on your way to a thrilling and successful future!”

Keep an eye out for Bradley’s upcoming movie projects! In the meantime, if you want to read more about Bradley Bowen, take a look at his IMDB page and follow him on Twitter!