Actor Bill Kelly is making his presence known across the hottest Hollywood films!
Bill Kelly is one to watch! The actor can be seen in fan favorites including “Hillbilly Elegy”, “True Detective”, “The Wonder Years” on ABC and “Bloodline”. However, he is recenrly starring as Sheriff Jackson in the highly anticipated film, “Where the Crawdads Sing” (in theaters July 15th, 2022), which is an adaptation of the best-selling novel, produced by Reese Witherspoon.
The story centers on Kya (Daisy Edgar-Jones), who is a girl abandoned in the North Carolina marsh and left to survive on her own. She is slowly drawn back into society until a young man, Chase Andrews (Harris Dickinson), turns up dead and she becomes the main suspect. Sheriff Jackson (Bill Kelly) pursues her relentlessly as a suspect, which ultimately results in her being brought to trial for the murder of Chase.
Today, HOLR is chatting with Bill about his career to date, his new role, and what viewers can expect to see from the latest film!
Talk to us about how your acting career began and your journey in the industry.
It started as a hobby back in 2004. I volunteered as an actor at the Film School at Florida State University and ended up acting in about 30 student films. That experience taught me a lot about auditioning and working on a set. It also gave me some great pieces for my reel.
By the time I turned 50 I had gone through a divorce and raised my boys, so I decided I was going to look for an agent. I signed with Brevard Talent Group in Florida which started sending me to auditions in the southeast. My first TV gig was a great scene with Jeffrey Donovan in “Burn Notice” back in 2012.
Can you tell our audience about some of your biggest accomplishments to date or some of your favourite roles you’ve starred in?
The biggest accomplishment on a personal level is becoming a working actor at the age of 50 who also lives in a smaller city. I had a lot of friends who thought I was crazy to even try it. I just never gave up.
Talk to us about your experience working with award-winning actors such as; Anne Hathaway, Amy Adams, and Mark Wahlberg?
I’m very fortunate that everyone I’ve worked with has been nice and professional. We just talk about normal stuff when we’re not rolling and work together to get the best shot when we are.
You’re starring as Sheriff Jackson in the highly anticipated film, “Where the Crawdads Sing.” Talk to us about this new role and if it’s different than any other roles you’ve played in the past.
Sheriff Jackson has a lot of years of law enforcement to draw from and he uses it quite well in search of the truth. He’s persistent in following the evidence and his intuition. Personally, I got to dig a little deeper into a character using both the book as a reference and adding in my own elements. It was a fantastic experience for me.
This movie (Where the Crawdads Sing) is an adaptation of the best-selling novel, so what can viewers expect to see from the film?
Without giving away anything, moviegoers will see an intriguing murder mystery full of suspense that centers around strong themes of female empowerment. It tells the story of Kya’s resilience and having the guts to forge ahead even in the most trying of circumstances. And visually, it’s stunning.
