Daily Inspiration: Meet Petar Arsić

Today we’d like to introduce you to Petar Arsić.

Hi Petar, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Being a professional actor is more than a profession, it’s a way of life. I know, that might sound a little cliché, but it really is like that, and it can’t be described any better. I’m sure I’m not the only one, but I can testify to that phrase because I know what I went through to even be able to call myself a professional actor, artist, creator, and filmmaker. Like everything in life, acting itself has two sides of the coin, on one side there is success, glamour, money, fame, smile, and on the other side, serious suffering, hunger, blood, tears and sweat that are invested unreservedly without any promise of success. A large number of people don’t even notice that other side and have no idea what an artist actually goes through on his path, that’s where those horrible comments come from, he was lucky (luck is definitely a factor, but we can’t influence it), or, she emerged overnight, someone must have supported them, there is some nepotism in their success, and stuff like that. People can talk, I welcome them to do that, but on the other hand, I want to advocate for fellow artists, guys, don’t judge without the context. In any case, I am a living witness of that, that talent without tremendous work means absolutely nothing.

Through acting and creation of any kind, be it filmmaking, scriptwriting, or painting, rehearsing a monologue, dancing, stage performance of any kind, I feel freedom while doing it. As someone brought up on modern values, for me one of the most important categories is certainly freedom. At the age of 5, I ran away from the war in Kosovo and Metohija, with my family, and in just a few years I changed three cities and several areas where I lived. I would always meet new people, and adapt to other’s mentalities, energies, temperaments and accents. Through all these adaptations, somehow, I had to find something that will ground me, someplace or activity, that will give me the feeling of belonging. I felt that I was wandering. Acting somehow accidentally entered my life, even more accidentally it got under my skin. Luckily I am talented for it, otherwise I would be in serious trouble. I started as a kid, I was 10 years old, and it simply started growing on me. Soon I couldn’t be without it for long, like some kind of a rush.
My older brother started acting, and it looked dull to me at that time, soon I give it a try too, and I have unexpectedly found a place of my own, a place of freedom. Gradually, through acting, I began to discover both myself and my talents, as well as the world around me. Best experiences, best friends, first loves and all that came from all activities related to acting.

In addition, other school and extracurricular activities were much easier for me. Because I knew that I always have some place, some other world where I can be whatever I want. Many years later, when I was old enough to choose a profession, I had a serious dilemma. Whether I try acting professionally or enroll in the Faculty of Medicine, which was somehow a logical continuation of my Medical High School where I was pretty good. The choice between an idealistic, romantic calling, full of insecurity and uncertainty, without much support. Or a pragmatic, logical one, which everyone around me cheered for, even with promises of employment after. I thought for a long time, I even started preparing for the entrance exam for both acting and the Faculty of Medicine at the same time. Of course, as soon as I would start reading the biology book, I would gag. I decided to follow my inner feeling, I knew very well what dangers lie in the artistic calling, but I told myself, and every one, this is my choice, if I fail, I am to be blamed, nobody else. I entered the university as one of the best in the entrance exam, I felt like I was on top of the world, the only problem was that I didn’t even have 10% of the money needed for tuition. The mentor insisted with the people from the faculty administration, to allow me to enroll with less money so that I can try to pay it off with delay. The amount of pressure I felt was almost unbearable. But I knew I had to endure. Long story short, I managed to crush all the obstacles with the great amount of effort and sacrifice.

Few years after academy, with a great gratitude and humility I can boast with numerous roles in huge, booming series and many more theatre roles. I had 2 big roles in two American movies in four months difference, just finished the second one few days ago. One will air on Amazon prime, and the other on the Shudder platform. First one is Subspecies Bloodrise, and the other is called Hellhole, be free to check them out when they start airing! In half of a month, I’ll be shooting a second season of great a comedy TV show in Serbia, where I also have a very nice role. At the same time, I am working on animated voice-over projects, where I mostly have leading roles. I formed a team of people with whom I have written 6 screenplays so far, several more are in the making. We registered the company and we are in negotiations to release the first feature film in our own production by the next year or so. We have won a second award for a short film, on a “Create your movie” regional competition, with a nice price in the form of potent equipment, we can use for our future projects, how convenient! I am ever working on my skills, languages and accents.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There were an unbelievable number of obstacles and challenges, not enough money, a difficult childhood, running away from war, personal crises, traveling across the ocean in search of income, not to mention that every role is a challenge itself, even, every spoken sentence can be a challenge, how do you say it, what was the action, what if I analyzed the character badly… This life can be crazy, there are always some challenges and obstacles, I believe it would take too much time just to list them all.

I’ve been talking about this on another place, but it is truly like this. It’s enough that one person doesn’t like what kind of hairstyle you have so that you don’t get a job, especially in Serbia, where nepotism is one of the strongest categories, not to mention the esoteric approach to work and people keeping projects secret until the actual shooting, so almost no auditions or small number of rigged ones. Not to mention the toxic and malignant people you work with who would trip you up just because they can. Regardless, the point is that in spite of all that, I took a big leap of faith. Without a dollar in my pocket, I’ve jumped into that world with great amount of love. Then I successively destroyed challenge after challenge. From several personal crises, and temptations to give up, borrowing money, working and studying at the same time, trying to find an exit from the great pressure through unacceptable behaviour. To going to US three times for more than four months each time through the work and travel program. Earning a serious amount of money, paying off not only my overpriced academy but also some previous debts and loans. To changing my lifestyle, nutrition, serious training, losing over 15 kilograms, stopping all consumption of whatnot, travelling the World. Making a really nice career, and I’m still very young. Honestly, after all this, giving up is no longer an option. I have proven to myself through numerous situations that I am a survivor, a capable individual. And that I can do almost anything I imagine, with a good amount of concentrated effort and a pinch of luck. One of my goals is that when I build a fruitful enough career in Europe, to try and make my way in US as well. Just, somehow my American career is finding me much faster than the European one, but I’m not complaining.

And for the end of this topic, I’ll always choose to see the brightness in everything and everyone. Love and compassion can be found everywhere, even in some unexpected places. We have to learn how to trust people, but also, how to protect ourselves, not all of them mean you well.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Like any actor, I’d like to highlight my diversity, because that’s what I work on the most. I love acting in comedies, just as much as in dramas, thrillers, action… I could say that I am an excellent physical actor, while on the other hand, I am incredibly good at analytical approach. I’m not too tall, and miraculously, that’s definitely something that sets me apart and has a positive impact on my career. Hah, who would have thought? For the most part, I think I’m still in the stage of my career where I’m trying my hand at various tasks, I believe I have yet to discover in which aspect my strengths lie.

I am recognizable, I would say, for my professionalism, whether it is a student project or a multi-million dollar project, I always come prepared, I respect everyone around me, from the director and producer to the runner or an extra. People usually, once they work with me, invite me to their next projects, so that actually speaks for itself. I am most proud of the fact that I am an actor who thinks, through the experience of writing scripts, producing and directing plays and films, I have learned how all sectors work, and because of that, I can understand the story much better, and therefore make a greater contribution, either through acting, or through ideas and suggestions.

Of course, there is always the other side, I can be a pain sometimes, cause I can analyze a bit too much. Or I could undermine the authority of the director with ideas. I’m still working on the approach. Usually, they don’t mind, but it is definitely something I need to get better at!

We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
Despite frequent relocations, running away from war and the constant threat of Nato air stikes, my parents did their best to provide me and my older brother with a carefree childhood. There are many memories, both bad and good, but family gatherings come back to me most often. There are about 30 people in the closest family, and although times were known to be tense, we knew how to celebrate life, and would use any occasion to do so. I will not single out any special celebration or holiday, because at each one there was singing, dancing, good food, and even better drinking. The women would compete to see who could prepare the food better, everyone would talk loudly and laugh even louder. Kids would run around, fight and argue, then laugh and play. Is it because of all the hardships that a person goes through that he eventually learns to love harder and hide his pain through humor? Probably. I was too young to fully understand what my family were going through, but I am grateful to them for every beautiful single one of those moments. Now a number of people in my family are no longer with us, and I miss them a lot, but they will live in my memories.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.slavicartists.com/actors/petar-arsic/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peramunja/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/petar.arsic.395/