Today we’d like to introduce you to Tejas Krishnan.
Hi Tejas, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I came to the US from India to play NCAA college tennis and major in sport management. After graduating with a degree in sports management, I was also tennis coaching full time try to figure way to get into the sports agent business. I was into fitness, so I was training hard and build a very nice physique which lead to modeling and photoshoots. Still very new to the business and very shy to the camera, I booked a music video one ” Trey Songs – About you”, and during the shoot on set, I met some actors who encouraged me to join the class they were going to. I kept going to classes and knew this is what I wanted to do.
First year, I was in Philadelphia commuting every week via bus to NYC for work and training. Trying to find the ropes with a lot of bad advise out there, kept booking some small commercials, and did little bit of background work in film and tv. Second year, I really knew what is needed to be a professional actor, Got my headshots, worked on numerous short films and student films for footage, created my industry-standard resume, and got myself a website. Beginning of third year in acting, I started reaching out to agents and managers in NYC and started meeting casting directors through workshops. I was able secure many meetings with reps and signed with a bunch of them in NYC. I started to get network tv auditions and film auditions, I upgraded my self-tape studio which was essential to be a working actor. I continued to train and was trying to book my first ever legit credit. A year goes by quick and I have not booked anything, I had my acting coach and mentor in Atlanta who was encouraging me to try the market out, so I listened to her and reached out to some reps using her name as referral and I was able to secure an Atlanta agent. My fourth year of acting has started now and I am now back in India for New Years, slightly exhausted with not booking my first legit role yet, I started to work on my affirmations, mindset, and overall energy. Then it happens, I get a call at 3am when I was in India from my Atlanta agent, telling me I booked my recurring role on The Resident season 3. I was so out of it when I woke up, so I hate to fake the excitement. I was thrilled but I also felt like ‘ About time ‘ because the I put in the work, I knew it was a matter of time this happened. I had to fly back right away, a 22-hour flight from India to Atlanta. As soon I land, I go straight to fittings. Being on set for four days in a span of 2 weeks was amazing but felt very familiar because I visualized it many times so specially, everything felt like I have experienced this before.
Ever since then, I have been in Atlanta for the most part, I enjoy the slower place compared to NYC, the industry continues to grow even more, so many epic projects are being filmed here, I believe in energy so the closer I am to the thing I want, the sooner I will attract it towards me. I have no plans of slowing down, for anyone that is reading this, I am obsessed with the craft and the industry, I am just so curious about it, it’s all I think about. Atlanta will always be special because it’s where I made TV debut!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
First biggest challenge was being able to work in the US legally, I was able to do unpaid projects and just take classes which was frustrating because I wanted to be on set. But eventually, my family was lucky to our green cards and I took that as a sign from God that I have to make this my career.
Extreme insecurity issues does help being an actor, forcing and fake performances will help my acting career. I had to work on myself first to accept who I was, I really wish I was encouraged to take mental health more serious in the past, therapy could have a helped a lot for myself and acting. Acting is all about showing who you are, not afraid to be vulnerable. I am doing better because I am more aware of them and working on insecurity and I have come a long way.
It was a challenge in the beginning to find right people who will give the right advise. There are many people who love to give the wrong advise, you have to really be careful on who you listen to.
This career requires very thick skin, it requires a very different mindset. Everyone’s journey is different, and in the beginning I was struggling with the mindset and was very desperate in booking my auditions which lead to bad performances.
Living in NYC has been struggle for me since I had phase of bad luck with finding a place to live. I was in a different place every week, from couch to couch, it took huge toll on my body and health and I developed an autoimmune condition. Good news is I have beat that autoimmune disease through healthy foods now.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am an Actor. I work mostly in screen acting which will TV and Film.
I am known for playing a recurring character in the show The Resident Season 3.
I am most proud of how fast I have able to get where I am today in a span of four years. I am extremely proud of making my TV debut on a very successful Atlanta-based show like The Resident because it was after numerous auditions for over a year which I did not book.
What sets me apart is that I am super persistent. I will challenge anyone in that category, I am the most persistent actor you will ever come across. I am just obsessed with this craft and industry, curiously fascinated by it 24/7. It’s all I ever think about. I also bring some crazy experiences that I am able to use it for any characters I have to play.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
It is affordable to live and many areas to choose from to live. You have options.
For an actor, this is second to Hollywood, I would say the endless acting community in Atlanta is very enjoyable.
Only thing I would say I dislike would be how things are spread out and with traffic, it has been a hassle but hey I only look at positives, the city will help you plan better and get to somewhere on time regardless of the externals.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.tjkrishnan.com
- Instagram: TJ_Krisshnan
- Facebook: TJ Krisshan
- Youtube: An Actor Wins
