He’s a newer face in Hollywood but is becoming a favorite among fans. You may have seen him his latest roles in Stan Against Evil, Atlanta, as well as Netflix’s series Bloodline and the USA original “Burn Notice”.
We got a chance to talk with this young actor on the rise to stardom and the journey into Hollywood.
The Acting Journey
That’s My Entertainment: Who were your influences growing up that inspired your acting?
Emmett Hunter III: Some of the actors that influenced me growing up were Denzel Washington and Robert De Niro. I’ve always loved Denzel because he’s a very versatile actor. Denzel can play the good guy, gangster, lawyer, father, politician, or any other role he decides to take on. There is a certain scene he performed in his film, The Great Debaters, that really had me in tears. He really made me feel as though I was right there in the moment with him and the other characters. I think his performance in Fences pretty much solidified why most people consider him a master of the craft. The exchanges between him and Viola Davis were filled with so much organic emotion and truth. I was really drawn in by his performance.
What really made me a huge fan of Robert De Niro, was his role in as C’s dad in one of my all-time favorite movies A Bronx Tale. Of course, I loved him in other films like Goodfellas, The Godfather, Casino, and Meet the Fockers, but it was his role in A Bronx Tale that touched me. De Niro’s role as a hard-working loving father trying to provide for his family and protect his son from the dangerous world outside of their home is a theme I think all fathers and families can relate to no matter what race or socioeconomic background you come from. I think De Niro did an excellent job of showing the audience the love, fear, and compassion it takes to raise a child in such a hostile environment.
TME: When did you decide that acting is what you wanted to do?
EHIII: I knew I wanted to be an actor at a very early age. I used to always entertain my family by doing impressions and telling funny stories. My mother took me to sign up for acting classes at round 11 years old, but we quickly found out that learning to be an actor was expensive. I had to put my dream of acting on hold for a very long time. While being an actor was still in the back of my mind I spent the rest of my childhood and young adult years chasing my dream of one day becoming a professional football player. After finally realizing that my football dreams were not going to happen, I went to a local talent agency and was signed right away. I spent the first couple of years doing extra work and going to auditions. I did not take the craft seriously at first because of my lifelong struggles with insecurities, confidence, and self-doubt. As the years went on and I started booking more commercial, television, and print jobs I realized that I had the talent needed to become a working actor in this business.
TME: Where did you receive your training?
EHIII: As far as training is concerned I took a few acting workshops, but I received most of my training by doing student films, indie films, auditioning hundreds of times, and reading books by some of the greats like Michael Caine, Ivana Chubbuck, Uta Hagen, Eric Morris, Sanford Meisner, and Stanislavski.
TME: Did ou have to go through any special training to get certain parts?
EHIII: So far, I haven’t booked any roles that would require me to go through any special training, but I’m sure I will have to in the very near future. I’m looking forward to taking on a role that will require me to learn something new like martial arts, boxing, or maybe even a new language.
TME: An actors job is not easy; promoting yourself, booking jobs with agents, not to mention working on your craft. What is your process with dealing with that all and just general daily life activities (like sleep!)
EHIII: The journey of an actor/artist is not an easy one. The process can really take a toll on you mentally, physically, and emotionally. Dealing with the constant rejection and all-around ups and downs of auditioning can really make you question if it’s all worth it. The process is somewhat tolerable for me because I have a very strong support system in place. I’ve been married to my best friend for 15 years and we have three beautiful children together. Their unconditional love, support, and encouragement gives me the energy I need to keep pushing and chasing my dreams.
My mom and dad also play a huge role in helping me keep my sanity throughout the valleys and peaks of this journey. My parents have always been my greatest cheerleaders no matter what endeavor I’ve decided to take on. All I must do is give mom or dad a call and they always seem to know what to say to keep me focused and motivated. I’m also a fitness fanatic. Physical fitness has always been an important part of life. So, a lot of times after or before an audition I’ll try to get in an intense workout and three to five mile run to get my mind off the situation.
TME: What is the process like for you when auditioning?
EHIII: When I get the sides for the audition I immediately read the script two to the three times to try and get a feel for the character as well as the tone of the story. I also like to research some of the work of the directors, writers, and producers so I can get a better feel of the possible style or tone of the show. Once I’ve done my research, I try to see how I can implement as much of my own personality as possible into the character. I then proceed to establish the relationships the character has with the other people in the script. I like to make sure I know my lines inside and out, so I can focus on listening and reacting and not thinking about what I’m going to say next.
TME: Do you have any advice for anyone trying to act for a living?
EHIII: The advice I would give is train diligently on perfecting your craft, keep an open mind, and have thick skin. Surround yourself with positive people that love and support you. Make sure you have a process that you use to pick yourself up during the difficult times in this journey. Also make sure you’re doing everything on your end to become a successful actor don’t just depend on your agent or manager to make it happen.
TME: How did you prepare for your roles on Atlanta and Stan Against Evil?
EHIII: Preparing for both roles were easy for me. I’ve always loved the world of magic and fantasy. I’ve always loved to write poems, talk life from a spiritual perspective, as well as have philosophical discussions. I believe Gerard Duquette and the Ahmad White character I played in Atlanta both have a mystical and magical presence about them. I’ve always been told I have a mysterious and intimidating presence about me because I’m usually not very sociable unless the person is willing to engage in a conversation of substance. I’m always trying to give some sort of thought provoking philosophical advice to those around me, so I basically just brought those parts of my personality to both characters.
Burn Notice:
TME: When you were cast in Burn Notice in 2013, how involved were you in the main cast?
EHIII: I had small speaking role in Burn Notice, so I didn’t deal much with the main cast, but it was my first speaking role, so I will forever be grateful for the opportunity. I am so thankful that casting director Lori Wyman, the director, and producers were willing to take a chance on a new inexperienced actor like myself. I booked Burn Notice after my second time ever auditioning for a speaking role.
Stan Against Evil
TME: When you were cast as Gerard Duquette and learned it was a nod to Geoffrey Holder’s character Baron Samedi in the 1973 Bond Classic Live and Let Die as well as ties to Papa Legba in Voodoo, what was your reaction?
EHIII: The fact that Dana Gould trusted me to play such a memorable character is really mind blowing to me. Live and Let Die is one of the greatest Bond films of all time and Geoffrey Holder as Baron Samedi is one of the most memorable Bond characters of all-time. I would also like to mention that I loved Geoffrey as Punjab in movie musical adaptation of Annie, as well. He seemed to play that mystical magical character well.
TME: What was it like working the cast and crew of Stan Against Evil?
EHIII: The cast and crew were so welcoming and kind they really made me feel like was a part of the team. I’ve worked with actors that are stand-offish and unwelcoming, Janet and Deborah were friendly and cool. Deborah even asked to take a selfie with me at end of my shoot which I thought was cool. I wanted to ask her initially, but I was too nervous so I’m glad she broke the ice. (laughs). Everyone on set was just all-round professional and cool. I felt like they really went out of their way to make me feel like I belong which is comforting as an actor because it makes it easier to focus on the task at hand.
TME: Do you think Gerard Duquette will make a return in season three?
EHIII: I’m not sure if Gerard Duquette will return for season three, but I hope so. I would love to be a part of the Stan Against Evil staff for many years to come. “Dana if you’re reading this please scribble in a few scenes for Gerard Duquette in Season three.” (laughs)
TME: What was it like working with Dana Gould and Rob Cohen?
EHIII: It was truly an unforgettable experience working with Dana. As the show’s creator and writer, he was really involved and hands on while we were on set. He made sure I understood how he wanted the character portrayed and he also gave me lot of freedom to be me myself as well. Dana was also good at making changes to the dialogue while we were shooting to make sure the scene was intense, fresh, organic, and funny. He would also make hilarious statements on set that had everyone laughing, loose, and ready to work. Rob Cohen was the director for the episode. Rob pays attention detail. I tried to absorb and apply all the instruction Rob gave me. Rob did everything he could to make sure he got the best performance out of me and the other actors on set.
TME: John C. McGinley is a beast on set. What was it like working with him directly?
EHIII: I was nervous and somewhat intimidated to work with John at first. John is a veteran actor that’s had great success in this industry for decades. Here I was basically a rookie sharing the screen with such a seasoned veteran. When I first saw him, he appeared to be a straight forward no-nonsense kind of guy. I was worried that I was wouldn’t be able to hold my own in the scene. Much to my surprise John was very patient and professional. He even gave me lot of tips and advice while we were shooting to help me spice up my performance. The advice John gave me on set was priceless and they are tools I will carry with me and use for the rest of my career. It was a big deal to me when John responded to me on twitter to assure me that I would be happy with how the scene turned out. He did not have to do that at all. I saved that tweet, so I can show the grandkids someday. (laughs).
It came the time to shoot my close for John and I’s scene and John could’ve went back to his trailer to take a break. Instead John told the director he wanted to stay and deliver his lines to ensure that I had the best opportunity to give a solid performance. By no means did John have to hang around and give me that type of courtesy. I will forever be grateful to John because I believe after working with him, Dana, and Rob, I left the Stan Against Evil set a better actor and artist.
Follow Emmett and be a part of his story in his acting journey:
Twitter: @EmmettIII
Instagram: Emmetthunter3
Joy Ride is an extremely raunchy and hilarious comedy that takes the mantle of ensemble risky
comedies that at times, leave your mouth on the floor. Joy Ride focuses on two best friends
Audrey and Lolo (Ashley Sullivan and Sherry Cola) end up getting roped up into a trip to Asia,
they end up on gals pal cross-continent trek to find Audrey’s long lost birth mother so she
doesn’t lose a huge business deal.
The chemistry in this movie is superb. Every character has their moment to shine and there’s
rarely a scene where you don’t get a belly laugh. I was shocked at how crazy and bold this
movie got, continually pushing the line to get a laugh. The movie does a good job of getting to
the point and getting to the scenes that really make you chuckle. There are some editing choices where the story flies by some stuff, and it feels a little incomplete, but never at the expense of really enjoying being around for the journey.
I thought that this was a sleeper for this year and certainly a movie worth watching with your
friends some weekend. It’s great to throw on if you want a laugh and really just enjoy some
great actors riffing off each other. The focus on culture was a nice touch and really elevated the movie to another level. While I would say if you’re easily offended, this movie is not for you – if you’re looking for a no holds barred comedy, Joy Ride is a trip worth taking.
Hasbro has had their pulse app out for a while now. It allows for access to items to buy, preorder, and a look into future projects and releases. It also allows for a very cool thing most nerds (a group of which I am a proud card-carrying member) have always wanted, the ability to make yourself into an action figure. I’ve contemplated making one for a time but, I finally got my chance to get my hands on one at Comic-Con this year. Now, of course, I had to wait in line as it was a pretty sought-after item. Who doesn’t want to have themselves wear the ninja suit of Snake-Eyes or dressed like a Mandalorian? I was approached by one of the booth staff as I was showing my nephew all the cool ways we could get him his own MIles Morales action figure with his face (as he’s a massive fan) and invited to take a seat and scan our faces into the Hasbro Pulse app with the help of their awesome team and make this dream a reality. My wife was with us, so of course she got in on the fun too. We scanned our faces in and it was very simple and quick. Then we all selected our figures to add our heads to. We all chose Power Rangers(Me as the Black Ranger, my wife chose the pink ranger and the nephew got the red ranger). Then we were told that we needed to wait about 4-6 weeks and we’d have our custom action figure team in our hands. This was a major part of our Comic-Con adventure and definitely, a memory my wife and nephew won’t forget (as it was both of their first Con ever). Thank you to Hasbro for being so generous(also getting me brownie points that home) and I highly suggest checking out Hasbro Pulse and all the cool stuff it has to offer.
Adapted and written largely from the Captain’s Log chapter of Bram Stoker’s magnum opus Dracula, The Last Voyage of the Demeter tells the story of Dracula’s journey by ship from Carpathia to London, and what happened to her crew in the interim.
So here we are in Bulgaria, middle of 1897, and Captain Eliot (Liam Cunningham) of the Russian schooner Demeter is here to take on some strange cargo from some unknown client and transport it to Carfax Abbey in London. In need of some extra hands, the Captain sends out his capable Second Wojchek (David Dastmalchian) to scout for some, and initially the roving black doctor and aspiring philosopher Clemens (Corey Hawkins) is passed over in favor of more work-roughened men. The adorable cabin boy of the Demeter, Toby (Woody Norman), narrowly misses being crushed by the mysterious dragon-marked crates being loaded onto the ship, saved by Clemens himself and switched out with the superstitious sailors running from the Demeter like they had been poisoned by the sign of Dracul. And now, armed with some nine or so crewmen, Doc Clemens, and Captain Eliot himself, the twenty-four strange what looks like coffins adorned with dragon signs brought mostly safely aboard, the Demeter can make for open water and the Hell that awaits them there.
The duty of showing Clemens around the ship falls to a cheerful Toby, who proudly shows him the living areas, the Captain’s quarters, the very-large cargo hold, the galley and kitchen where the overly-devout Joseph (Jon Jon Briones) cooks the crews meals, the various above decks, even the sails, and the rigging are all at least touched on, and the livestock pens that Toby himself is in charge of, including the handsome good-boy doggy Huckleberry, or just Huck. We the audience get a very clear feeling of what it’s like to actually be aboard the Demeter, just how large she really is, and what living on a ship for months at sea is really like, the reality and practicality and the dangers of it.
Everyone more or less settles in for a hopefully uneventful voyage, taking mess around the common table and exchanging ideas or aspirations for when they arrive in London early thanks to the fair winds, and receive a handsome bonus for their troubles. But that involves being alive and making it to London to spend said bonus and pay, and the coffin crates spilling dark soil from the motherland and disgorging all sorts of other nasty secrets, have some serious plans to the contrary.
First, it’s the livestock, innocent and shrieking in their locked pens as a monster takes great furious bites out of their necks, and of course, the creature just straight up ruins poor doggy Huck. Then there’s the fully grown girl that gets dislodged from an open coffin-crate, covered in bite scars and as pale as death, she eventually starts interacting and talking after several blood transfusions from Doc Clemens, Toby learns her name is Anna (Aisling Franciosi). And then, as the weather turns foul and the winds begin to be a serious problem, the attacks turn toward the remaining humans onboard the Demeter.
Most people these days are familiar with Dracula, that gorgeous cunning vampire Elder who can supposedly transform into a bat or a wolf, seducing women to voluntarily offer up their veins like an unholy sacrament, a being at once beautiful and powerful, but also horrific and murderous if given half a heartbeat to smell your blood. This is not Dracula.
Instead, the creature that hunts the humans occupying the Demeter is an absolute monster, not a single human feature left to it, barely even recognizable as humanoid-shaped, instead boasting not just full-length bat wings but an entire exo-skin of bat membranes that can be used for feeding, a mouth full of needle-like teeth akin to a predator of the deepest darkest parts of the ocean, those yellowed Nosferatu eyes that will not tolerate light in any way, and of course giant pointy bat-ears. This is a thing, a grotesque straight from the depths of Hell, and no amount of glamor magic can make this Dracula (Javier Botet) seem like anything other than what he, is – a parasitic demon who only wants your blood. There is no reasoning with it, no trapping it, not even really any talking to it (kinda hard to talk when your throat has been ripped out), and, like the much more frightening Dracula stories of old, no amount of pure faith behind a symbol does anything other than give false hope.
Coming face to face with an actual abomination does different things to different people. The formerly delightfully foul-mouthed Abrams (Chris Walley) dissolves into a blubbering mess; poor Larsen (Martin Furulund) didn’t even get to see his own death coming; and it turns out Olgaren (Stefan Kapicic) wants to live so badly, he’ll suffer becoming a blank-eyed Renfield if that’s what it takes. All of Cook Joseph’s purported pure faith didn’t stop him from trying to take the coward’s way out and didn’t save him anyway when the sound of unnatural bat wings descended on him. I find that kind of irony delicious. Dear Anna, resigned to her fate to be eternal food for the horror that terrorized her village, nevertheless wants to try and save whoever is left of the Demeter with her own sacrifice, and there aren’t many. Wojchek of course wants to kill Dracula, but for all his logic and solid practical nature, has no experience whatsoever with this sort of thing, and sure doesn’t want to sacrifice the Demeter, the beloved ship he called home that was promised to him by Captain Eliot himself, in order to destroy that demon. Even poor sweet Toby isn’t safe from the creature’s clutches, and what happens to the cabin boy of the Demeter is what finally sends Captain Eliot over the blooming edge. And who could blame him? For this sort of thing to happen during the last voyage of such a proud, solid ship as the Demeter, is some serious bullsh*t.
To leave such a film open for a potential sequel, especially when called the last voyage of something, was a pretty hefty ask, and somehow the filmmakers managed it. I personally think a different version of Van Helsing, the infamous vampire hunter, teaming up with a certain black doctor who nurses a serious grudge against Dracula, could be a kickass sequel. Until then, experience the doomed final journey of the Demeter and her poor crew in all it’s bloodstained glory, in theaters now!
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