Australian Hunter Reilly chatted with #Powerjournalist Markos Papadatos about being a social influencer and emerging actor in the digital age.
American entrepreneur Sam Altman once said: “Young people willing to push super hard to make something happen are among the most powerful forces in the world.” Hunter Reilly is such an inspiring young individual and actor.
The digital age
On being a part of the digital age, he said, “It feels normal because I’ve grown up with it. Ever since I was a kid, social media has been kind of a thing since 2012. I’ve been doing this since I was 14. So, it’s not too new for me, but it’s cool. It feels like a new era.”
Daily motivations
Regarding his daily motivations, he shared, “I honestly think that I get a lot of enjoyment out of making entertaining things. I realized that has translated into acting as well.”
“I’ve been working on both of those things, which is creating entertaining things and helping put them together. I guess that just motivates me to keep going further in this industry and see where I can end up. So, that’s what motivates me,” he elaborated.
Hunter Reilly in the next five years
When asked where he sees himself in the next five years, he said, “I’m moving to the United States soon, hopefully. Acting has been my main goal and my main focus.”
“So, to just keep working on acting, and keep growing that, and being able to show my skills and make something good,” he noted.
“I’ve been studying acting before I started social media, but that took off. So, I’m now trying to pivot the other way again and put all my energy and resources into acting now, and just keep going,” he elaborated.
“In five years, I hope that I’m doing well and making some cool films and shows,’ he added.
Career-defining moments
On his career-defining moments, he remarked, “There have been a few along the way… There was a time when I went to New York for Fashion Week with Tommy Hilfiger, and I remember being in that room and looking at all the people there. I wanted to be like them, and I wanted to do what they were doing.”
“I felt I was nowhere near the level that they were all at, but I do feel like I’m on the right track,” he acknowledged.
“That was a moment where I was convinced to keep doing what I was trying to do because I feel like it is helping me slowly get closer to that vision,” he added.
Reflecting over the past decade
If he were to look back in a rear-view mirror over the past decade, he noted that he sees “way too many TikToks.” “I’ve been doing that nonstop for years now,” he admitted.
“I think I’ve made some good choices,” he noted. “I would do some things differently too as most people would. I feel like there are a lot of lessons that need to be learnt as well.”
“I’m only 25 now. I was very naive when I was younger and I thought that everything would take off instantly and everything would be amazing so quickly,” he admitted. “Then, I realized I had to learn and grow in these areas personally and professionally to get to where I actually want to go.”
“I think sometimes things take time. You need to learn lessons. I am very nostalgic, but I do try my best to look towards the future rather than look back at the past. I feel like you can get stuck in the past very easily if you just keep looking back,” he explained.
Reilly takes cues from Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson
Reilly shared that he takes cues from Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson. He was thrilled to be a part of a virtual segment with the actors where they offered emerging Australian actors insightful advice on how to get their feet in the door.
“I was basically asked to do this Zoom 24 hours prior, and I said ‘absolutely.’ I got the opportunity to learn and chat with Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson… they gave me tips on how to stay on this path and keep going where I wanted to go,” he said.
“I got to ask them candid and genuine questions about heading out to the U.S. soon, and they shared tips on how to leave a good first impression in the acting industry. So, I was getting all this helpful information and wisdom, which was so lovely,” he explained.
When asked if there is a “dream” celebrity he would have liked to get advice from, it would be the late but great “Heath Ledger,” who was “The Joker” himself. “Honestly, I feel he would have been a great person, and he would have given me some really good advice, and that would have been awesome,” he said.
“It’s a shame that I won’t be able to do that because Heath is no longer with us,” he added.
Stage of his life
On the title of the current chapter of his life, Reilly revealed, “Growth.”
“I feel I’m in the actual ending of a chapter right now,” he admitted. “I am about to start a really big chapter, where I am hoping to move to U.S. to do acting. I think this is my ‘Growth’ chapter… that’s a good way to define it.”
“I feel like the universe is trying to close some of these doors to set me onto the next thing,” he added.
Superpower of choice
If he were to have any superpower, it would be flying. “How could it not be flying,” he said with a sweet laugh. “I would be able to get anywhere and travel very quickly.”
Favorite motto to live by
His favorite motto to live by is the following quote by Arnold Schwarzenegger: “Early to bed, early to rise, work like hell, and advertise.” “That’s my favorite quote,” he admitted.
“I have that ingrained in my brain… the best book I’ve ever read is Arnold’s autobiography. I just love reading autobiographies from actors and I really resonate with them, and I’ve learned a lot from them too,” he elaborated.
Best advice he has ever been given
On the best advice Reilly has ever been given, Reilly said, “My father instilled something in me and my brother ever since we were kids, which his anytime something goes wrong to ask yourself two questions: ‘How can I turn this negative into a positive?’ and ‘what does this enable me to do that I couldn’t do before?’ There is always a path to keep moving forward and to navigating out of.”
“These are two things I try to live by whenever there is an issue that comes up… to find the positive in it and see what it enables me to do that I couldn’t do before. Also, to keep moving forward,” he added.
Best thing about being his age at this stage of his life
On the best thing about being his age (25), Reilly said, “I’m constantly feeling like I’m way too old and I’m also very young at the same time. With the pandemic, it feels like I skipped a couple of years. I’ve been spending the past couple of years catching up on personal development. The best thing is that I still feel like I have a very bright future ahead of me, and I have time… and I am really excited for what the future holds.”
“Honestly, as much as I feel like I’m far behind, I am probably not… so I just need to keep reminding myself of that. I think that’s the best part about being 25… the fact that there is still time,” he elaborated.
The same holds true if you are 50 as well. There is still time for actors to get started at 50 and then they can become incredible successful. It’s a long game, and hopefully, things will fall into place sooner rather than later. I want to be in it for the long haul,” he acknowledged.
Success
On his definition of the word success, Reilly said, “I think that there is a healthy balance between being happy and being able to support yourself and pursue something that you genuinely enjoy. I think there is a good balance between those things.”
“I feel like if I can get all those in balance with each other, with what I’m pursuing, then I feel like I’m successful,” he noted.
“I want to be able to create and act in and help make things that are entertaining, educational, and inspirational for as many people as I can. If I can create things that can distract people from the difficulties of daily life, then I’ve done something successful,” he elaborated.
“Obviously, this is a very competitive and difficult industry. If I can keep growing, moving forward and keep my head above water, then I would feel pretty successful,” he added.
Message for his fans and supporters
For his fans and supporters, he expressed, “I am so grateful. I have had so many genuinely amazing people and fan pages make edits every day and I am always re-posting and hyping myself up.”
“I’m always in shock whenever I meet people in real life that have been following my work, where they have been fans of the things I’ve done or they’ve referenced my work online,” he noted.
“It’s not like they just saw one video… they’ve seen me grow over the years and, and it genuinely surprises me to think anybody is even really paying attention. Whenever people pay attention to my work, I am so grateful. I think that’s the only way to explain it,” he acknowledged.
“I hope I can keep doing what they believe that I have the potential to do. I think that’s what I really want to say to them,” he said.
“I’ve had the nicest messages from people… they have been so supportive and quite a lot of people in the industry as well, some pretty successful people sending me the most generous and encouraging messages,” he elaborated.
“I want to make all those people that believe in me proud. I want to keep working hard so I can make them right,” he concluded.
To learn more about Hunter Reilly, follow him on Instagram and TikTok.
