Email: neill@outloudculture.com
Reed Horstmann is a Los Angeles based actor born and raised in Denver, Colorado. Since a very early age, Reed had a fascination with movies and television. At age four his dad showed him “Star Wars” and from that moment on he permanently donned a Jedi robe. He was convinced that Han Solo was a real person until he saw “Raiders of the Lost Arc” and was shocked to learn that it was not Han Solo pretending to be Indiana Jones but an actor named Harrison Ford. He could not believe that one person could play someone else for a job and knew from that moment on, that is what he wanted to do. He begged his parents to take acting classes and at age 6 became involved with the Denver Center for Performing Arts, and it wasn’t long before he was traveling to Los Angeles to pursue his dream.
In 2017 Reed landed his first role on the Netflix Movie “Our Souls at Night” featuring Robert Redford and Jane Fonda. In 2019 Reed was cast in the series regular role of Stick on “The Expanding Universe of Ashley Garcia,” a Netflix Original Series created by Mario Lopez and Seth Kurland.
Reed Horstmann can now be seen as Jake/Chaos on Disney’s “The Villains of Valley View.” The series that follows a family of raucous supervillains who recently ran afoul of the League of Villains and now must somehow beat a path to normalcy in a small Texas town.
Groomer: KIMBERLY BRAGALONE
Wardrobe stylist: BEN HOLTROP
Hi Reed, welcome to OLC! So what inspired your journey into acting and who was your biggest inspiration?
I think the thing that inspired my interest and later journey into acting was when I learned that it was something people did professionally, to begin with. I was always playing characters from a young age, this eventually progressed into doing theatre productions and camps that made my fascination grow. As I grew up, my peers in those acting camps would become my biggest motivators to continue acting on a professional scale as I saw them do the same. I’ve been blessed with some amazing experiences working with brilliant individuals that each act as my current inspirations and teachers to get more of that feeling that I get from performing.
Your first starring role was in a Netflix movie called ‘Our Souls At Night’, in which you starred alongside Robert Redford and Jane Fonda, how did that opportunity come about and what did you learn whilst working with veteran actors like Robert Redford and Jane Fonda?
Honestly, it was pretty overwhelming. That gig was my first on-camera job where I worked as a background actor. The reason I auditioned for it was so that I could get a very focused study of how sets work. I had no idea that I would end up later having a scene with Robert Redford himself. In fact, I didn’t know that up until they called action and I almost rammed him on my bike as I was riding completely stunned. That’s one of my favorite stories to tell because it feels like a fever dream to think back on. He was incredibly compassionate and forgiving toward my clumsiness afterward. If I ever cross paths with him again I’ll be sure to apologize again haha!
You now star in the Disney series ‘The Villains of Valley View’, can you tell me a bit about the show and who you play?
The Villains of Valley View is about a family of supervillains hiding out in Texas as they attempt to acclimate to normal lives. My character, Jake, is the black sheep in the family. He’s the only one who sees the family’s new situation as an opportunity to live the life he’s secretly always wanted: to be a better person. He’s always on a path of self-improvement and self-discovery.
What drew you to the role of Jake and how did you prepare to play the character?
I think what drew me to this character was how he immediately had a story and it intrigued me from the jump. We see in his introduction that he’s already set apart from the rest of the cast. As the season progresses, we see just how far he’s willing to go to be his own person whether it’s with his family’s support or not. Any character that has that much of an arc is enough to draw in any actor; he’s full of nuance and complication that always makes him a fun challenge to play.
You would also like to work alongside Jason Bateman and Benedict Cumberbatch one day, why would you love to work with them and what is it that you love about their craft?
I think that it’s their dedication and the amount of work they devote to each of their characters that makes me want to work alongside them. While they’re two great examples, any actor that approaches their work with the same dedication I’d like to work alongside. I go into every job open to learning from the experience and processes of those I’m working with, and I think it’s individuals such as those I mentioned that would teach me the most.
You also play in a band as well? Can you tell me a bit about that and where can people see you play?
Of course! To be completely transparent, the band is a new development in my life. My best friend Sacha Carlson, whom I met years ago on an audition for the same character, reached out to me in February to recruit me to this group he was putting together. Once we started playing together in our first rehearsal, I knew it was a great fit. Since then, we’ve played quite a few shows across Los Angeles, we’ve recorded singles that’ll be released soon, and we’re gearing up to play the world-famous Troubadour on July 18th!
What drew you to music, I read you loved AC/DC?
I’ve always grown up around rock music. I can’t imagine a version of my life where that doesn’t continue to be ever-present in a similar way that acting is. AC/DC, among other classic rock artists, are big influences that I got from my parents. As I got older though, I went through this undertaking to find modern rock groups to draw inspiration from. If you see my Instagram, it’s pretty common to see me repost works from groups like Greta Van Fleet, Rival Sons, and Paramore.
Where do you hope your career in either music or acting will take you one day?
The dream for any actor or musician, or creative period, is to be working consistently. I just hope I can continue to do so with the same flexibility that I continue to have now! I’m excited to see where my career takes me; I also hope to one day be in the position to write more music or film more projects with my friends as well as my heroes who’ve inspired me to start my career in the first place!
What’s next for you in 2023?
The rest of this year is a gonna be a blast! I get to see our amazing cast and crew’s hard work pay off for season two of The Villains of Valley View that’s now on Disney Channel and Disney Plus! I’m gonna continue to be playing shows with my band across LA. After that, who knows what lies in store; I’m excited to see what the rest of the year will bring!
