Email:neill@outloudculture.com
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Josh Plasse is an actor, boxer, writer, and producer born in Virginia. He is a son of a former US Navy Seal, and a 2012 Golden Gloves champion he attended Virginia Commonwealth University from 2011 to 2013 where he studied Homeland Security and Criminal Justice and was privately coached by Joseph Obermueller. He moved from Virginia to Hollywood with only 5 months of acting experience to expand his acting career and dedicate his life to filmmaking. In 2018, he guest-starred as Chris Cleaver on the long-running hit ABC drama, Grey’s Anatomy. He was later cast as Wes on iCarly which was an exciting experience for him, being that was his favorite show growing up. In June 2021, Josh produced his company’s first feature film titled Yucca Valley.
In addition to his notable work mentioned above, Plasse has also been seen in Notorious, Grown-ish, Criminal Minds, Happily Never After, There’s No Such Things as Vampires, Murder in the Vineyard, and All Out Dysfunktion!. He will be seen in the Faith-based series The Baxters based off the best-selling novels by Karen Kingsbury. His film work will has showcased him both on-screen and off , most recently in the TIFF favorite, Wildflower, starring opposite Kiernan Shipka, Brad Garret, Jean Smart and Charlie Plummer, as well as The Resurrection of Charles Mansion opposite Frank Grill and Jamie King. He recently wrapped production on his film Ride starring Anabeth Gish. He wrote and produced the film as well as starred as the male lead. Now, he can be seen starring at Luke Baxter in the Amazon Prime series The Baxters, based off the best-selling novels by Karen Kingsbury.
This past fall Josh stepped into a new role with his charitable endeavor ‘Operation 22’ – a 22-day campaign consisting of a ‘Ruckrun’, in which the actor rucked 22 miles each day wearing a 22-pound rucksack for 22 consecutive days to raise awareness and funding in the fight against military suicide. Every day, an average of 22 veterans commit suicide, which is why Plasse chose the specific number for the project. All proceeds raised went to Stop Soldier Suicide.
Josh and his wife currently reside in Nashville, TN, where he focuses on his acting, writing and producing career. Along with his multi-hyphenate skills in the film and television world, Josh is active in baseball, martial arts, football, tennis, basketball, track & field, boxing, swimming, and golf. He’s also an avid whiskey lover.
Hi Josh, welcome to OLC! Can you share your journey from studying Homeland Security and Criminal Justice to pursuing a career in acting and filmmaking?
Of course! In college, I studied homeland security and criminal justice, aiming to follow in my dad’s footsteps as a U.S. Navy SEAL. At the time, I had been doing a ton of physical training and was a bit too serious in life. In short, I wasn’t having as much fun as I would’ve liked… I had a great friend named Adam who encouraged me to get into the theater to lighten up a bit, so I enrolled in an acting class with a man named Joseph Obermueller, and I immediately fell in love with the craft! In short, I never looked back.
How did your experience as a Golden Gloves champion influence your approach to roles, particularly those with physical demands?
Mindset. Mindset. Mindset. Many high-caliber athletes do well in the arts because of their ability to prepare. Once they can get out of their heads and start authentically “living” in their work, I think their work ethic begins to shine through. This was the case for me. Being willing to work hours to win something like the Golden Gloves instilled a mindset that has helped me flourish in Hollywood.
What inspired you to transition from Virginia to Hollywood with just five months of acting experience?
Piggybacking off of my first answer, I ended up taking acting very seriously. I felt that I might be able to make a difference in the world through storytelling, which is ultimately what I wanted to do through the military. I would say that was my transitioning moment toward a career in film/TV… and, most assuredly, was what “inspired” me toward it. A few months later, I talked with my coach, and he told me, “Washington is power, Hollywood is influence.” This stuck with me… and the next thing I knew, I was packing my bags for LA and intended on making just that—a positive influence.
Could you tell us about your experience working on “The Baxters”, what the shows about and who you play?
I had the best time on this show… I have nothing but great things to say about everyone from the top down in terms of my physical, tangible experience. The show is based on a literature series by Karen Kingsbury, which has been immensely successful for as long as I can remember! The books and the show follow a family (The Baxter family) as they navigate life’s highs and lows. The series’ backbone is the family’s faith in God and how life’s trials can force you closer or further away from him. I play Luke Baxter, a young man who encounters great tragedy when a church shooting occurs in his hometown, ultimately taking the life of someone dear to him…
How did you prepare for the role, and how much of you went into the character?
In addition to the normal breakdown of the text and sort of “basic” character work, I actually wrote an entire journal for Luke, created playlists, and drew a diagram of the challenges I’ve faced in my own life compared to his. I tried to draw from the emotions I recalled during those times and really bring them to the surface when Luke faced his trials on the diagram. I felt like it kept things really clear for me in terms of “substitutions” and authentic connections to things that are real for me. Ultimately, my biggest goal as an actor is to not act, hah! You’ve got to live authentically based on true emotion, or it will read as contrived and fake every time, in my opinion.
What’s been the most memorable part of being on “The Baxters”?
Other than riding a 20-foot blow-up duck in the season one pool scene, I’d say it’s probably the friendships forged and the response to the show thus far… I wasn’t sure how people would feel about a show that leans into its faith so much, but the reactions have been incredibly positive… I think that in and of itself has been extremely memorable for me, as a lot of people have reached out to me directly to talk about trials they’ve faced, their relationship with God, and how the show has impacted them. Ultimately, that’s really what it’s all about.
You’ve been involved in various TV shows and films, both in front of and behind the camera. How do you balance these different roles, and which do you find most fulfilling?
In terms of fulfillment, they each come with their own ups and downs, but I personally love acting the most… it’s what started my journey and ultimately keeps me the most energized and excited to pursue. I find myself a bit lost if I don’t stay organized going back between them all. I’ve said this before, but I think it’s funny and hopefully helpful— I have a series of whiteboards reflecting my yearly, monthly, and weekly goals… I also have a planner, and I find that if I can categorize everything, I can stay in each “lane” during the times when I’m working on different things. I can be creative with my writing, studious with my acting, and fiscal-minded with my producing.
What motivated you to start your charitable endeavor, ‘Operation 22,’ and what impact do you hope it has on raising awareness about military suicide?
I have lost a few friends to suicide and have been around the military community my entire life… one day, I simply felt called and compelled to finally do something about it. One of my mentors had done a lot of work with a group called “Stop Soldier Suicide,” so I looked into them and quickly fell in love with what they were doing for our nation’s veterans. In terms of the impact, we were able to raise a lot of money and draw nearly 1,000,000 views on our videos, so I’m really hopeful that the campaign will spread awareness of the mental health struggles our veterans are facing daily… the statistics are absolutely gut-wrenching and ultimately need something to be done. I haven’t scratched the surface, but it’s definitely a start. I hope it encourages others to get out and do something similar.
As someone who wears many hats in the entertainment industry, what challenges have you faced, and how have you overcome them?
I’ve faced a great few challenges… as we all have, I suppose! In terms of challenges relevant to wearing many hats, I think it’s tough to make sure you’re working smarter and not “harder” all the time because, eventually, you will burn out… If you’re working on an audition for six or seven hours, then writing for three, and then organizing production schedules for a few more… your passion for each can diminish quickly. So, it’s hard to find that balance and allocation of energy when tackling multiple facets of the industry, especially if you make it to a high level.
Your latest film, “Ride,” showcases your talents not only as an actor but also as a writer and producer. What inspired the story, and what was your experience like working on this project?
Thank you! The story’s inspiration is actually nearly eight years old. My writing partner Jake Allyn and I developed the concept as a pilot, optioned it, and then had the rights returned to us after Covid hit the industry and shut everything down. We decided to take it into our own hands and start traveling to different rodeos/cowboy events to really understand the world and the subject matter we were taking on. The more we immersed ourselves, the more passionate we became and ultimately turned the pilot into a feature film that we will be releasing in theaters soon! In terms of my experience, I’d say it was one of the more fun sets I’ve ever been on… working with your “friends” is the dream for any filmmaker, so this one was a truly special project. We had the best team, and everyone was “all in,” as they say. Filming in Nashville and the rural areas of Tennessee during winter presented challenging weather elements but also gave us the aesthetic we dreamt of when developing the original concept of the world.
Living in Nashville, TN, what aspects of the city’s culture have influenced your creative work, if any?
A lot, actually. Obviously, with our film RIDE, the world is all cowboy and all country, so relocating to Nashville helped us understand the authentic elements of that lifestyle… I’m particularly proud of our director for truly immersing himself in the world of bull riding and even getting on a few down in Texas… Regarding other projects, Nashville has helped me a lot because it’s the perfect blend of a big city rocking small-town charm. Coming from LA, it’s easy to forget that most places don’t live the same way we do there, and I actually think I’ve become a lot more cultured in my time here as I’ve traveled the south and blended those elements into what I’ve learned from my time in LA. My work is becoming much more balanced and interesting, as are my characters. Nashville has a “go-getter” and yet “relaxed” energy all at once that’s unexplainable, particularly in the summer… and I’m really starting to bring that into my work ethic… I’m working harder, and yet also smarter… Allowing myself to hustle but also enjoying what the city has to offer. I’ve stopped bringing my work to the beach if you will.
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