Biography
The son of a Naval officer, John grew up traveling throughout the United States and the world. He lived for three years in Japan from the age of seven and while there, climbed all 12,390 feet of Mt. Fuji. At the age of ten, his family settled in Ponte Vedra Beach, in Jacksonville, Florida. John quickly fell in love with the ocean and became an avid surfer; competing in local contests, traveling on surf trips, and dreaming of turning pro.
At the same time, John’s mother, an exceptional artist and creative soul, influenced him to find other creative outlets. Thus, he began drawing, photography, storytelling, and found a love for movies. He fell in love again, this time with acting, during his senior year of high school when John’s teacher encouraged him to audition for Christian in CYRANO DE BERGERAC. John won the role and an award for best performance. He walked off stage telling his teacher, “I want to do this the rest of my life.”
While attending the University of North Florida, John won a plum role opposite Emmy-winner and current LOST series regular Michael Emerson in OTHELLO and also acted in many other local productions. Graduating with his BA in advertising, John interned at an advertising agency and might have stayed in the field had he not taken a seminar with Kathryn Laughlin, a Broadway actress, New York American Academy teacher, and casting director. She advised him, “You have to study, get your SAG card, and move to L.A.” John did just that.
He has since been honing his craft in the master classes of famed acting teachers Cameron Thor, Howard Fine, Jay Goldenberg, Eric Morris and with LA’s most prestigious improv comedy troupe, the Groundlings. He’s also kept a close relationship with the stage earning AEA membership and numerous LA theatre credits.
John continues to travel and surf and these loves have taken him to Australia, Costa Rica, Tahiti, the Turks & Caicos Islands, Bahamas, and Hawaii (Kauai, Oahu, & the North Shore). He resides in Los Angeles with his wife, actress Christie Lynn Smith.