From Oslo to Los Angeles, Jonas Olsen never knew how hard it would be to break into an industry full of demands, attracting thousands of hopefuls from all over the world, each year, aiming for a limited number of roles and opportunities.
"Out of 100 answers, 99 of them will be a no. Deal with it." Those were the first words Olsen heard when arriving in Los Angeles. Not by a professor or a friend, but by the flight attendant he had spoken with on his flight over. It seemed like even she knew what he was in for. But did he?
At 20 years old, it’s hard to grasp the massive challenge of success. No industry is off limits when it comes to expectations as an entrepreneur. And as an actor, a career path that is derived very similarly, one could argue it's even harder.
According to Olsen, that youthful, ignorant, and hopeful attitude can be more beneficial than initially anticipated. When we sat down with Olsen he explained his journey, and the focus he's had to maintain when climbing in the industry.
"You end up taking one step at a time," Olsen told us. We started the discussion in regards to work ethic.
He told us that "focusing on your goal, keeping a slight eye on the big picture is key." Olsen was born in Oslo, Norway, and had his breakthrough performance in 2006, being cast as the lead in the TV show Boys will be Boys. He is the youngest Norwegian actor to have starred in a Emmy-nominated TV show, and has since been working on a variety of projects in Oslo, London, Mexico City and Los Angeles, where he currently resides.
"If all you do is focus on how far you’ve got left, that intrinsic motivation will inevitably die. If you manage to enjoy the journey," he smiled, admitting that it sounded a bit cliche, "you’ll find a lot of fun experiences along the way."
To Olsen, connecting with people from all over the world ended up being the most important part of his journey.
"As an actor it’s all about connecting, and if you want to connect on screen you need to be able to connect in real life."
One of those people is Brandon Stewart, founder of Brandon Studios and host on the late night talk show Obsessed. Olsen explains how Stewart gave him a crash course in where to go, how to stand out as an actor, and how to properly, "act your socks off."
Olsen told us, “[Stewart] was a true blessing for me when I first got started”. 10 years later the two still keep in touch. “One of the first things I learned from him was how to network, and never burn any bridges”.
Olsen has been featured in quite a few projects. He wrote and directed his own play in 2016, he played an Amish serial killer, and recently wrapped a Google commercial that is airing in the United States and Canadadian areas. But to Olsen, one job stands out.
“I remember doing a Motorola commercial a few years back, and I had no idea who was cast in it. When I showed up on set I was greeted by Ashton Kutcher," he told us. Kutcher is an American actor, known for his roles in popular television shows like That '70s Show and films such as Dude, Where’s My Car.
Olsen admitted he was "the nicest man on earth." The duo worked together on the commercial and quickly made Olsen realize "working with someone of that caliber and being treated with such respect, was an eye-opener." Olsen said he wanted to make that kind of impact when given his chance because "kindness is infectious."
A few months ago, Olsen was cast to play the Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahl for the HBO series Explorers Club. As he was working with a couple of younger actors, he told us he made a point to put an arm around them, be there for them, and answer any questions they had. He told us, “that was incredibly rewarding," when talking about how he loves motivating people to live their dream.
Olsen said, "I plan on being that type of person on set forever."