Interviewing actor Kevin D Stones.

 

1-. How was your childhood?

I’m the eldest with a younger sister and brother, my father and mother were very loving. Dad was ex Army. We lived in a three bedroom rented house with a big vegetable garden. We were well fed and warm. Sadly my father had a bad industrial accident when I was 10 and he was in and out of hospital for a long time, that was a hard time for us all. He died aged 62 I still think of him every day. I wasn’t particularly academic at school, I was the joker of the class. Hated english and mathematics classes…loved music, cooking.

2. - From what age did you decide to be an actor and how did you know you had the skills to go on TV?

Well I did perform in the school nativity aged 6-7 one of the wise men.

Went through school and couldn’t wait to leave, did a short time in the Royal Navy didn’t like that at all. At 17 I bought a airline ticket and went to New Zealand for a year. Got married at 21. So didn’t really decide to be an actor until I was about 35years, my first job was as a get away driver in a reconstruction of a robbery for a Police programme. I drifted into film and tv then. I applied for a few game shows and liked the studio buzz, I joined an extras agency, then got involved in student and festival films. I gave up full time work aged 48, I was accepted into RADA Elders for about 2 years, signed up with various acting agencies and stopped my film extra work. So far I’ve around 20 or more films and around 10 tv shows & 3 Music videos etc.

3. - Did your parents support you in the decision you made to be an actor?

Well they didn’t oppose my decision as I was grown up and married but my mother went to see a psychic medium and she was told I’d be an actor…spooky!

4. - What was your first appearance on the screens?

Dreadful it was a very amateurish university production which I’ve deleted..I played a grumpy old gardener who slowly rescues a student who has a phobia about slugs & snails and she is trapped in a greenhouse And it rained all day! O dear I’d forgotten about that dreadful film.

5. - What was the role you liked the most?

I’m usually cast as a Hard man, Drugs Baron or Gangster. I suppose these roles suit my size and looks, I’m variously described as formidable, imposing, threatening etc. So seems I’m type cast but I’m very happy with that.

6.- What do you think led you to fame?

Oh no, I’m not famous Yet! It takes time, slowly in my case to secure improved roles…I hope one day to be recognised on the street but fame? I’m not sure that’ll ever happen.

7-. What types of characters you would like to interpret?

I’m very safe with my Gangster persona. I know I play that character well. I’m working at the moment with a comedy script that has been accepted for a film..starting next week. I’m a bit crazy as the Boss of a company…can’t say much more at the moment.

8-. What actresses and actors do you feel comfortable working with?

You can imagine over the 35 odd years I’ve been acting, in one form or another, I’ve met many actors my pet hate is an actor who thinks he/she is something special and demanding. I like positive people not moaners..

9-. In what other genres of art would you like to participate? (Works of theater, music,

among others)

I’m not very comfortable with theatre work, I much prefer the camera, if you fluff a line you can always re film that bit, theatre isn’t so forgiving.

10.- Do you have any anecdotes that have marked you in your life and as a person?

I suppose a strange but wonderful thing happened when I was a kid, I saw and spoke with a ghost. She confirmed spiritually for me there must be life after death I saw it with my own eyes. From then on a was able to recognise spirituality in me.

11.- What has been your greatest achievement?

At 68 I’m blessed with a number of achievements. I’m married to the same lovely lady for 47 years. Two wonderfully successful daughters. Acting wise I get great satisfaction from people who have seen any of my films and liked what I did…

12.- What projects will you make next and which ones do you have in mind?

I touched on the comedy I’m filming soon. I have a film set in Louisiana just after the Second World War to complete this year soon, I play a Sheriff of a town where the local rednecks are killing black folks, I take over from the old corrupt Sheriff who needed KKK votes to stay as Sheriff. So I’m the good guy hero who eventually kills the bad guys..

I’m also cast as a building site manager in a film about a breast cancer survivor, that’s scheduled to start filming in February 2023.

One set in Pimlico, London for filming last month was postponed until next year now due to financial problems.The American Director has since flown back to USA.

There are two more films I’ve accepted and I’m cast in, one is about smuggling in the 17th century I play a true life character called Poison, going to be violent and hard hitting action film based on a true life smuggling gang and the other film is about a Royal Air Force bomb aimer. Both are scheduled for the next year or two.

13.- Would you like to make a movie in Spain? I would like very much to make a film or tv show drama in Spain if given the opportunity but my limited Spanish would make that difficult I think. I did work on a film with a very talented and good looking Spanish actor here just outside London. Check out Guillermouria.es Willy’s a great buddy and great Spanish actor.

14.- you like Spanish cinema? To my shame, I’ve never been to a Spanish cinema although I lived in Spain for 6 years near Antequera. I’m pleased to say we only supported the Spanish bars and shops. Sadly many Brits don’t do this. I used to go hunting & fishing with Spanish mates.

I play the guitar ( badly) and we used to put on shows for our little village supporting cancer sufferers and disabled children, so we integrated with the Spanish and tried speaking sufficient to make them understand us. I love Spain, we holiday every year on the Costa del Sol with our friends..