Meet A.J. Friederich | Actor & Model

We had the good fortune of connecting with A.J. Friederich and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi A.J., how do you think about risk?
Risk taking is necessary, but scary. I’m a big planner who likes to have control. Most of my life I only took part in activities I knew I could succeed. Pursuing acting as a career forced me to change my mindset. There is no sure way of becoming a successful actor, it’s risky. And I’ve noticed in auditions you often don’t book the job unless you take risks. But why are risks so important? Because without risk you aren’t reaching your full potential. You aren’t allowing yourself to explore new places, thoughts, emotions, and talents. And those new things just may be what allows you to connect most with others.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Entertainment has recently really leaned into hiring actors and models to play themselves as a built in brand. But I’m a chameleon. I excel at dark, emotional dramas, and also shine in light comedies. I am believable as the bad guy and the nice guy next door. I’m what used to be known as a character actor. But I also model, so I don’t have the typical “character look”. And I’m proud that I’ve stuck to my many talents/interests, rather than trying to niche up and limit myself.

I’ve taken acting classes at more than a dozen studios including Scott Sedita’s, UCB, and The Groundlings. I even finished a post-grad acting program at UCLA. I’ve taken every opportunity I could, from acting in student films, shorts, feature films, and commercials. I’ve done background work, stand-in work, hand modeling, runway modeling, and web catalogue modeling. I’ve also worked as a production assistant.

It definitely has not been easy. Hundreds of thousands of people want to be actors. And 20s to 30s is the most common age. There’s a ton of competition. I just try to see every audition as a win and continue to nurture relationships, because you never know what friend might need help in the future.

I want the world to know that men can be emotionally vulnerable and competent. It’s okay to cry and not be aggressive or loud. And through my acting I want to bring humanity to every character. No one is fully good or bad.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I don’t go out much. But I do love making an event out of getting together. I’d have them visit in the fall. Then we could go to Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios. I’m a huge horror fan, and this is definitely one of the best spooky events. I also love Mexican food so we would get dinner one night at Los Amigos in Burbank. And I’m always down for a movie at the theater, so we’d have to catch a blockbuster at the AMC Burbank and share a large popcorn. I like exploring touristy things, so maybe we’d visit Watts Towers or go to the Santa Monica Pier (but only if by some miracle the traffic getting to the west side isn’t bad). And while we’re on the west side we’d have to stop by Sockerbit. If you’re a fan of sour candy nothing compares to the quality of Sockerbit. Then we’d top off the visit with a show at the Hollywood Bowl. There’s always something magical about watching performances outdoors at that venue.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to give a shoutout to Andrew Burns. He’s a photographer, director, and creative. We’ve worked together on numerous occasions and it’s always been a blast. He has a very good eye, but also one of the most generous personalities. He’s based out of San Diego, which is so fitting for his chill/ smiling self. He has graciously offered to photograph me many times. One photoshoot was with a rain rig, and produced some of my favorite images. He’s also freely connected me with other creatives. If you’re looking for someone with really dynamic work, Andrew’s your guy.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ajfriederich/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/a-j-friederich-41440a69

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ajfriederich1/

Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ajfriederich IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6420504/

Image Credits
Robert Silver Photography, Andrew Burns Photography, Paper Airplanes Photography