Colin Fickes

By Alicia in Actors and Actresses on May 21, 2009

Even though he may be best known for his dark and damaged characters, Colin Fickes is an extremely down to earth guy who oozes talent. He has been in numerous film and TV roles and has shown us exactly what his abilities are made of.

Catch his latest film, The New Twenty, if you can and learn more about him at IMDb.

How did you first get starting in acting?

I grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina and started doing community theatre. My brother and sister were really into sports and I kind of just wasn’t very good at it. So, I started when I was about six or seven, just doing various things around the community theatre in Raleigh, North Carolina. Then, it just kind of evolved from there and I got an agent in Raleigh who’s actually a friend of mine’s mother. In the mid 90’s, there were a lot of projects that were shooting in and around North Carolina. I’d drive to Wilmington, which was about two hours from Raleigh, and just auditioning and things like that and then it just spiraled from there. Then, I moved to New York and got an agent through the referral from the agent in North Carolina and it just kind of went from there.

You were in the right place at the right time...

Yea, kind of, I just really enjoyed it at a young age and was in the right place. North Carolina was a great state, and still is, for T.V. and film, and for theatre as well.

You played the role of Jimmy Edwards on the T.V. series, "One Tree Hill." During the first three seasons, your character went from being outgoing to being emotionally disturbed. How did you prepare for such a dramatic change in that role?

Well, it’s funny, I had left that role for awhile and so coming back, it was interesting because I had to revisit and kind of see what he initially was like in the first season for those first two episodes. Then just to see how he would have evolved, kind of feeling what it was like, what it would be like to be outcast…to feel alone and sad and feeling like theres no place for him. I think we’ve all kind of felt like that at some point in our lives. So, it was just a lot of tapping into that loneliness and frustration and sadness. It was intense, it was a wild place to go but you just kind of go there and you hope you can leave it behind once you’re done shooting. It was very disturbing but I didn’t see him as a mean guy. I think it was just his circumstances that led him down this path of loneliness. You do see some anger there, especially in the first half of that episode, the school- shooting episode. I don’t know how intentional it was with him trying to hurt anyone…I think he just wanted to be heard. So, I tried to deal with just the sadness with him. I don’t think he was a mean, vicious monster. I think he just wanted to be heard so I just tried to focus on those things, the sadness and loneliness of the character.

You have played a few roles similar to that role, including one on an episode of "Law & Order." Do you find it difficult to play those types of roles or do you feel like it’s some of your best work?

I enjoy it. Those are the kinds of roles that I gravitate towards…I try not to play the same character but I try to tap into the things that we’re all trying to hide. For that character in "Law & Order," it was a dark character and he was definitely a victim. Often times, victims aren’t heard so that was what was so much fun about playing that role. Obviously, "Law and Order", it’s ripped from the headlines, I was actually playing a character that those things had happened to…I’m sure it was dramatized a little bit…but, I do, for some reason I enjoy gravitating towards those roles. I do like doing comedy as well. I do like exploring those dark "inside" places. I don’t know why, I guess I’m disturbed (laughs). In my real life, if you talk to any of my friends, I’m pretty outgoing and social…there’s times that I’m not and I’m more analytical. In public situations and with friends, I’m kind of like the clown and outgoing, or try to be outgoing. So doing these roles allows me to kind of do the "yang" of the other thing. Yeah, it’s fun.

What genre of characters would you like to be involved with that you currently have not explored?

I don’t really have limits. I just gravitate towards interesting roles. Stories that aren’t told and that’s also why I really enjoy doing independent films because it’s stories that usually don’t get told in the more mainstream "blockbuster" type movies…with independent films, there’s the quieter stories, interesting stories that are told. So, I really have no restrictions except that it just be an interesting character and something different. I would do anything really, anything interesting.

Having starred in film and T.V., can you tell us the main difference of filming each and which do you prefer?

That’s a good question, good! I enjoy both…the great thing about T.V. is for instance, with "One Tree Hill," from doing the first two episodes and then coming back and doing two more, you’re with the people a little longer, at least it feels that way…with a movie, you can go in for a couple of weeks and then you’re done and you never see them again. I like doing both. The main differences are that with a film, you shoot for a month and then a T.V. show, for me a guest-star, you go in for a week or so, I guess those are the differences.

Do you have one filming location that you’ve been to that you enjoyed the most?

Yes, it was a movie I did called, "Chrystal." It was shot in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. So I was literally flown to like the middle of nowhere or at least it felt that way. In the Ozarks, there’s this beautiful town called Eureka Springs and it’s one of the most progressive, liberal artistic communities. It’s interesting because the headquarters of the KKK is like forty five minutes from there, so that’s the reputation that you think you’re getting into when you go into this town. It was just this beautiful, magical town in the Ozarks and we were there for like a month, month and a half. We just heard great country music, hanging out with the locals in the bars and the different restaurants. It was also, with the nature all around us, just absolutely beautiful. So that would probably be my favorite place that I’ve filmed.

From your various roles, you have most likely found yourself with a fan following. As an actor, do you have feel a certain sense of responsibility to act a certain way when you’re dealing with fans?

I try to just be myself. I have a small fan base but it’s a mighty one! Everyone has been so supportive and just so nice and said such wonderful things. Everyone has just been so great and I am just really myself. I try to keep in touch with people through MySpace. My Facebook account, I try to keep just with friends because there are probably pictures up there that I wouldn’t want anyone to see but my close friends. So through MySpace I’ve been able to talk with a lot of the fans and they’re just such amazing, kind people. I’m very grateful to talk with them and I feel like I’m myself when I talk to them but I guess that’s for them to say, yes or no. Yeah, they’re great, fantastic.

Do you ever worry that fans will begin to perceive you as one of your onscreen characters?

I hope not (laughs) Like you said earlier, I’ve done some really dark things on T.V. and film but I don’t know…I don’t know if anyone’s ever perceived me that way. I don’t think so though. No, I would say no. I hope not, I hope not. I don’t carry guns (laughs). It’s been fun meeting people though. People will come up and say something and we’ll just have a conversation. It’s great to do. It makes me happy.

The acting profession can present lots of obstacles. Name one common obstacle and how do you overcome it?

I think it’s the whole thing with rejection and persistence. I started this thing when I was, I guess professionally, when I was 18. So, I’ve kind of been doing this for over ten years and there are years where you work a lot and you audition well, you feel artistically challenged...and then there are times when work dries up or you can’t get an audition or you do audition and it’s not a good one and dealing with the rejection of that, especially if it’s a role you really wanted. Then to have people tell you that you’re not right for it can be a little disheartening. I think with that, though you just have persistence…if you really love it, you just kind of hang in there…but it can be frustrating too when you want to do something really challenging and artistic and then some of the things that you go out for aren’t necessarily what you would want to do…but because you’ve made it your profession, you have to make money, you sometimes have to "do what you have to do," to pay the bills. Then, other times, you get to do the project where you get to pay the bills and you’re artistically challenged and gratified. So, yeah I would say persistence when there’s rejection would be the biggest challenge, to stay positive. That’s another great thing about the small but mighty fan base I have. They’ve been so supportive and I get these letters and these emails at these times where I would have an audition and I’m like, ‘Oh my God, I’m an awful actor…why couldn’t I do well in that audition?!’ and then you get an email or you talk to someone and they’re so supportive and it just means the world. So, it helps with staying persistence and keeping the hope alive. It’s a hard time to be an artist, I will say that…with the recession and ‘bigger fish to fry’ with the world and the way its going right now. So, to be an artist, it’s a bold thing to do, I think, for anyone that wants to pursue it professionally.

It’s a bold thing to be taking the chance and pursuing something you love because a lot of people won’t do that.

Correct, yeah. It’s true.

Like you said, you’ve been in the industry for over ten years now. Have you seen a change in how the industry works? If so, do you think it’s been for the better or for the worse?

I think it’s been for the better. I feel like it’s changed. I feel like independent films, there’s more of those...I don’t know, but then with that too, every movie that comes out, it seems like now, is an action movie. I don’t know…that’s a really good question, I wish I had an answer for you (laughs). I just try to audition and do a good job and try to work. I’m sure it’s changed in some way. The biggest change would probably have been in the past year when there was the writer’s strike and that put us out of work for I think four months. Then there’s the impending actor’s strike, then with the recession too, a lot of actors subsidize their living through doing commercials. So you have these ad agencies that can’t afford to do commercials or specific advertising and they end up doing cartoons or voiceovers only. Then that puts a lot of people out of work. It’s been a really tough year, I think, for the entertainment industry. It’s interesting to see who works and who doesn’t work during a recession.

Are there any other areas of the industry that interest you?

I would love to direct at some point. I’ve tried writing with some buddies of mine and I’m still doing that, dabbling in that a little bit. I write a little bit but I’m more like a visual person so I think that I would fare better with directing at some point…but I haven’t actually taken any of those giant steps to try to go in that direction just yet. I gotta get up the nerve, I guess.

Would you want to direct for TV or film?

Honestly I would like to direct for theatre. I grew up doing theatre. I did some theatre in New York and theatre would be a great way to direct. I think it would be a lot of fun.

Can you tell us anything about your upcoming projects?

I have a movie coming out May 15. It just opened in New York a couple weeks ago. It’s kind of like an art house film. It’s called "The New Twenty." It’s going to open May 15 in L.A. and then later this fall, it will be on DVD and I think Video on Demand as well. That’s really the only thing I have coming out that I think will get some kind of release.

What are some of the most common mistakes made by most actors?

I guess when they lose sight of the artistry side and get more involved with the business, wanting to be famous. I think that’s the common fumble people make, especially when you move to a big city like New York or Los Angeles. You meet a lot of people that it’s more about being famous than it is the art itself. So, if you really love art, you could go and audition for the local…if you live in Iowa, I’m sure there’s a local theatre there somewhere where you can do theatre. You can express yourself. So, I think you lose sight of being able to express yourself and be artistic and challenge yourself in those ways. Then it becomes more about, ‘oh can I do this high profile project?’ or ‘can I be in this magazine?’ I don’t know, I think that’s a common thing. So you don’t really want to lose sight if you truly are doing it for the art, I think that’s the most important thing. You just got to be careful to not lose sight of that and to stop challenging yourself artistically.

Would you have any additional advice for up and coming actors?

I would say be persistent, keep focusing on the right things, dig deep into the work it’s all about the work and everything else is just the results of hard work. Just be persistent and also, just work as much as you can. Like I said, if you live in a town, if you live in one of the big cities, you can find theatre and you can find a college that has a film program where you can be a part of one of the students’ short films, student films. There’s tons of ways to be an artist. I would just work and be persistent.