John Paul Kakos Shines As of Jordan Lacey in the Award Winning Drama Film ‘Neon Bleed’
Written by ~ Juanisha Reece
An overworked rockstar finds escape in his own staged kidnapping, finding solace away from the fast-paced life of an artist; the other aspect of the flamboyant-looking, glitzy and glamorous celebrity, John Paul Kakos in the character of Jordan Lacey makes the audience engaged in a love-hate relationship. Sometimes a crank, sometimes a king, but always gentle at heart, "Neon Bleed" gave the audience an inside look at the musicians and the daily struggle to make headlines. The actor was nominated for his brilliant performance at the Idyll wild International Festival of Cinema 2023 in the category of best actor. Watch him in 'Neon Bleed' at Neon Bleed | Spectrum On Demand.
Born in Lawrenceville, Georgia, the Gen Z actor spilled the beans over the process of getting himself into the shoes of Jordan. Sharing love and appreciation for good musicians, he has no hesitation in signing up for the lead role, "I worked with the best vocal coach (Mama Jan) who took me step by step of what exercises and training I should do every day,'" shared John when asked about the preparation he did. In order to understand the expectations placed on the role, he also watched documentaries about the real-life experiences of artists. He shared, he successfully portrayed Jordan because he had the backing of director John Capone, who was always there for him.
"It is like the best of two Johns came together for this masterpiece, haha, just kidding, the entire cast and crew was wholeheartedly devoted to the project,'"John spoke about the experience of working with the team of 'Neon Bleed.' While still in the pre-production phase, the film's cast and crew would meet and discuss the different aspects of the characters while also getting to know each other well. The stand-out factor for the small budget film was apparent in the team's dedication, which, despite having fairly new members, was internationally acclaimed and made it into several International Film Festivals. Jeff Porter and Keith L. Craig worked as executive producers for the film.
John Paul Kakos is an exemplar of an emerging talent who has succeeded thus far on the strength of his talent alone. At one of the most recent interviews held to celebrate the film's success, he offered some words of wisdom to aspiring performers, telling them to choose content over profit driven and to be consistent in their hard work. "Do it because you love it, for the right reasons, and it makes you happy,'"he advised.
.jpg)
The actor's character chimes with the film's message, and he's been able to incorporate it into his own life as a result. His philosophy is to grow stronger in the face of adversity. "Don’t be afraid to receive help from others along the way," he shared. John is currently occupied with recording music and has completed shooting with 'Pretty Little Liars' fame Tammin Sursok which is scheduled to release in the second half of the year.
Distributed by Porter + Craig Film and Media, the film also stars Courtney Halverson, Eugenia Kuzmina, and Ashton Moio in significant roles and will soon be available on all leading digital platforms. Head over to his Instagram for an insight into his personal life and to stay updated on what he brings next.