Made-in-Texas Comedy/Crime Thriller “The Actor” to Premiere in Downtown Fort Worth

DALLAS (KDAF) — A new comedy/crime thriller film, The Actor , will be rolling out the red carpet for a premiere in downtown Fort Worth.

Amberock Productions , in association with Grateful Z, announced the world premiere of the film will take place on April 6, 2024 at the AMC Palace 9 in downtown Fort Worth. The film is scheduled to be released on Apple TV, Amazon, and other streaming services on April 5.

Written and directed by veteran Hollywood actor Richard Blake ( NCIS: Los Angeles , Cold Case , CSI , Dragonball: Evolution , Snake & Mongoose , The Rocket ) this comedy crime caper offers serious undertones and a heartfelt moral message.

The Actor follows Hunter Durbin, a talented and hard-working actor who has done the right thing all his life. Unfortunately, pleasant manners and a sweet disposition have only gotten him sidelined and disrespected in modern Hollywood, where everyone else gleefully grabs at success. When a crime involving a suitcase full of cash lands at Hunter’s front door, will the actor abandon his principles and grab his own chance at success? And if he does, what will the repercussions be for his life and the lives of those around him?

Writer/director Richard Blake, who also stars as Hunter Durbin, intends the piece as a cautionary tale — but also a fun and knowing insider take on the highs and lows of the Hollywood lifestyle, inspired by his own experiences and the experiences of his friends in the industry.

“I remember telling everyone, ‘One day, I’m going to do this for real.’” Blake reminisces. “And I did. I had a great career as an actor in LA, much better than the character I play in the movie. I met my wife Amber out there, and we started a production company together. The Actor was going to be our third movie. But then the pandemic hit, and we were faced with a choice. We could stay in Hollywood where no one was working, or we could go back to Amber’s hometown of Fort Worth and try to find our voice there.”

In 2021, Amber and Richard Blake made the move to Texas, bringing Amberock Productions and their plans for The Actor to the buzzy new Cowtown film and television industry. Shooting in Texas allowed Blake to take advantage of the talent pool available in the area, especially after Dallas-based actor/producer Major Dodge ( Bomb City , Cobra Kai ) came on board to help produce and bring his signature steely gaze to the role of the villain.

“I’ve always wanted to make a movie with a huge cast, where you take the audience on a journey and they meet lots of unique personalities,” said Blake. “Once we had Major Dodge introducing us to everyone he knows in Texas — and he knows everyone — we were able to put that kind of adventure up on screen in The Actor .”

Texas-born or Texas-based talent bringing their unique personalities to the production include Melissa Archer (“Natalie Buchanan” on One Life to Live and “Serena Mason” on Days of Our Lives ), Sheila Houlahan ( The Little Things ), Donnie Boaz ( The Young and the Restless , The Staircase ), Phil Mendoza (Taylor Sheridan’s Lawmen: Bass Reeves, Better Call Saul ), and UFC fighter Steven “Ocho” Peterson, who came on board to do stunts, and stayed for acting.

Eight songs by the popular Georgia rock band Collective Soul are featured on the soundtrack for The Actor , carefully chosen by Richard Blake to match the tone and impact of key scenes in the film.

“It used to be that people from all over the world went to Hollywood or New York to make movies, and now people don’t have to do that,” Blake said. “You can develop your vision in your own city or town. I’m proud to be part of that shift with my production company, with this movie, and with our premiere, which is going to be right here in Fort Worth. We shot The Actor here, so that’s where we’re putting our red carpet.”

About “The Actor”

• Amberock Productions in association with Grateful Z presents The Actor , written and directed by Richard Blake.
• Starring: Richard Blake, Major Dodge, Sheila Houlahan, Melissa Archer, Donny Boaz, with Phil Mendoza, Jake Alexander Williams, and Reid Kawakami.
• Produced by: Amber Michelle Blake, Richard Blake, Major Dodge
  Executive Producers: Les Zellan and Barbara Lowry
• Comedy/Thriller/Crime, 128 minutes runtime
  Locations: Los Angeles, New Mexico, Dallas/Fort Worth
• Logline: An actor battling his own moral standards witnesses a neighbor’s murder and stumbles upon a load of cash the victim was hiding. He keeps the money, and in doing so, begins the performance of a lifetime to hide who he really is.

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