Actor
Nolan Harmon Is On His Way To Becoming a Global Icon
Please introduce yourself. What do you do? Why? What do you want people to know about you?
My name is Nolan Harmon and I am an actor, model, and creative designer. I have trained under some of the best coaches in the industry and have worked with directors who reside everywhere from Columbus to Chicago and all the way to Los Angeles.
I have been acting for a little more than two years now and have done shorts films such as “Noah” and “Normal Norman” to music videos and now am on the verge of co-directing my first film that I will also be starring in (name and more info coming in the following months) and am on the verge of a huge breakout in 2022.
In addition to doing my acting, I also do a lot of modeling work. Clothing and fashion is probably my favorite thing outside of films and acting. I grew up always needing to have the best outfit and be the best-dressed, and that has very much carried over to adulthood and now my career.
I have some intricate high-end boutique designer-style outfits I’m working on sketching right now and that’s how I would also describe how I dress. Think streetwear mixed with high-end designer.
What qualities make you different and unique from everyone else in the industry?
There are a lot of things that make me different. For one, it’s my mindset. I think there’s this notion that we are born, go to school, pick a career that’s “realistic”, then settle into that one thing and only do that before we ultimately retire and call it quits.
I don’t believe in that. I don’t believe in being “realistic.” That’s what average people will try to ingrain and beat into your brain until you conform. I have so many ideas. Things that will change fashion, design, and interior design as well as the world of acting and film. I want to be a global icon and I know I have everything it takes to reach that level. It’s not “if” but “when” for me.
Describe THAT moment when you realized you wanted to do what you do now. Who did you tell first? What has it been like since that moment?
The moment I realized I was meant to be an actor was when I realized how natural I was in front of the cameras. The most common fear of people isn’t death, it’s public speaking.
I have never feared being the center of attention and have actually always embraced it. I love the spotlight and always loved movies. I figured “why not give this a try” a couple years back and here we are.
And I’m just getting started. With my “aha” moment in fashion, it wasn’t so much of an individual moment as much as it was my entire life always wanting to have on the coolest outfit as a kid, which translated to making sure I was best-dressed as an adult.
I understand some designer brands I wear will rub some people the wrong way, but I’m not here to appeal to everyone. I know what looks good. I study color palettes, fabrics and brands like nobody else. I’m out here planning my Spring/Summer 2022 outfits and thinking ahead to NEXT fall.
What has been the biggest challenge you’ve had to face and how did you overcome it?
There have been so many challenges I’ve faced already. I think at first it was being taken seriously. I studied journalism for a long time. I was going to be a sportscaster. To switch up and say “look, I’m going into acting” was such a shock to a lot of people. Many people didn’t believe in me. And now they see my success, a lot of their tunes have changed. They may still not like me, but they know who I am.
I also know that being a kid from Champaign-Urbana, people definitely don’t think of the word “superstar.” But I’m here to show everyone that it doesn’t matter where you’re from, it matters where you want to go. And if you genuinely believe in your end goal and can overcome the doubters and the naysayers (and there will be a lot of them) then you can do anything in this life you choose.
Every time I’ve elevated to a new stage, there was an excuse of why I wouldn’t make it. I didn’t settle and go to college locally in Champaign, I worked hard and got accepted to my dream school at The Ohio State University. Then I graduated with Honors.
Then I moved to a major market in Chicago where I am now and am already working on big projects. No matter how many people think I’ll fall off, it never happens. I won’t let it. My parents have always believed in me and I will always be happy to prove them right while proving anyone who doubts me wrong.
When I tell people I’m going to win an Oscar and I’m going to set the world ablaze in fashion and design, they should know better than to doubt me at this point. Everything I’ve said I would do, I’ve done. I believe I have a once-in-a-generation creative mind. I’m just getting warmed up. Wait until you see this next decade.
Who are the TOP 3 people you’d want to meet that could elevate your career or business? Why these specific individuals?
#1 is absolutely Kanye West. I’ve looked up to him since I was a kid and his creative process is very similar to mine. Also, him being told to stick to one thing with his beats, then his rapping, instead of expanding what he could do in our 100 years on this planet is relatable
#2 is Virgil Abloh. RIP. What he did for Off-White and Louis Vuitton is nothing short of inspiring. He was so far ahead of his time and changed fashion forever.
#3 is Robert Pattinson. He’s a chameleon with his acting and has proved everyone wrong with every new project and feature. People who were surprised he crushed it in “The Batman” should have seen him in “The Lighthouse”, “High Life”, “Tenet” or “Good Time” amongst others.
Follow Nolan on his social media profiles:
Twitter: nharm1
FB: Nolan Harmon
