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James Pratt is a significant multitasker and the perfect combination of creativity and business. One fuels the other. It's unique, but that is what makes James a standout. James is an award-winning actor, director, and four-time Australian Auctioneer of the Year winner. Residing in Los Angeles, he is the recipient of various international awards, including winning Best Actor at the American International Film Festival, Best Actor at the Beyond Hollywood International Film Festival, Best Director at the 2022 Cannes Film Awards, and Australia's Top 5 under 35 in 2019.
Film Career
With a strong acting background, James started his career studying at the prestigious acting school, NIDA in Sydney Australia, before landing a guest role on the hit TV show Home & Away and Freemantle media's Wonderland. Outside of acting, directing has always been a passion for James. In 2012, he made a $200 short film in outback Australia called New York Model Agent which went on to draw a deal from NBC Universal and lead to getting more directing work. In 2022, he won Best Director at the Cannes Film Awards for his comedy feature film Malibu Crush, a comedy about two best friends who come from Los Angeles to Bondi Beach Australia to stop a wedding. Other directing work includes the documentary Summer Promise and several high-profile fashion commercials. James also has an excellent eye for fashion and can envision what works visually. 2024 was an incredibly busy year for James and he wrapped three films: Texas Nightmare, Longevity Hackers, and The 3 Killer Pigs. In 2025, he will start filming One Guy, Too Many Dates as the lead role of Mr. Taylor.
James currently sits on numerous advisory film and political boards, including the SP Film Awards in New York, the iHollywood Film Festival in Los Angeles, and the Cannes Film Awards, and is a founding member of Mogul Productions. His role includes overseeing all aspects of feature films being made and working closely with the Head of Development.
Real Estate
Away from acting and directing, James is regarded as one of the most successful real estate auctioneers for luxury homes. In real estate, James has won the prestigious REB Australian Auctioneer of the Year award four times. In 2019, he set a world record, becoming the first person in the world to auction real estate via a live auctioneer with cryptocurrency. He founded the JPA group in 2012, which has conducted over 12,000 real estate auctions.
James is driven and ambitious which is apparent in his body of work, regardless of the project he's working on. He attributes his strong work ethic to being happiest when he's busy. James describes himself as naturally ambitious and the idea of improving is what motivates him. Gemma Magazine had an opportunity to speak with James about his upcoming projects, his passion for acting and directing, and what inspires him to constantly create.
Did you always know that you wanted to be an actor? What or Who inspired you?
I grew up in Sydney, Australia, with most of my upbringing either surfing or playing sports. There weren't many opportunities to get involved in film until I finished high school, which is when I realized I was passionate about it and knew I would have to move to America to follow my passion.
"As I've gained more experience in the film industry, I love directing. I especially enjoy the opportunity to really apply myself from start to finish on a film. I love to tell a story, whether it be through acting or directing." (James Pratt)
What was your experience like at NIDA in Sydney?
I loved it. It was where I formed a foundation for learning about my voice, acting techniques, and script breakdowns.
How do you prepare for a role? Do you have a specific process?
When I first finished acting school, I would dive deep into a script with one of the main techniques. But over the years, I've learned to use parts of different techniques that really work best for me. There's absolute freedom in doing script preparation work and then letting it go in the scene and be in the moment.
How do you approach understanding and developing a character?
Whether it's a feature film or TV series, read the whole script and ask as many questions as possible, even if they aren't in the script. In preparation, you want to ask yourself things such as: Where does this character go out? What type of woman does he like? What's his biggest fear? Etc.
What are some of the biggest challenges you face in the industry?
Hollywood is highly competitive and a business, so people around you will often do what's best for them and not what's best for you. This means you need to remind yourself you can't rely on others to build your career—you need to make your own opportunities and be prepared to work hard. I think another challenge is the distractions. The more successful you become, the more people start giving you attention, but it's not the attention you want. There's only a certain amount of time daily, and you must be good at avoiding distractions.
How do you handle the rejection factor and potential criticism?
In Australia, there are very few auditions, so when I first moved to Hollywood, I was just so thankful to be auditioning for good roles.
I have some close friends who are casting directors who explained this early on: often, when you miss out on a role, it has nothing to do with your acting. There are so many factors you can't control, such as the person who gets the role may be represented by the director's agent, and it's part of their contract that the lead role goes to a particular client at the agency. I've seen actors' parents fund the movie on the condition that their daughter/son is the lead role. Sometimes, it's because the person they already have cast opposite you is too short or too tall, and sometimes, which many actors forget, you don't get the role. After all, despite auditioning actors from Los Angeles, if the film shoots in another state or country, for the film to qualify for the tax credit, they must hire local actors. So, it's about understanding you can only control what you can control.
Tell me a bit about the film "The Three Killer Pigs.
This is an exciting thriller/horror film that we just wrapped filming this month in and around Los Angeles. It pays homage to Italian genre movies and was written and directed by Thomas J. Churchill (Amityville Uprising). Brian Austin Green, Anson Williams, Sharna Burgess, William McNamara, and Cody Renee Cameron are just some of the brilliant actors in it.
You are also a successful director. What do you love most about directing?
As I've gained more experience in the film industry, I love directing. I especially enjoy the opportunity to really apply myself from start to finish on a film. I love to tell a story, whether it be through acting or directing.
What was it like to produce "Longevity Hackers" with Edward Norton and Tony Robbins?
I was very fortunate to get the opportunity to work on this film with everyone involved. There were no egos, and I was surprised at how welcoming everyone was. The biggest takeaway was that when you work with good people, the results come easier.
How important is collaboration with directors and actors to you?
The better the relationship between the actor and the director, the smoother the production goes, and the greater the performances. Trusting each other is the key.
What has been your favorite role to play and why?
It's probably Michael Chase in Malibu Crush. Some scenes in that movie probably describe my early high school years when my friends and I got into trouble.
Have you always been interested in fashion? You have directed some fashion commercials, correct?
My older sister did alot of modeling growing up, so I was aware of the industry. However, what motivates me is the chance to create something incredible visually. You get a chance to experiment with some great lenses and lighting setups in fashion, which makes everyone on the screen really pop. In narrative feature films or TV, the lighting or art direction often wouldn't match a fashion setup. However, you can make beautiful work with fashion commercials, which I love.
Do you have any dream projects or collaborations you want to participate in?
I'd love to return to Farrelly Brothers-style comedy, such as when I made Malibu Crush. I think it has a little bit to do with my personality.
Where did you receive your work ethic from? You are so ambitious and driven.
I'm at my happiest when I'm busy, and I'm naturally ambitious. So, the idea of learning and improving motivates me. But I am also extremely appreciative of what I get to do, as I've come from the other side of the world.
To keep up with James and his upcoming projects, you can follow him on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/james_pratt7/
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