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What's happening on the acting front?
It's amazing. I've been really lucky. I actually played a starring role in Elite, directed by Terry Cunningham. My character, who is also called Joel, is a James Bond kind of action figure who's part of an anti-terrorist team. In Con Express, also directed by Terry Cunningham, I play this crook named Zednik.
People who know my modeling career may be interested in Scorcher, (2002), directed by James Seale. I play a serial killer — I'm bald, I have a completely burnt off face and have difficulty speaking because of the scars. The very first film I did was The Brutal Truth (2000), with Christina Applegate and Molly Ringwald, directed by Cameron Thor (N.B. also released as The Giving Tree.) I play Kyle, this really bad guy, a psycho who beats and rapes women, although you don't actually see the rape, just the psychological torture.
Sounds dark?
Very dark. There's another movie I'm not so proud of: "Blood Surf." It was actually a really fun character for me — this whacked-out surfer with this spiky, bleached-blond hair.
What was the genesis of the new bald look?
Well it was actually for the role I did in Con Express. I had to shave my head to play the henchman to the bad guy in the movie, a mummy played by Arnold Boslu.
Were you the one who thought "this is a new me," or did someone else suggest it?
No it was me. I thought, "This is an interesting look. If I'm going to model again let's go for it now." I did a shoot completely bald with Greg Gorman, a lot of other photographers took interest so I started testing, and then Wilhelmina in Los Angeles took me on and David Todd has been great promoting me. He set me up with Karin Models in New York, which is an amazing agency. Apparently the people involved there always wanted to represent me, right from the beginning, and followed every aspect of my career, which is really nice to know. They're passionate about me, so that's great.
You've been involved in the industry almost eight years now. What are the changes you've seen?
I think it's a business that's always changing, and that's what it's all about — changing and finding the new — the new look, the new design, photograph, model, agency. It's always changing, it's not a stable business at all. For instance, when I went to Paris this time, I didn't know any of the guys. When I was doing the shows I knew all the guys. You always saw each other in every city, which made the fashion world seem small, because you're always seeing the same faces in all these different places. This time I felt like a dinosaur.
(I burst out laughing at this remark): That's so funny, you're only 26!
"That's right," Joel chimes in laughing, "washed up and reborn at 26!"
If you had to give advice to one of those seventeen-year old waifs in Paris, or to yourself getting ready to start all of this, what advice would you give?
To myself at that age, I'd say "relax and have fun." It was always something I had trouble doing even in school. But a lot of these guys don't need to hear that because they're already doing a pretty good job of relaxing and having fun. (laughs). Don't take it too seriously, but at the same time be professional. You're lucky to be in the business, so don't have attitude. In fact, say that every day as your mantra: "I'm so lucky." I mean we're all lucky just to be alive, and to be in this business, as crazy and whacked as it is, you're not working 9-5, you're getting to see the world and meeting an incredible number of fascinating people who will help mold you into a more interesting person yourself.
What do you think of ModelSwim as a resource for guys in the industry?
I think it's fantastic. It's exactly what I was saying about the problem with IMTA. People starting out need some kind of guide. When I first started out, I really didn't know anything about the Internet. Now kids have access to great information on the modeling business, and now that you've shown me your site I'm proud to be part of it.
You've had one of the most extraordinary modeling careers, there's no question about it.
Yes, it's been an interesting career. It's been fun, I've had a great time — this time around especially. To do it all with a whole new perspective and a world of experience behind me, it just couldn't get any better.
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