Javon Anderson’s journey from a bank job in Michigan, to acting alongside stars like Wesley Snipes and Taraji P. Henson, reveals how unexpected opportunities can open doors in the entertainment industry.
His story also highlights the practical side of acting as his tenacity and intense prep work help him navigate Casting Networks for plum roles, nail his auditions and land significant roles, including a high-profile short film for Apple TV+, used for Usher’s performance during the Super Bowl LVIII halftime show.
Insights From Javon Anderson
- Actors should use casting platforms daily and keep their profiles fully updated with photos, reels, and skills to maximize audition opportunities.
- Practice audition lines extensively until the delivery feels natural and embody the character rather than just reciting lines.
- Set up alerts and track submissions actively to stay organized and catch every fitting role before others do.
How did you decide to become an actor?
Back in Michigan, I had an aunt who saw a casting call, and I was working at a bank. This was when [the] Michigan film [industry] was starting to boom. She was like, “Hey, I saw a casting call. You need to go check it out. See what’s going on.”
I went down there, took a liking to it, did some extra work, and it was really off to the races from there. It was getting on set that one time [that led me to] getting immersed in that field, wanting to learn it, adapting to that, and getting into that world.
How did you first discover Casting Networks?
Through some extensive research, after doing student films and getting my feet wet with acting and by doing some extra work, I then wanted to figure out how to get to that next level. That was to get auditions.
I was doing some research and found different sites, and Casting Networks came up as one of the top sites to search through to find roles. I created an account, loaded up my images, put some reels and things on there and started to submit for work.
I’ve come to like it because I’m able to find gigs and roles nationwide, even worldwide sometimes, depending on where it’s coming from. Sometimes they may have a gig, like a voice-over that may be recorded from another country. It’s limitless in terms of where the opportunities are coming from.
You booked a national commercial through Casting Networks that ultimately became a short film for Apple TV+, which was used in Usher’s performance during the Super Bowl LVIII halftime show. You met and acted alongside a bunch of people, including Wesley Snipes, Ludacris and Taraji P. Hansen. Walk me through this experience from audition to set.
Originally, it was under wraps. I didn’t have any idea what the project was. The audition came through under a different name. I just knew that it was for a national commercial.
My wife and I went through hours of going over the audition, trying out different techniques, and practicing them. We did our self tapes and sent it in. I got a callback. I did the audition. The director loved it. I got put on hold, then I got booked for the role.
The role was at that point disclosed to me, but I still didn’t get a full script even when I booked the role. I ended up booking the role and finding out that it was going to be a national commercial, but I still didn’t get all the details. I still didn’t know who the cast was. I didn’t even get my exact lines until the day of set because they were still trying to keep everything so under wraps.
When I got to the set, my character was the leader of the Blue Man Group. I literally got my script there. They gave me about a good hour or so to refresh myself with it because it wasn’t like it was super far off from what the audition script was. They just didn’t want to put all the details of the script in the original audition.
That’s when I was finding out who the cast members were. Taraji P. Henson, Wesley Snipes, Anderson .Paak and Lil Jon. After finding out the full cast, it was like a dream-come-true feeling, being able to work with a bunch of your hero actors and actresses in one project.
We shot the project down at Caesar’s [Palace]. That was also a great experience for me. It was really nice to immerse myself in that world and browse through the casino, see different areas that you wouldn’t have seen as a regular pedestrian, and things like that.
It was a phenomenal experience. I got to work with David Gordon Green, which was amazing. He was phenomenal. It was a great learning experience.
What was that reaction when you found out that the spot was going to be for the Super Bowl?
It was through the roof, man. It’s a seven-minute short film. I was figuring these things out as we were filming, and it was like being a kid in a candy store.
Every time you look up, you’re like, “My God, I’m working with this actor,” or “My God, I’m working with this director,” or “My God, we’re doing this project.” I mean, it’s the Super Bowl. That’s a huge thing. It was just a phenomenal, mind-blowing experience all around.
Did you get to meet and chat with a few of those bigger names, or were they in and out?
Everyone was extremely humble and supportive, and everybody was there to accomplish the goal of making this a great project. I got to chop it up with Wesley Snipes, with Ludacris, with Anderson .Paak, with Taraji. It didn’t feel like it was any stature or anybody not having the vibe; it just felt like a great team effort for the most part. That’s why I loved it so much.
Are there any other high-profile jobs that you’ve booked from Casting Networks?
I have a project that I did a few years ago through Casting Networks. It was for a Netflix show called Unsolved Mysteries. I built a nice relationship with the casting director. We still keep in contact to this day.
The site is 100% a great tool for actors to utilize because, like I said, you get submissions and roles from everywhere. If you’re doing your due diligence on research, you can always find something.
I’ve been able to find consistent work and auditions during slow seasons, or even get them from my agent through Casting Networks. It’s a great site that a lot of actors can utilize, and should utilize, because it will keep you on track with getting into that next level of what you’re looking for.
In your experience, what would you say helps somebody succeed on Casting Networks?
Being pretty thorough in constantly checking it out. One thing I’ve learned is that there are always tons of roles coming in. I’ve got my alerts set up all over the place for roles that come in that fit me. I still have to go in and do the research sometimes because there may be a role on Casting Networks that fits me that I did not receive an alert for.
Make sure you do your due diligence on making sure your profile is filled out to the maximum. Include everything that you can put with your skills and hobbies, and have all of your content and media on there when it comes to photos, reels and voice-over clips. I check Casting Networks on a day-to-day basis because there is constantly work coming in.
Are there any particular features on the platform that you find to be more helpful for your career?
The Role Tracker. I have an audition log that I like to keep up with to track what I’m submitting and what I’m getting auditions for. Now Casting Networks is combining that and making it a lot easier for me to go in and see what I’m submitting and where I can see I’m getting traction from.
What’s some audition advice that you have for some of your peers?
Practice your lines enough that you’re not focused on them, and you can just give the most natural performance possible. You may want to do more and sometimes less, but what’s required from that project is the way to go.
[For] example, for the Super Bowl commercial, my wife and I may have gone over that for three or four hours straight, maybe a hundred different times, just to get that right feel to where it felt so natural. It wasn’t like I’m spouting lines. It just felt like this was my character. I embodied that guy.
Practice your script a lot and just get to the point where you’re not focused on lines. [Instead], you’re focused on the feel and the flow of how this performance will be.
Final Takeaways
Javon Anderson’s story shows that breaking into acting often comes from unexpected places and a lot of hard work. From starting in a Michigan bank to landing high-profile roles, his journey highlights the importance of preparation, persistence and using the right tools. New actors can learn a lot from his approach to auditions and networking.
- Create and constantly update your profile on Casting Networks with quality photos, reels and your full skill set.
- Treat auditions like a performance by practicing lines repeatedly until they feel natural and authentic.
- Set up alerts on casting sites and check them daily to catch new opportunities early.
- Keep an organized log of your submissions and auditions to track your progress and stay motivated.
- Network genuinely on set and build relationships with casting directors and fellow actors to open doors for future roles.
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