March 2023 - PROFILES - Roger Ivens

How did your acting journey begin?

Originally it was in New Orleans when I got my feet wet doing background and I kept getting bumped up to cast. My mother ended up getting sick in New Mexico and I came to take care of her. But I continued my acting career here. Then I found an agent - Peter Yankee with Phirgin Mair and our first audition in New Mexico for the sniper role of Stranger Things Season four, which we booked!

Who are some of the actors that influenced you in your journey?

I have a very good friend and mentor who got me started, Eliza Castro, who was recurring in “Bloodline” and Billy Slaughter, a New Orleans actor, and amazing human being, in hundreds of films. So I'm lucky to have them as mentors.

You had the amazing and memorable opportunity to land a role on Stranger Things as the helicopter sniper. What was the experience like?

It’s bigger than I could ever imagine. It's been a short time in my career, but this was a dream come true, and obviously, that led to other bigger and better things. Right now I'm working with Kevin Costner on some things and we just wrapped.

What has been one of the greatest lessons you have learned as an actor?

There are so many lessons. I feel like you learn a lesson as you rise up and as you rise, so do your talents and skills.

What is the one piece of advice you would give to those who want to act or those who have been hustling?

The best advice I could give you is to do whatever it is that your frequency is. If your frequency is not acting, you won’t last.

Where can folks find out more about you and your work?

You can find me online on Instagram at @RogerIvens_Actor. I've never been a social networker, but I'm on it! There you’ll see some behind-the-scenes scenes from Stranger Things.