Visual Tales: Hi Joshua! Thanks for doing the shoot for Visual Tales back in August. As we recalled, you were still in the midst of shooting another new acting project (filming held in Canada) and came to NY to do the shoot with us. What a whirlwind year you are having. How did the filming went and how do you feel about all the amazing opportunities you have had so far?
Joshua Odjick: Filming the “Bon Cop, Bad Cop” series this past summer was amazing! I definitely miss my acting family from that show. Everything went by so fast. I never had less sleep or felt more at home and so grateful for all of it. If only I could hit the replay button to relive those moments. 

VT: You are from Kitigan Zibi, Quebec, Canada. A First Nation reserve. Tell us about growing up there in your hometown and earlier life there.
JO: Lots of snow in Canada…I grew up on and was educated on my reservation.  I was … a dork.  I still am lol.  Also, I was immersed in learning my Algonquin-Anishinaabe language and of course, I played hockey!

VT: What does it mean to you in becoming an actor? Was acting a path you always wanted to pursue?  Was it an easy path pursuing this career?
JO: To be a working actor is to be tired, to be vulnerable in a place of chaos. Acting was not initially what I thought I was going to be doing when I was younger.  I wanted to be a tradesman. No, I don’t think this path is easy.  The ‘easy’ part is the success that the public sees.  No one really sees the second-guessing, stress and sleepless nights. But when I’m on set, only the work matters. There is time afterwards to focus on yourself. 

VT: Your very first notable role was portraying Pasmay in the 2021 film, Wildhood, right off the bat, you won the Canadian Screen Award and Vancouver Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actor.  Share with us the experience in your first major role.
JO: I based my character on people in my community whose voices are no longer heard, and those who were targeted and never returned home. I worked on the character a year before I was even cast for it. It was a very intensive filming experience and also very rewarding as an artist. The role of Pasmay changed everything for me - not just in my career, but in how I understood my responsibility as an artist.

VT: In your relatively early career, you have done numerous television series and films, of course, with films, you only have two to three hours to provide the narrative but in a series, it is much longer. Is there a medium you prefer more in terms of getting the performance just right?
JO: One of the first things I learned in acting class is that there is no ‘getting it right’!  I love working in either film or television - would also like to do theater - everything, bring it on!

VT: How do you usually prepare for your roles? Is it methodical process or total improvisation?
JO: I prepare my roles with the help of my acting coach and actor friends. My goal is always to be real in my work, there’s a lot of repetition, stopping and going again, to find more honesty, more layers. Reading the materials as much as I can is helpful for discovering more. We also improvise the scenes in our own words which automatically makes it more personal, then with that energy, return to the written script material. It’s not about performing, more investigating. It’s a repetition of scales.  

VT: Your current projects, the recently released film, The Long Walk and the forthcoming series, IT: Welcome To Derry are both novels written by Stephen King. Did both roles happened to came your way at the same time? How did you prepare yourself for the roles?
JO: “IT: Welcome To Derry” was the first project I auditioned for, of the two. Originally, it was a three day schedule that turned into almost three years - such an incredible opportunity.  “The Long Walk” came while I was in my last month of filming “IT: Welcome To Derry”.  The summer of 2024 was definitely one of the best summers of my life. Acting classes helped me prepare for the role along with reading Stephen King’s novels. 

VT: Are there special memories you can share with us in making both films?
JO: For “IT: Welcome To Derry”: when my mother was cast in the show!  She’s been part of my acting journey from day one, so it was really cool to work on a project together. For “The Long Walk”: when I met Mark Hamill, a real friendly guy and a real trooper.  He was one of my childhood heroes. Still is. 

VT: Congrats with the news: In February of 2025, the Governor's General's Performing Arts Awards announced you were chosen the inaugural recipient of its new mentorship program, which will see film director Atom Egoyan provide support and guidance to you for a year in the creation and production of your first short film as a filmmaker. Any details and developments you can share with us since February?
JO: I’ve written drafts of three short screenplays that I hope to develop into features. With the guidance of my amazing mentor, Atom, I plan to direct a short version of one of them.  For me, this mentorship program is a great foundation for storytelling as a filmmaker. I’m hoping to meet up with Atom this month, to get feedback on one of my first drafts and to map out the process.

VT: On your own spare time, what other activities do you like to pursue? 
JO: Anything athletic.  I love training in jiu jitsu, horseback riding, judo and boxing. I also love playing guitar and drums and of course going on the land with my uncle and cousins to decompress and reconnect to myself.

Some random questions for Joshua to answer:

Three adjectives that best describe you: 
Hungry, Caffeinated and Hopeful. 

Name your favorite place you have visited.
The Amalfi Coast.

Describe your perfect day.
For me, a perfect day is being amongst the colored leaves, feeling the wind and cool temperatures. Definitely sunny fall days.  Those are the days I feel most myself, peaceful, grounded and inspired.

Name five items that are essential in your travels:
Toothbrush, hairbrush, deodorant, phone charger and a can of Celsius. 

Your perfect meal if it was meant to be your last one:
Moose meat!

Name a book that you would recommend that benefited you and you feel could benefit others and why this book is significant to you:
“Meditations” by Marcus Aurelius.  Basically, it’s helped me to focus on things that matter to me and not on the opinions of others about me. 

Describe your personal style:
Casual style. The ideal vibe is a mix of cowboy and James Bond!   When I’m relaxed, think of ‘The Dude’ (Jeff Bridges) from the “Big Lebowski”. 

If you were given an opportunity to portray a historical character as your next acting role, who would like to play?
A historical figure I’d love to play would be either Chief Tecumseh or Chief Pontiac. 

Advice you would give to young actors knowing what you know now as a professional working actor: 
Find a support system of people you trust and the people that keep you grounded, but also who believe in you.  It’s important to have both a vision and persistence. Train. Get really good at the craft of acting..there’s no finish line or ‘graduation’ when it comes to acting. It’s a lifelong process and investigation. If you love it, go all in.