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Stavros Halkias wants to make his own ‘Billy Madison.’ He’s closer than he thinks

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Stavros Halkias wants to make his own 'Billy Madison.' He's closer than he thinks 1

As a seasoned observer and admirer of the entertainment industry, I find myself captivated by the fascinating journey of this multi-talented individual. From his early days on the stage to his brief foray into sports, it’s evident that he has always been drawn to the limelight, seeking that elusive buzz that comes from performing.

Born in Baltimore and raised as a comedian, writer, and podcaster, Stavros Halkias has always been destined for the limelight. At just 3 years old, he was already commanding a microphone. Today, he offers raw, honest comedy that combines his Greek-American heritage with keen wit and insightful commentary. With his unique style, he’s quickly gaining cult status.

As a supporter, I’m thrilled to share that Halkias, renowned for his hilarious crowd work, is poised to earn accolades in a new domain: acting. Starting October 25th, fans like us will have the chance to witness Halkias on the big screen in “Let’s Start a Cult.” This intriguing film revolves around Halkias’ character, Chip, an eccentric cult member who narrowly escapes a scheduled ritual suicide. With its unique blend of humor and darkness, this independent production promises to draw laughter from unexpected places.

Today marks the grand unveiling of the red carpet for the Los Angeles premiere of the movie at Harmony Gold Theater in West Hollywood. The director, Ben Kitnick, along with his co-writers Halkias and Wes Haney (who also stars), will be among the cast and crew attending this event to celebrate their collaborative effort. This group of friends, accompanied by some comedic companions, embarked on a fun-filled adventure in the Catskills and unexpectedly crafted a movie that is worth watching. It takes you on a thrilling journey filled with uproarious laughter, tender moments, and even some emotional tears. We had a chance to chat with Halkias over the phone recently.

Stavros Halkias wants to make his own 'Billy Madison.' He's closer than he thinks

After years of seeing your passionate social snaps, it seemed fitting that a romantic scene was included in “Let’s Start a Cult.” It would have been quite unsatisfying not to showcase that captivating physique.

Amen, sister.

Where did all of your confidence come from?

It wasn’t until my childhood that I found the roots of my confidence. Being the shy, timid kid I was, I struggled with self-doubt. However, I soon realized there was no reason for my insecurity. While I may not have been the most attractive boy around, the number of truly attractive people is quite small. Consequently, I overcame my lack of confidence at an early age.

It seems you possess an extraordinary versatility, and I find it quite entertaining. Is acting a talent that has been with you for a long time?

Thank you. I’ve always kind of been into it. I love stand-up so much, but long before I ever thought stand-up was a viable option, I liked acting. I was in a lot of school plays, and I would do readings at my church when I was a young devout Greek Orthodox boy. I literally just did things in front of people. My parents have this story of when I was 3, and there was a Greek festival across the street from our house. It just happened to be that we lived like a block from our church, and they had this recreational area that they’d have the festival in. The band started playing a song that I really liked as a baby, that I would sing for my parents, so I just got up, got on stage, and asked for the microphone. I was a 3-year-old and not scared at all and was just like, Oh, my song is on! It’s my turn to sing in front of all these people! I think that just shows you that sometimes, you just can’t help what you like and who you are.

Stavros Halkias wants to make his own 'Billy Madison.' He's closer than he thinks

Baby’s first festival.

From my very beginning, I had a knack for being the center of attention. The first thrill I remember experiencing was either during a school play or when I cracked a particularly humorous joke. Until the sixth grade, I attended an acting program, and then I switched gears to become a jock. Looking back, that was one of my biggest mistakes. I thought, “No more acting for me. I’m going to excel in football or basketball professionally.” Despite this ambition, I couldn’t even make the starting lineup for my Greek church league, yet I harbored dreams of NBA stardom.

It’s possible that your belief in making it to the NBA was, in reality, comedy emerging from within you.

Absolutely, that was quite an error. However, it led me to comedy through timeless films such as “Animal House” and anything featuring Adam Sandler, Chris Farley, Will Ferrell, Danny McBride, and all the Apatow productions. It seems my affection for being a humorous actor came before my passion for comedy, but stand-up comedy was what ultimately drew me in. The chance to produce a movie like this is almost like realizing a childhood dream. I aspire to create my own version of “Billy Madison,” my own absurd project.

Do you think that acting more frequently has changed your comedy?

I think it definitely has. With stand-up, I was a very set-up-punchline comic, and I think a lot of people know me from crowd work, which develops over time, but it’s not like I’m giving a huge performance. It’s more just being quick and stuff like that. I think acting has really helped because it makes me so much more aware of my face, my movements and just the way I appear to someone else. Acting is this visual medium and you’re so aware that somebody else is going to watch it. Stand-up is visual too, but when I’m doing stand-up, I’m just trying to be as funny as possible.

I’d pay to see the outtake reel from “Let’s Start a Cult.” How did this movie happen?

Ben Kitnick, who was the director, and my fellow actor Wes Haney, around five or six years ago, we collaborated on a brief adaptation of this project. Over a period of six months to a year, we jointly wrote and developed it, and it turned out to be an enjoyable process. Our primary intention was to create something amusing and humorous, as cults can indeed be quite comical. Delusional individuals often provide unexpected humor due to their beliefs. The way people in cults think – it’s illogical and unconventional, which tends to induce laughter. I find cults fascinating and hilarious, but this project wasn’t something we had been planning for a decade. Instead, it was more like: This idea is funny, we all enjoy working together, we all appreciate short, witty 90-minute comedies, let’s not complicate things. Let’s just make it happen. We gathered some talented individuals, rented an Airbnb in the Catskills, and essentially improvised a film. We had a general structure for the storyline, but the process was incredibly enjoyable. I hope to continue this style of work in my future, focusing on producing a few silly, entertaining, swift comedies.

Taking a page from the film, how do you think you can achieve the best version of yourself?

Indeed, that’s an intriguing question! To provide a straightforward answer, let me rephrase:

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2024-10-17 13:31

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