Chilled Magazine Presents: An Interview with Josh Kelly

Spotted nearly naked on billboards across town, heightened buzz generated around smoldering actor Josh Kelly who stars in Lifetime’s highly anticipated scripted drama series, UnReal, inspired by Sarah Gertrude Shapiro’s award-winning independent short Sequin Raze.

Kelly stars as ‘Jeremy’ in this provocative titillating drama, which gives a fictitious behind-the-scenes glimpse into the chaos surrounding the production of a dating competition program. What ensues is an eye-opening look at what happens in the outrageous world of unscripted television, where being a contestant can be vicious and being a producer a whole other reality.

From One Life to Live to UnReal

In addition, to his breakout role in the alluring drama series UnReal, Josh is best known for his role as ‘Cutter Wentworth’ on ABC’s Emmy winning daytime series One Life to Live. Other television credits include Ben and Kate, Army Wives, True Blood, and Dollhouse, to name a few. His feature film acting credits include Jarhead 2: Field of Fire, Zero Dark Thirty, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and Transformers: Dark of the Moon, among many others.

A Journey from the Navy to Hollywood

Born in Yokosuka, Japan to a Navy family, Josh Kelly was active in theater from a young age as he moved around the globe. After four tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan as an Army Ranger, Josh moved to Los Angeles to return to his passion; acting. In honor of his military background, Josh is a huge advocate for the Wounded Warrior Project, a charity and veterans service organization that offers a variety of programs, service and events for wounded veterans of the military actions following the events of September 11th, 2001. Josh also wrote, directed, produced and starred in the short film Cope, a story of two special operations soldiers who return from war wrought with post-traumatic stress.

An Interview with Josh Kelly

Chilled got to chat with Josh about his new role, his love of cooking, his bar-back past, and his dream of opening a bar one day. We thought he was hot before, now we’re obsessed!

Photo by Joseph Briscoe

Tell us about the projects you are working on.

While waiting to see the schedule for season 3 of UnREAL I was working on some independent projects with some friends of mine.

With your busy schedule, what do you like to do with your down time?

Catch up with friends, normally in a bar environment. Lately I’ve been paddle boarding and getting into aquatic fun.

When you go out to eat, where do you like to dine?

Sushi, sushi, sushi!

Photo by Joseph Briscoe

Do you cook?

I love cooking. I had several BBQ parties for the cast of Season 2 UnReal. I think my mother engrained the ‘happy host’ in me.

What types of drinks do you order when out?

Beer when I’m chilling, and vodka soda if I have to get into work mode.

Photo by Joseph Briscoe

Do you prepare drinks at home?

Lately I’ve been into making an olive oil washed gin drink with rosemary that was taught to me by a local bartender named Zach, so I call it the ‘Zachry’ and it’s ‘Zachry’ what you need sometimes (laughs).

What is your home bar stocked with?

I try to keep it stocked with the basic gamut of standard spirits so that I can accommodate most guests. Then I have a few fancy liquors so my snob buddies can’t complain and I always, always, have few bottles of low brow champagne ready to pop. Because a little champs is always a crowd pleaser.

What’s your favorite cocktail?

Right now? The ‘Zachry’ or normally, Bud Light, I’m fancy.

Photo by Joseph Briscoe

Have you ever been a bartender?

I bar-backed in Georgia and took a bartending class and flair classes before I moved to Los Angeles, so I could be Tom Cruise from Cocktail. No bars hired me, haha so I worked as security at a night-club and eventually did some bar backing. I love bars. I’m going to open one some day.