Actor Tim Abell Opens Up About His Acting Career

My father told me, growing up, that you never know a man until you walk a mile in his shoes. Those words rang true in my mind after interviewing Actor Tim Abell. I went into the interview with some preconceived notions about how actors live and behave, and within a few minutes I realized everything I thought I knew was wrong. Mr. Abell isn’t your typical celebrity and doesn’t seem caught up in his own fame.

Samuel Johnson once said, “The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good.”

Those words are certainly true of Mr. Abell, because he treated me very well, and when we spoke, I immediately felt at ease, like speaking to an old friend. I don’t know if the familiarity came from his pleasant manner, or the fact that I have seen him in so many TV shows and movies over the years.

Tim Abell as Rene the Templar, from Soldier of God, strikes a killing blow
Tim Abell as Rene the Templar, from Soldier of God, strikes a killing blow

He was very patient and generous with his time, and was very humble about his accomplishments, and there are many! Some of the more notable ones are CSI NY, CSI Miami, NCIS, and roles in films, such as We Were Soldiers, and Battle of Los Angeles.

I asked him about TV and Film, and he told me, “Films are great, but TV is where I have always made my money. I have had to work hard to maintain my career. I took each role seriously, like I did in a film called Soldier of God (2005). I studied Templars and learned everything I could about them. I took this role very seriously! I learned that Templars were men of few words, so that is the way I tried to play it on screen.”

He must have done it just right, because he won awards at two different film festivals, “Best Digital Feature,” and “Best Feature” in 2005.

Tim Abell, Persevering and Working Hard

Asked about how he pursued his dream, Abell said, “I had to keep day jobs to support myself while I pursued acting. People in my family wanted me to quit and find a regular job, but I didn’t listen, and now they are really proud. I have done everything from serving in the military as an Army Ranger to teaching Ballroom dancing to keep my dream alive.”

We talked about the ease or difficulty of fame, and reality stars, and he said, “Everyone wants to be famous, but too few want to work for it. There are a lot of reality show stars, what did they do? Many are famous for doing nothing really.”

With 70 film and TV credits under his belt, Abell is no stranger to work. Pop Culture and reality show stars often featured on websites like Perez Hilton have painted a bad light on those in the entertainment industry. The predominant misconception with fame is that you make one film and you are instantly famous, and that may be true for a few, but they are the exception and not the rule. He said “I never knew how each film or TV role I took would turn out, I was just happy to work. It was a gamble every time. Like the film I did with Brian Austin Green and Michael Clarke Duncan. I thought it was going to be big, but it wasn’t.”

Tim Abell is most known by fans for his iconic role as Benny Ray Riddle in the TV series, Soldier of Fortune, Inc. (1997-1999).

I’m sure many of us remember when his character Benny said, “There’s nothing like the smell of cordite in the morning to make a man appreciate his right to bear arms.”

After finishing my almost 2 hour interview with Mr. Abell, I felt as if I only just scratched the surface of this remarkable man.

Tim Abell with Mark Boone Junior, Sons Of Anarchy
Tim Abell as Rene the Templar, from Soldier of God

The Hidden Facts

Some not so well known facts about Tim Abell are that he is an advocate for military veterans, an avid outdoorsman, an outspoken conservationist, as well as an occasional Ballroom dancer, in his free time. A costar from the recently completed film “Subconscious” Tom Stedham, said, “He is a great actor, and he gave me some excellent career advice.” [ Tom Stedham IMDB ]

Fans should be on the watch for Tim Abell’s other films on the way, “Road to the Open,” “Crossroads,” “After Midnight,” and “Subconscious.” He will also be appearing in “Sons of Anarchy,” and he gave me some great photos related to that.

See Tim Abell on IMDB to learn about all of his film and TV roles, and follow him on twitter at @tabell1648.

cast of movie Subconscious
Tim Abell From BadBlood Hatfields and McCoys

This was a very enjoyable interview and I learned a lot. I was already a big fan, and I didn’t think I could be more, but I am!

Grateful Nation Teaser

Tim Abell Demo Reel