Ronnie Kroell has come a long way since being one of Windy City Times' 30 Under 30 honorees—and that was only back in 2008.
Since then, he competed in the reality show Make Me a Supermodel, where he placed second. He also has done a few films, including a part in Eating Out: Drama Camp ( where he plays a camper who has to sleep naked ) and the thriller Into the Lion's Den, which screened recently at the Reeling LGBT film festival and will be out on DVD Dec. 6, courtesy of Breaking Glass Pictures. However, many saw more of Kroell ( in every sense of "more" ) in his spread in the June 2010 issue of Playgirl.
Kroell was in town recently, and talked with Windy City Times about the spread, Hollywood and what he might be doing a few years from now. Despite all of the changes his life has taken, it was nice to see he was the same genial fellow I met three years ago.
Windy City Times: It was 2008 when you were one of our 30 Under 30 honorees.
Ronnie Kroell: I remember. It was such an honor.
WCT: You've seen and done a lot since then. There is that phrase, "older and wiser." You're a little bit older now, but how much wiser would you say you are?
RK: [ Laughs ] I'm just a little bit older. I'd have to say, though, that I'm exponentially wiser, and I'm still learning. I'm still realizing how much I don't know, and it's important to keep my ego in check. We all get caught up in self sometimes and we all lose sight sometimes; we focus on what we think we know rather than challenging ourselves to really learn and dig deeper.
So, after celebrating 30 Under 30 with you guys, I moved to New York. I tell you: For every year I was in New York, I probably aged five; it's really intense, albeit fun. New York can beat people up so they have a tough skin.
WCT: So are you more NYC or Hollywood?
RK: Well, it's funny you ask; I just moved to L.A. I decided I had the acting bug and I wanted to run towards Hollywood. I've been hitting the ground running. I'm getting ready to take some acting classes, and I'm in talks with an agency right now to get a contract.
I'm living in Mar Vista, which is near Venice Beach. Being a Chicago boy, soaking up the sun is nice. I appreciate the value of being able to put my feet in the sand and commune with nature. It's been really healing for me.
WCT: What's the biggest lesson you've learned about acting and Hollywood so far? Also, is there a casting couch?
RK: I think the casting couch will always exist because the entertainment industry is just wrapped up in relationships and what kind of power they have with casting. [ However, ] I feel like we're moving away from the casting couch because bigger businesses are getting involved in the casting process and bringing a bit more integrity to the process—but you're never going to completely get away from the casting couch.
The most important lesson is to not fall victim to being a party boy; it's really easy to.
WCT: So how do you avoid the trap?
RK: I live in Mar Vista, which is eight miles away from West Hollywood; if someone invites you out, you have to think about how much traffic you'll be sitting in and the [ length of the ] drive. But the inside information I get is that the people who make the decisions will fool around with those party boys but won't hire them.
WCT: I have to tell you: I Googled you last week for research—and do you know what came up first?
RK: Probably my Playgirl pictures... [ Laughs ] It's a great conversation starter.
WCT: Exactly, but let me ask you this—and I'm not being judgmental: Are you fine with that, or would like to be known for other aspects of your life?
RK: That's just one part of my journey so far, and I don't let my past projects define me. Anyone I know and who gets me really understands that. It was a stepping stone, and it's opened a lot of doors for me. I feel like I've gotten into movies because of that notoriety, and it's just one part of show business. You have to play the game sometimes.
WCT: You said you don't let your past projects define you. Are you concerned that others might do that?
RK: I have no control over that, and I don't spend time worrying about it, to be honest with you. As long as I'm focusing my energy on the stories I want to tell, that's neither here nor there.
WCT: How did your mom react to the Playgirl spread?
RK: The whole negotiation process with Playgirl took about six months, and I did a lot of soul-searching and asked my mentors to see what they thought. With my mom, it was funny. I called her and said, "I think I'm going to do Playgirl." She said, "Yeah, buddy!" I think that was the teenage girl in her who maybe used to buy Playgirl; then, she was, like, "Oh yeah. I'm your mom" and said, "Maybe you shouldn't do that." We went back and forth, but she was very supportive. When she saw the magazine, she said, "It's nothing I haven't seen before. It's just a little bit bigger now." [ Both laugh. ]
I'm really lucky. I have really understanding parents who say, "As long as you're happy and you're healthy and you're not hurting anyone, we totally support you." I'm an only child, so I have a unique and special relationship with my mom. It wasn't always easy, and we had some trying times when I was coming out, but it made us even stronger.
WCT: Let's talk about Into the Lion's Den. Could you summarize the film for our readers?
RK: Sure. It's a thriller involving three best friends who are in very unique spots in their lives. My character, Michael, just found out some really challenging news. My buddy Jesse Archer's character, Johnny, is a slutty, worn-out party boy, and then Kristen-Alexzander Griffith's character, Ted, is a trust-fund baby. We're on a road trip and about halfway through the journey it takes a turn for the worst because Johnny, being kind of slutty, talks to people on Bendr ( which is like Grindr ) and we all end up in a place called The Lion's Den. Our friendships get tested and we're fighting for our lives.
WCT: What was filming like?
RK: I went from the tongue-in-cheek, American Pie-esque Eating Out: Drama Camp to having a depressed, serious character. It was cool to get that opportunity right away; also, it was humbling to get to work, especially in this economy.
We worked for about two weeks in Pennsylvania in Amish country and in downtown Philly. Getting to know Jesse and Kristen really did feel like a road trip, as we traveled around Pennsylvania. It was the first time I learned to drive a stick-shift; I felt totally horrible because I ruined our director's transmission because I couldn't get it into gear. [ Grins ] I let an Amish horse-and-buggy pass me. I went to car shows my entire life and my dad's a mechanic; I can't even change oil. It's embarrassing.
Also, I should've gotten hazard pay for this movie. There's a scene where I'm running through this brush, and I was allergic to this brush that I was running half-naked through. I had red welts covering my body; they had to put creams on me and then make-up. Then a few days later I realized I also had chiggers.
One of the questions I got at the [ Reeling ] screening was, "What lessons did you learn from filming that you took forward?" I think the biggest lesson is that to be an actor, it takes a great deal of intellectual and emotional honesty with yourself. It's important to dig down deep in your personal experiences to bring your characters to life. I'm very emotionally raw and vulnerable right now as an actor—and it's a scary place to be. My eyes are more open now.
My mantra is "Just say yes." If you say no to things in the flow of life, you're doing yourself a disservice because you're not giving yourself the experience. Of course, I'm not going to do anything that'll hurt me.
WCT: Do you have any advice for actors who are closeted?
RK: Hmmm. I've been open since I've been on television so I never wanted to hide [ my sexuality ] —but I didn't want to exploit it, either. I just wanted to embrace it.
It's challenging, because it's all about the bottom line and making money for your producers. It's a personal journey for each actor, and I wouldn't tell an actor what to do. It is more challenging if you are out, but it's not impossible.
It's interesting. I like quoting my friend Christopher Ciccone, Madonna's brother. He said, "There are three sexualities: There's gay, straight and acting"—and it's so true. We're so funny about sexuality. That's why I did Playgirl; I was saying, "Let's drop our labels." It's about the human experience. It's the most fundamental thing we do—having sex; but we've made it so dirty and taboo. ... I think, eventually, that line will dissipate.
I really appreciate people like Ellen DeGeneres. I've watched her storyline and her art, as a character and a person. She went to hell and back. No agent would take her. The way she got her television show was that she would tape at home and invite her celebrity friends over. She speaks to the human experience. You know she's a lesbian, but she's not shoving it down anyone's throats. People connect with her on a heart level. Plus, Rosie's back, and that's exciting.
WCT: What actor's career would you say you really admire?
RK: This is going to be a funny answer, but it's truthful: Ronald Reagan. It's not necessarily because he was the most talented actor, but he was a great communicator. I didn't necessarily agree with his politics, either, but I'm fascinated by the fact that he was such an incredible communicator. I see myself taking a similar path, exploring being an artist and learning about other people, and then going into politics in some way, shape or form—but I'm not ready to be a career politician just yet.
See www.RonnieKroell.com for more about Kroell.
