Hunk of the Month - TJ Wilk - June 2026

1. Before becoming one of the most recognizable faces in vertical dramas, you had a successful modeling career and worked on major campaigns. Looking back, what lessons from the modeling world still help you today as an actor?

The main lessons from my fashion & fitness modeling experience, especially as it pertains to the best of the best in the industry, is to learn how to take direction without thinking about it. This was a lesson I learned about 4 years into my modeling career from top celebrity fashion photographer, Tony Duran, during our very first shoot together. His advice & working with him literally changed my life & thought process. Once I mastered this small but HUGE piece of advice, my career took off. As a result, I booked a lot of the biggest campaigns in the world to include D&G, Abercrombie & Fitch, Puma, Speedo, Old Navy, 6 major underwear campaigns, editorials in GQ Magazine, Vogue, Cosmopolitan, Ocean Drive, Elle, Details & many other publications. I walked the runway at huge fashion shows for Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Hugo Boss, Etro & many others as well. Taking this advice even landed me a huge job where I was brought in to literally teach Tom Cruise one-on-one stunt work using a trampoline to promote one of his Mission: Impossible films, a job photographed by Tony Duran & published in Rolling Stone Magazine.

2. You've worked in an industry that's changing rapidly. Did you immediately recognize that vertical dramas were going to become such a massive global phenomenon, or did their popularity surprise you?

When I officially began auditioning as an actor in 2023, I had no idea what a vertical film even was. All I knew was I was in acting class twice/week for 3 hours each class for 2 1⁄2 years & after the positive feedback from my teachers and classmates became more regular, it solidified in my mind that I was officially ready to audition for films & TV shows & apply everything I had been learning in this class. The very 1st thing I auditioned for was a vertical film, again, having no idea what that was. All I knew was that acting is acting & I just trusted the technique I was taught. I ended up booking the lead role in this film & my acting career has not slowed down since April,2023. More than 45 film projects later, I am still surprised by how successful these films have become & the overwhelming support & love I receive from viewers of my films. To me, and regardless of the platform or type of films I’ve had the privilege to play the lead in, it’s just a testament to the hard work & trust I’ve put into learning the acting technique taught to
me.

3. Vertical dramas are known for their outrageous storylines and dramatic twists. What's the most over-the-top scene you've ever had to perform while keeping a straight face?

While vertical film stories are very over-the-top storylines, as an actor, I don’t ever judge them that way. I was taught in my acting class to ALWAYS believe your imaginary circumstance in the storyline, who you are in the storyline & ALWAYS be on your own side of things. To really live all that out truthfully moment-to-moment. As an actor, I much prefer doing things this way anyway because it’s literally my job to convince the audience what they are seeing & hearing is happening. I want to give my audience a real experience of feeling something provocative about themselves versus laughing it all off & saying: ”Oh that’s TJ acting”. Every film, every scene, every take I do I ALWAYS do my very best to live out the imaginary or given circumstances as truthfully as possible. That said though, I’d say the most challenging scene I’ve had to live out in a vertical film is one where I literally watch my wife, who in the storyline is 7 months pregnant, burn alive from a car accident & where I am unable to save her because I cannot move my legs to go & rescue her.

4. You've filmed projects around the world, including recent productions in China and Australia. What has been the most memorable experience you've had while working abroad?

The most memorable experience I’ve had thus far being a working actor outside the US has been how different each culture is as far was work ethic goes. Obviously, each country’s history, their food, architecture & landscapes are fascinating & really beautiful too. But to me it’s the people & how much more educated, disciplined & hard-working they are. Especially in China, where I’ve had the pleasure of playing the lead in 4 different vertical films on 4 different occasions in 4 different major cities & surrounding areas in China. I’m always surprised most by the actual people, their behaviors, cultures, and kindness. 

5. The pace of vertical drama productions can be incredibly fast. What would surprise people most about how these shows are made behind the scenes?

I believe the one thing that would shock people most is how well everybody works together as a team to knock out these films & how much fun the whole process actually is. I know personally how challenging it is to memorize a 105-plus page script with only 3 days before production begins on these projects. It’s a HUGE undertaking & tall order for an actor to know how to do consistently AND have the energy to work 12-plus hours 7 days straight & without any days off. But again, the most shocking is how professional & well everybody works together to get it all completed on-time. Everyone just knows their specific role & takes it seriously but also knows how to make the entire process really fun & enjoyable.

6. You spent years as a fitness instructor and personal trainer. How has that background helped you handle the physical demands, travel, and long shooting days that come with acting?

Working out in the gym regularly automatically carried over into every part of my life, especially in my profession as a leading man actor. There’s a certain type of specific focus, drive & obsession that takes over once it’s time to knock out my set & every single rep. That mindset actually started years before I began working out in the gym & when I began playing drums at just 2yrs old. Once I discover that I have a passion for something, regardless of how challenging it is, I sort of just transform into this super focused & goal-driven machine that disregards distractions, making necessary sacrifices, remove self-doubt or fear of failure & dismiss individuals who attempt to distract or bring me down. But back to my passion for fitness, that is something that became a lifestyle for me since I was 16yrs old & I’ve never stopped. Some of the biggest benefits I’ve gained outside the physical transformations include improvement in self- esteem, self-respect, determination to succeed at challenging tasks versus giving up, improvement in mental attitude & focus, overall stamina, flexibility... Too many benefits to list on this one.

7. You stay in fantastic shape year-round. What does your current fitness routine look like, and has your approach to health changed as you've gotten older?

I’ve pretty much stuck with the same workout routine since I was 19yrs old, which is to simply focus on one body part per day, knocking out 4-5 exercises involving 4-5 sets of 6-15 reps depending on my specific routine or strength goals of the moment. My typical training schedule each week is 3 consecutive days, then rest 1 day, then 2-3 more consecutive days. So, I’ve in the gym 5-6 days per week pretty much every single week since I was 19. Even when I’m on a vacation. I just put in the time & because I absolutely LOVE the challenge of keeping my body in top shape year-round. However, these days I do listen to my body a whole lot more than my ego. As we age, our joints, tendons & ligaments wear out & I pay very close attention to how my body feels. This alone has helped me stay injury-free my entire life. I’ve never injured myself in the gym to where I needed to take extensive time off, see a physical therapist, etc. I’ve also never used a single hard or illegal substances like steroids, tren or some other dangerous & high-risk chemical shortcut to make muscle & strength gains. I’ve always just did it right through proper exercise technique, exercises that feel good & safe for ME & of course keeping my nutrition habits on-point that work for ME so my physique is always in top shape & camera-ready.

8. A lot of fans may not realize you're also an accomplished drummer. What first drew you to music, and when did you realize drumming was more than just a hobby?

I grew up in a family of drummers. My dad & older brother have been drummers my entire life, so naturally when I was 2yrs old, I too wanted to play drums & be like them. In 2004 I read a book that was strongly suggested by an acting class I was taking at that time called, “The Artists’ Way”. In that book, the author claimed that if you felt like you mastered one instrument, learn another. That suggestion really resonated with me & on a whim I went & bought a keyboard & sound recording system at Guitar Center. It was then where I began creating my own music with my drums & keyboard. I was never trained by a piano teacher or drum teacher. I just learned simply by listening to other artists (mainly jazz pianists & jazz & rock drummers) & just figuring it all out. Once I began figuring out the keyboard, I began creating & recording my own music, which is mainly original smooth jazz & soundtrack instrumental songs. To date, I’ve created more than 100 songs but have only published close to 30 of my songs on 2 separate albums, which are currently streaming on Spotify, iTunes, Apple Music, Youtube & other streaming platforms. Creating all of this music has been a great challenge but also so much fun for me & a great escape from my professional work as an actor.

9. Acting and drumming both require timing, rhythm, and presence. Do you see a connection between performing music and performing in front of the camera?

I actually do not see a connection to music & performing in front of the camera. To me they are two very different things despite both being in the arts. With music, regardless of the genre, there is always a certain tempo that is planned out & must be respected & followed by every musician performing until the composer has decided to change the time signature into something else. Perhaps the only exception is a genre of jazz that was experimented with called free jazz. However, & with acting, you simply follow your instinct(s) moment-to-moment, which should never be too planned or plotted out. This applies to film, TV and the stage. The greatest gig(s) an actor can ever give me in a scene is something completely unexpected or unrehearsed. The more spontaneous the moment, the more truth comes out in those moments. As for the tempo of a film and TV project, that is always ultimately decided in post-production by the editors, directors, producers & in a lot of cases in the vertical space, the writers.

10. If you had the opportunity to sit in and play drums with any band or artist past or present who would it be and why?

Too many musical artists to list here, but if I’m left with only one, I’d say either RUSH or Dream Theatre. Both are prolific & legendary musician-type bands that have some of the best musical talent in the world on guitars & keyboards (and of course drums) & both bands offer different styles that are forward-thinking beyond in their time signatures & overall musicianship. To me it would not only be a true honor, but the greatest challenge I could ever fathom as a drummer.

11. You've had success as a model, musician, fitness professional, and actor. Of all those chapters in your career, which one taught you the most about yourself?

I believe the career choice that has taught me the most about myself is acting. I take this career very seriously because I strive to be great at it & want to work at the highest level with the greats. I feel the ONLY way I will ever have a chance at achieving this challenging career goal is by being completely open to the creative process, really listening to the other actors in each scene & truthfully responding moment-to-moment. When this happens, I am constantly learning, delighting & surprising myself at how the experience felt. Sure, the dialogue & every word written in a script or play must be respected and said by the actor(s), but it should also be said without any preconceived way, keeping things 100% spontaneous. And this only happens when I am just simply listening to the other actors & truthfully responding off of their behavior & what they are giving me. The other truly great thing acting has taught me is how much I really enjoy reading & gaining knowledge about humanity . I never enjoyed reading anything before I began taking acting classes. I also did not expect how quickly I could learn how to memorize lines. Before acting, I never felt I was ever intelligent enough to read retain knowledge from reading. I never thought of myself as an intelligent person. But acting has taught me I CAN retain & memorize text from reading it as well as given me real life experience while working in other countries I never thought I would ever visit, let alone work in.

12. You've built a loyal fan base through these vertical dramas. What's been the funniest, strangest, or most memorable fan interaction you've experienced recently?

Honestly, my fans to date have been very respectful & super supportive of my acting career & even my music when I share it. It’s been truly wonderful to see how my hard work off-screen & simply just applying it on-screen the acting technique I’ve learned & trusted has impacted the viewers. What’s blown me away more than anything is the insane popularity of one my most recent vertical film releases on the LoveShots App & on Tik Tok, “Drowning In His Restraint” has performed, gaining more than 1.5 billion views worldwide since its official release just 2 1/2 months ago! I never expected that & it just keeps getting more views by the day. For some reason people seem to really enjoy this film haha! But I suppose the most memorable fan experience I’ve had thus far was last year when I attended the 1st ever Vertical Awards Event here in LA. So many fans where present & asked me to take photos with them & many asked a lot of great questions about what it’s like being an actor & a leading man in vertical films. I’ve also really enjoyed all of the podcasts & celebrity news TV shows I’ve been asked to be a part of to discuss my work.

13. Looking ahead, if you could create your dream project tomorrow of any genre, any location, any co-star, what would that role look like, and where in the world would you want to film it?

I’d LOVE to play the lead role in a film where I am a famous rockstar drummer who struggles to find true love – until I do & need to navigate how to hold on to it once it’s there. I’d love to shoot this film here in LA & have my badass drumming performance scenes filmed at the Hollywood Bowl. I’d love my co-star to be my actual real-life partner, Arina. It would be a perfect part for her because she is not an actress by trade & every moment would be genuine because who she genuinely is in life perfectly fits who I’d fall in love with in the story. She’s a normal functioning human being who’s achieved great success in her life’s work & without the need for a wealthy man. She’s very mature, the most fit & sexiest woman I’ve ever met & will ever know & has the perfect look as well as her “I don’t give a shit who you are” attitude when it comes to celebrities, power, money & fame. In the story, I’d need to literally prove myself to Arina as a worthy man to fall in love with, all the while I’m killing it as a world famous rockstar drummer. The film’s story would have lots of incredibly sexy moments, lots of exciting bright color & visual effects, some solid dramatic & traumatic moments the audience will not expect while they root for us to succeed in our quest for true love.

14. You've successfully reinvented yourself multiple times throughout your career. When people look back at the TJ Wilk story years from now, what do you hope they say about the journey?

I suppose I hope that people would have felt inspired by my work & how I’ve carried myself in the spotlight. I’d like to know I helped people achieve their own dreams & goals simply by being an example of someone who came to LA with only $300, a car & a dream & worked hard while meeting important people along the way who gave me sound advice & a shot at opportunities to succeed. It’s really that simple. Oh, and I hope I made people laugh along the way & not take life so seriously despite its many challenges haha.