Actor Martin Harris was in a jungle cabin in Paraguay, miles from reliable cell service, when a life-changing email finally came through. While most SAG-AFTRA actors were walking picket lines during the strike, Harris was saying “yes” to his role on General Hospital from the middle of a rainforest—hoping the message would send before the signal disappeared. That moment perfectly captures his career: international, unconventional, and fueled by instinct.
For his General Hospital role, Harris explained,
“I would say General Hospital is an interesting story because it happened during the strike when we were just not working. We, most of us SAG-AFTRA actors, were on the picket lines protesting. And then I took two weeks off, finally had some time for myself, and decided to go to Paraguay for vacation. I was with a friend of mine that I was dating at that time. We were in the middle of the jungle in a little cabin when I received an email. And literally, there was not that much time that I was able to access my email because the reception was so bad.”
He remembers,
“We were in the middle of the jungle in Paraguay, and I received the message that I got an offer from my agent for General Hospital. Would I accept that? And of course, I responded yes, but it couldn’t go through. So I was a little bit nervous that they wouldn’t be able to confirm it. But luckily it went through. I came back from Paraguay and I shot it the following week. So that was kind of an interesting story from the acting standpoint.”
A former sports journalist turned multilingual actor, Harris has built a Hollywood path defined by risk, reinvention, and a rare ability to move seamlessly between cultures, languages, and worlds. As a writer for Social Lifestyle Magazine, it is such an honor to share my exclusive interview with Martin Harris, known for his roles in iconic films such as Superman and more.
During our conversation, Harris shared the personal experiences that led him to the world of acting and explained how those moments shaped his journey. His love for acting and art reveals striking parallels, as these two worlds have long been intertwined for him. A notable art collector, Harris reflected on the connection between the art world and the acting profession, sharing:
“I would say the best story is probably the fact that when I was in Paraguay, I went to the local museum with the girl I was dating, and she showed me works of Riccardo Migliorisi. I went back home, and I started checking online. And I bought two paintings by Riccardo Migliorisi. Now I have seven of them. I became friends with the gallery owner, and she is one of the most influential people in Paraguay. So through her, I got to meet the greatest directors of show business in that part of South America. And there’s a possibility I will do a movie with one of them in upcoming years. So sometimes art and collecting art leads to acting work. And well, now we’ll see.”
His personal art collection serves as an important influence on his acting. He observes:
“Whereas with art and collecting art and going to museums, it feels like it’s the same instrument. You know, it’s very compatible. It’s very fulfilling, and it’s very relaxing for me to look at my art collection. I have 30-plus pieces right now, and they’re all beautiful, and it makes me feel better. It makes me feel creative, makes me want to be a better actor and a better artist.”
Harris began his career in photojournalism, and his keen observations of the world and human connection are evident in both his journalism and acting. When I asked about his love for both acting and art, he emphasized:
“Yeah, like I said, it’s funny because I used to be in sports. I used to be a sports writer and sports broadcaster before I got into acting, and I felt like I tried to continue for quite a bit of time before I fully immersed myself into acting in 2020. I would still go to games. I would still do, on the side, some reporting. I wrote two books about basketball, but it always felt like there was an inner conflict between those two. You know, it just doesn’t feel compatible.”
Notable for his ability to speak over 13 languages, Harris also celebrates multiculturalism in Hollywood and television. When I asked why multiculturalism is important to his acting journey, he acknowledged:
“Well, it is extremely important. I found a niche for myself. I believe when I first came here, I was thinking, what is my chance here to stand out? And speaking languages was just that. Instead of focusing on learning an American accent or British accent, which I still will eventually, down the road… I’m thinking about actually learning a Southern accent in a year or two when I get older because I feel like my look will go in that direction.”
He also shared,
“But I felt like languages and speaking languages would be my ticket to some high-profile jobs, and that happened. I work on many shows and films speaking different languages. Even in Superman, I speak Croatian, just as I did in The Hunt. In Amsterdam, I spoke German. In The Gray Man, I spoke Czech. In Red Notice, I spoke Russian. In The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, I spoke Polish. In True Lies, I spoke Slovenian. In Scorpion, I spoke Danish. I spoke German many times. I spoke Dutch in a film. So yeah, definitely that’s something I can do, and it’s a valuable asset.”
Before he was an actor and was still a photojournalist, Martin looks back at that compelling transition from writer to actor by interestingly feeling and stating:
“I should have never been a sports writer. That just happened after my heavy metal band broke up when I was 17 or 18. Then I tried to support myself by writing about music and rock music. I just couldn’t make enough money. And I jumped into sports writing, and then I had a pretty quick and big career in that, and felt comfortable. But it was always temporary for me, you know?”
Why did Martin feel compelled to become an actor? He was following his intuition and heart. Part of his story in deciding to become an actor was influenced by mentorship from legends like Kobe Bryant. Martin elaborated and shared with me in making this decision:
“In 2007, I came to Los Angeles to report, and I talked to Kobe Bryant, whom I knew at the time. He was a distant friend and mentor of mine, whom I had known for nine years. And I asked him, “What should I do? Should I stick to what I have and play it safe in life, or should I go crazy, move to Los Angeles, and go to acting school?” And he said, what is your heart telling you? I said, my heart is telling me to try. He said, then always follow your heart. And that’s what I did.”
Martin reflected on his notable roles on set. When he mentioned his time on Young Sheldon, he fondly recalls:
“I mean, Young Sheldon was a lot of fun because I worked with this kid who plays Young Sheldon, and he was so much fun to work with. Extremely intelligent. We spoke Russian on set because his grandma, I think, is Russian. And in the scene, we spoke German. We spoke three different languages throughout the day, and that was quite challenging and funny at the same time.”
He also looks back at a fun moment involving actor LL Cool J. He recalls,
“So on NCIS: LA—I played the bad guy and I got shot by LL Cool J. He didn’t kill me; he just shot me. Four years later, I went to Hawaii to shoot NCIS: Hawai’i. We didn’t have a scene together, but he was there when I finished mine and was about to go on set, so we had a short reunion. I told him that we worked together on NCIS: LA, and he was like, “Yeah, yeah, yeah, now I remember.” I told him, “You shot me.’ He said, ‘You’re welcome, but you didn’t kill me.’” Then he added, “Like I said, you’re welcome.” It was a fun little moment.”
He also added, “Too bad that was the final episode of NCIS: Hawai’i, because I was hoping to get a recurring role. Still, it was a really, really nice scene. I loved working in Hawaii—fell in love with Honolulu and the people there. I hope I’ll come back. I’d love to work there again. What an amazing place.”
On the set of Superman, Martin shares incredible memories. He expressed what it was like to work with well-known great actors such as Zlatko Burić and Isabella Merced. He shared:
“So mainly, with Zlatko Burić and Isabella Merced. As a matter of fact, we spent tons of time together, the three of us. Those days in Atlanta, we would eat lunch together, joke around, and talk about acting, talk about everything—from art in South America to sound therapy. And Isabella Merced is such a wonderful person. I mean, what a great actress and what a phenomenal human being, with a huge heart. I hope to work with her again. She’s just so much fun to be around and such a wonderful person. Same with Zlatko.”
Martin continued and shared,
“With Zlatko, we talked a lot about Polish cinema from the ’70s and ’80s, especially on the second day between takes—the scene when he’s taken out by the Hulk girl and killed. Also, when we were doing it through that stunt, it took the most time from all the filming. That’s where we talked the most about other stuff, because on the first day we went through all the conference scenes and the office scene and started the war scene. It was very fast-paced and high-energy, and we were moving very quickly. So there was not that much time to really discuss anything else other than just what we were doing in the scenes. But on the other day, we did talk quite a bit.”
Martin is an example of believing in and manifesting your own dreams. He said,
“Don’t give up. I gave up on my heavy metal career when I was 17, and I didn’t fully immerse myself in acting until I was 43. I tried acting when I first moved here in my early 30s—around 32 or 33—but it was only part-time. I was afraid to jump fully into it. I wasn’t confident at all. I wish I had been more confident, more decisive, and trusted my instincts more. But at least now I have a lot of life experience that I can bring to my acting. My career advice would be: stick to what you’re passionate about and make it your life. That’s what I plan to do moving forward, for as long as I can.”
At Social Lifestyle Magazine, we wish you success, Martin, to be on our screens for a very long time, with your incredible journey!
Thank you to Martin Harris for the exciting interview with Social Lifestyle Magazine! Be sure to watch Martin Harris in Superman playing Lead Boravian General.
Martin Harris IMDb Profile
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The post From Sportswriter to Global Screen Star: The Reinvention of Martin Harris appeared first on Social Lifestyle Magazine.
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