As musician, actor, and film producer Ben Stranahan rises in Hollywood’s ranks, drawing growing audiences to films like Mean Dreams, Calibre, and Population Zero, he remains a believer in the power that movies have to touch the human spirit. “It never ceases to amaze me how the right story, told by the right actors and with the right soundtrack, can wrap itself around an audience and keep them riveted for several hours,” he says. “We believe that what we’re seeing is real. We become emotionally invested in the characters. The result is that we are touched deep down in our souls, and when the lights go up and the credits play, we leave the theater forever changed by our experiences. That, to me, is the power of a really good film, and it’s why I love what I do.”

Ben considers himself a very fortunate man, as his schedule is full in an industry where a silent phone is more common. Ben believes that the roots for his successful career go all the way back to his middle school days in Aspen, Colorado, where he discovered how much he loved acting when he was in a school play. Since then, of course, his ability to step into the mind of a character and to guide a movie from conception to the big screen has grown. “It’s been a wild ride,” he muses, thinking back. “I’ve gotten the rejections that everyone receives, but I’ve had doors open at exactly the right time. I’ve just kept walking through them and working hard.”

His work ethic, talent, and never-give-up attitude have resulted in industry accolades. Ben will never forget how happy he was when Calibre was nominated for four Baftas and won Best Actor for Jack Lowden’s performance. He found similar success in The Midnight Anthology, starring Clancy Brown. Its pilot premiered at the New York Television Festival in 2015 and won the Artistic Achievement and Best Director awards.

Ben is now busy developing his producing and acting careers. He has just wrapped the production of the mystery Better Than Yourself, in which he helped produce and starred in as Case Marel. Ben reveals that he enjoyed working with his castmates, who challenged him to raise his performance to a higher level.

He’s also getting a kick out of helping to produce The Inventor, an animation about the life of Leonardo da Vinci, with Jim Capabianco as well as voice one of its characters. “I think deep down inside, I’ve got a big kid in me,” says Ben. “I’ve been having a great time working on this because it’s got such a wonderful plot. Flying contraptions, war machines, cadavers, a French princess – who wouldn’t want to be on board? Besides, Daisy Ridley and Stephen Fry are fantastic artists.”

One of the most fun roles he had was voice work on a character from the “Exodite” from Games Workshop. “It’s set in the futuristic world of Warhammer 40,000, where warfare erupts,” Ben explains. “The people behind it are highly imaginative, and it was the first time that I had placed myself mentally as an actor in such a dark environment. In fact, it was one of the reasons I took the part: I am always trying to push myself with new genres so that I continue to evolve into a more versatile actor.”

As Ben’s resume grows, so does his reputation. Known around Tinseltown as the guy who is first on the set in the morning and the last to leave at night, he works hard and will do anything that is asked of him. “I think that comes from my parents, who modeled to me the importance of never being above doing something,” Ben recalls. “My dad in particular was a man who believed in service, so I try to do the same for my peers. Hollywood, as you can imagine, can be a pretty stressful place, so I try to convey to whoever I am working with that I am someone they can count on.”

One place he spends a lot of time is at Tip-Top Productions, where he is the producer. “Working there is a dream come true for me,” he confirms. “I am really fortunate to collaborate with Rob on some really incredible movies and to be able to bring them from conception to the big screen. One project was Monstrous, a thriller with Christina Ricci that will soon hit theaters. I am really proud of the work she and her costars did in that movie, and I think audiences are going to be impressed.”

As busy as he is, Ben still finds time to kick back at his beloved piano with his cat, Moose. “I am still a musician at heart, especially classical,” he reveals. “I could sit for hours, improvising on some chord while my cat Moose hangs out and listens. I just try to ignore him when he’s less than impressed.”

Ben reflects that no matter how many movies he produces or acting roles he takes, he is still a lot like that little boy who took his first acting role in middle school. “Thankfully, I’ve evolved as an actor and have learned a little subtlety,” he smiles. “Really, though, I feel the same joy now as I did back then. Movies just touch something deep down inside of me and allow me to express myself in a way that no other occupation could allow me to do. That’s why no matter what happens, I’ll keep going. This is the only job that will ever let me feel so fulfilled as a human being.”