Today we’d like to introduce you to Nickolas Callaway.
Hi Nickolas, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
Everything changed for me in 2018, I was stuck in life’s hamster wheel, suffering from work burnout. At this time in my life, I worked two jobs, my wife worked deep nights, and there was very little time for family. The stress level was so high that it was debilitating, and financially we were just scraping by. It was simply too much. I was tired, unhappy, unmotivated, and disconnected from life. Luckily for me, I have an amazing wife who saw this in me and told me to take some time and find a career, not a job that I can love, so that’s what I did. My passion for the Entertainment Industry began back in 1994 when I entered Model Search America, I was 19 years old. Thousands of teens and young adults showed up for this week-long “model camp.” At the end of the week, 75 of us were going to be showcased to the top modeling agencies, and I was one of them! To top off my initial experience with the industry, Tyra Banks walked up to me in the hotel lobby and said to me, “You have a unique look, you’ll go far in the industry”. I still had this desire, so I jumped back into the circuit and started shaking hands, going to job fairs, researching, and talking to local talent agencies. Except, there is not a huge market for a 42-year-old husband, father, and aging model. After performing in a Dallas fashion show in 2019, I met Normita Joven, ICON Studios Dallas’s inspiring CEO, and I immediately knew where I wanted to be. The next evening, after my wife left for work, I took a chance and a shot of whiskey and called Normita. She listened to my story and my begging, and well today I am the Agency Director of ICON Studios Dallas.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I think we all have challenges and tragedies, that’s the stuff life is made of. To me, the only real challenge is the acceptance of and perseverance through life’s obstacles. To my surprise, being in the top 75 did not buy me an easy route, the top Dallas agencies at the time laughed in my face and told me I would never work in this town. The journey was not as linear as I had expected, at my highest, I have been the Director of the top Talent Agency in Dallas, ICON Studios, and at my lowest a pizza delivery driver. Now, at 46 years old, I am sharing my story and a message to my fellow dreamers…Don’t accept limitations, write your own story, put in the work, and leave your mark. Everyone’s story is important
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
First, let me make this statement, Representation is Powerful, and as the Agency Director of ICON Studios Dallas, I help others be seen, giving everyone a platform, a place, a chance to display their talents, and dreams while expanding their brand. As a booking agent, it is my privilege to book our talent for work and help with career development through branding and networking. I help steward our talent’s career path.
I am currently embarking on a new journey with ICON Studios as I navigate through Hollywood waters. We are taking our ICON culture to Los Angels! For the past few years, ICON has been steadily growing our network based in L.A combining our Dallas talent with our growing L.A talent. I can’t wait to see where this growth will take us next!
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
My childhood was not as perfect, easy, or as hard as others, but it was a strengthening experience. My mother had me very young, and growing up I never knew my father, I still don’t. Due to my harsh home life, I developed multiple speech impediments. At the age of 11, I was adopted by my grandparents and was given a chance to have a future. I graduated from MacArthur High School with a handful of close friends that I still have frequent communication with and attended the University of Texas, and multiple model trade and training classes.
Pricing:
- Professional Acting Headshots $300
- Professional Acting Demo Reels $1100
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.iconstudios.us/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nickolas.callaway/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nick.callaway.140/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/saintnickiky
Image Credits
Greg Daniels
David Michael
Burns Sami Ansari
@projectbespoke
@austendor
