Greek-American actor David Kait spoke to Greek Reporter recently about his extremely unusual rise to fame, his notable acting career and his Greek heritage and just how he defines the word “success.”
Easily the most unusual and impressive fact about Kait is that he is the first Greek police officer turned actor in Hollywood, being a former lieutenant in the riot police, or MAT. “That feels surreal and special,” he admitted. “I am just following what feels right at this point. That’s what I always did with my life. It is going to be an exciting ride. It is quite amazing.”
For young and aspiring actors, Kait says he would like to advise them that “I am one of them, but I am a special case. I wanted to be a trailblazer, where I tried something that hasn’t been done before. If you feel that there is something inside you, don’t second-guess yourself, go for it, and figure it out as you go.
“Don’t live a life of regrets. Take responsibility of your situation no matter what. There are no excuses. If I can do it, anybody can do it.”
Kait shared that he is a part of the new film “Mickey Kelley,” in which he plays the character of Stelios. He stars opposite such actors as Sean Patrick Flannery and Dennis Quaid.
Born David Kaitidis, he spoke about the Greek-American community in the United States. “I have good relationships with them,” he tells Greek Reporter. “I started meeting a lot of people at the Greek Film Festival in Los Angeles,” he says.
“There is a lot of fervor and enthusiasm to bring projects from Greece to inspire young filmmakers to do something beyond their borders on an international scale, and that’s very encouraging. It is nice to see that support, not only in film but in theater and stage productions.”
When asked what his life has been like in recent months, he muses that living in quarantine due to the COVID-19 pandemic has been a “very rewarding period of time… it started rough, with a lot of uncertainty, but I am a person that enjoys solitude. I thrive in solitude,” he says.
“After I put my life in order to accommodate the new situation, things have been very productive. It has been a great chance to reflect back on my life and to set some priorities and establish healthy habits for the future. Quarantine has been a gift in disguise,” the actor explains.
“Take this time as it is. Embrace it. Connect with those that you didn’t have time to connect with before, such as family members. Take time to take care of yourself. Set your priorities straight. Sometimes, life puts us away from our personal relationships. This is just another curve in our journey, nothing is over. I am very optimistic that great things will come,” he adds with enthusiasm.
On being an actor in this digital age, he says, “The digital age is a part of our lives. It is a medium that we cannot deny. I am an old soul and I enjoy the classic ways of communicating and delivering messages. At the same time, the world is moving forward. There are challenges to adjust to the digital age, but at the same time, it’s a new challenge, so you learn and you become better. If you are committed to it, you find a way to make it work.”
Regarding his Greek background, Kait relates “I grew up in the city of Edessa, up north. I spent my whole young life there. I moved to Athens for the Police Academy, for four years, and after I graduated, I did three years of service as a Riot Police Officer. Then I moved to San Francisco, California, and now I am in Los Angeles.”
He noted that he is a very self-motivated person and he does things for his own pleasure, whatever sparks joy for him. “If my work resonates with other people, I am grateful,” he says. “I am a student of life and I learn all the time. It will be a long journey and I am excited to see the results.”
The riot police officer-turned actor defines the word “success” as “going to sleep every single day with a feeling that you did your best.”
To learn more about and follow this Greek-American actor’s unlikely journey, please check out his official website and follow him on Instagram.
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