With his role in the upcoming horror-comedy Skill House, Jacob Skidmore is stepping into a new spotlight. Known for his past work on Netflix’s Trinkets, Skidmore now takes on a darker, more intense genre, complete with blood, satire, and screams. In our conversation, the actor reflects on his early days in Portland, the hustle of navigating Hollywood, and what it really takes to survive, both in the film industry and a horror movie set.
From Dance Floors to Theater Stages
Before cameras and callbacks, Jacob Skidmore’s love for performing began with competitive dance. “I started off as a competition dancer,” he shared. “It’s a very specific niche kind of dance, like Dance Moms, where you go to class 16 hours a week, learn seven dances, and then compete in them. That’s where I got comfortable being on stage and realized I liked performing.”
The Portland native eventually transitioned from dance to theater, landing professional gigs and even recording a cast album. His aspirations? Broadway.
“I wanted to be in the ensemble of Broadway shows for my entire life,” he said. “I wanted to be in the ensemble of Wicked and just be in it until I retire. That was my goal.”
But before Los Angeles, Skidmore worked the front desk at a West Hollywood barbershop. “It was really fun. I loved it. I was horrible at it, though. I was really bad,” he laughed.
He credits his foundational experiences to a Portland-based pre-professional company called Staged, a group he speaks of with deep gratitude. “We had guest people come in: Jason Robert Brown, Shoshana Bean. It was intense and really shaped who I am,” he said. “The artistic director, Shanda Hall, was a mentor and someone I still talk to.”
Horror, Satire, and Screams
Now starring in Skill House, Jacob Skidmore happily embraces the chaos of the genre and the press cycle leading up to release. “I’ve never done press like this before,” he admitted. “I’m learning as I go, which is really fun. I’ve only seen the film once since we shot it, so I’m excited to see the final cut in theaters.”
Describing the tone of Skill House, he said fans can expect a mix of “Bodies Bodies Bodies vibes and Saw,” thanks to writer-director Josh Stolberg, who also wrote recent entries in the Saw franchise. “He’s fantastic,” Skidmore added.
Filming a horror movie offered new lessons, both professionally and physically. “I learned that if you have to scream all day, then you need to take Advil,” he joked. “Screaming gives you a headache.”
The project also pushed him into emotional territory he hadn’t explored on camera before. “This was the first time I had to do screaming and crying and freaking out on screen. I was figuring out my process as I went.”
As for staying emotionally ready between takes, Skidmore noted, “I need to go up into my trailer and sob for 30 minutes, then come to set and do it. I need a lot of isolation and preparation.”
Building Community in an Isolating Industry
Jacob Skidmore moved to LA just before the COVID-19 shutdown in early 2020, a difficult time to break into the industry. “It was really sad and scary,” he admitted. “The thing that got me through it was having friends who were in the industry… other actors who were in the same boat.”
That sense of community, he says, is vital. “LA is really isolating, especially right now. If I didn’t have friends to call, run things by, and vent to, I would not be doing well.”
He encourages new actors to prioritize building genuine connections. “Make as many friends who are working actors as you can. Talk about your auditions, what classes you’re in. Share and communicate.”
There’s no linear path, he emphasized. “I thought there was more of a formula to how things work, like A to B to C. But there really isn’t. Comparison is the thief of joy.”
Advice to the Next Generation
When asked what advice he’d give actors fresh out of school, Skidmore didn’t hesitate. “I didn’t know how to do a self-tape until I was needing to do them for real,” he admitted. “The people who helped me were working actors who’d been doing this a long time. That’s really important.”
His advice for actors moving to a new market? “Find your chosen family. People you can call, vent to, and feel less alone.”
And in 10 words or less? “Don’t have a backup,” he said. “Because if you have a backup, you’ll do it. When I’m going through a hard time, I ask, what else would I do? And the answer is always, just this.”
Don’t miss Jacob Skidmore in Skill House, in theatres July 11th.
