On our journey towards discovering a career that utilizes all of our unique skills as individuals and gives us a sense of fulfillment, the one we could argue that we were personally ‘destined’ for, there are often many other jobs along the way that, at the time, may seem unfulfilling and distant from our ideal. However in many cases, when we look back at the big picture, it becomes clear that some of those ‘odd’ jobs provided us with the tools necessary for us to actually be successful in the career we had been dreaming of all along.
Take famous author Stephen King for example, who, while working his way to becoming a professional writer, was actually a high school janitor-- and it was there that he got the inspiration to write the opening scene for “Carrie,” and we all know how well that turned out! Or well-known billionaire Warren Buffet, who went door to door selling Coca Cola and chewing gum to his neighbors during childhood, before becoming one of the most savvy business investors on the planet.
Another business savvy individual whose previous profession laid the groundwork for success in his future career is actor Swell Soubra. Prior to finding his rightful place in the entertainment industry, Swell had a career as a Swiss private banker where he managed other people's money in Geneva, Switzerland where he is from originally. It wasn’t until Swell was asked to be in a commercial for Pepsi Switzerland that he realized that acting was an actual job, and one that he happened to be quite good at.
Since first beginning his acting career back in 2011, Swell Soubra has been tapped to star in a variety of films such as the award-winning crime drama “Three Kings Down,” “The Incision,” the award-winning emotional drama “Alone,” “I Am Tommy Talbot” with Delpaneaux Wills from the Primetime Emmy nominated series “NCIS: Los Angeles,” multi-award winning director Stan Harrington’s “Lost Angels” and more.
“Discovering the reality of a character’s life, putting myself in someone’s shoes and into specific circumstances, it’s quite an adventure and very refreshing. Quite frankly it breaks your own routine, you get a little taste of someone else’s life,” explained Swell about what drove him to begin acting.
Earlier this year Swell played a critical role as an affluent businessman on the season premiere of TNT’s Golden Reel and Saturn Award nominated series “The Last Ship” where acted alongside other well-known actors such as Bridget Regan from the Golden Globe Award winning series “Jane the Virgin.”
“I am a huge fan of this show so it was a privilege to become part of it. Also, my role as a businessman was quite interesting to me considering I’m an an ex-banker,” Swell said.
His previous career as a banker meant that he was able to easily tap into his character on “The Last Ship.” In 2014, Swell starred in the dramatic crime film “Three Kings Down,” which tells the story of Charlotte, an abused woman and femme-fatale type character, who tries to reclaim her freedom only to discover that she’s double crossed the wrong man, and may in fact, never be free again.
“Three Kings Down” director Frank Lopez explains, “Having Swell’s vision in terms of character work was a real added value. He made it much easier for me to create an powerful film which even allowed us to have a win in the Best Actors Film Festival. If you want a film to be a success and remembered, you should definitely cast Swell !”
Swell took on the lead role of Earl in the film where he starred alongside Marcos Gracia (“Unknown,” “Black Jacks”), who was nominated for a Best Actor Award at the Golden Indie Movie Awards for his performance, ReShaun Groomes from the Golden Globe Award winning series “Sons of Anarchy” and Daniel Junko (“Rough Mix”) who played the lead role of Charlotte. Swell gave a riveting performance in the film as Earl, the abusive husband who traps Charlotte in the relationship and steals her freedom.
One of his most recent films, “Alone,” which he starred in, screened at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival earlier and earned an award at the Madrid International Film Festival. An edgy dramatic film about a couple trying to deal with clinical depression, the story “Alone” brings to the screen holds a special place in Swell’s heart.
Swell explained, “I cared a lot about that project. When you heart is involved in a project it becomes very personal.”
As someone who’s made a powerful mark in the film world through his work, as a lead actor, it’s clear that Swell Soubra’s earlier career as a Swiss Private Banker was never a detour from where he was meant to be-- instead it was a stepping stone that has made him exponentially better at what he does, and one that has helped set him apart from others in the industry.
About what’s next for him Swell explained, “I am currently working on a film which requires a huge investment and that will take place on three different continents, fives different countries. France, Switzerland, USA, China and Spain. It’s going to be an action film. The story will be about a corrupted politician who is money laundering his underground business away from his family.”
The film he is talking about is “Killer Issues,” a dramatic thriller that will be directed by California Women’s Film Festival Award winner Jonathan Cocco (“F.U. Woody Allen,” “Twice Blessed”).