Troy Iwata - Actor of the Month for June 2025
Actor: Troy Iwata| Interviewed by: Steven Tylor O'Connor, CSA
1) Has there been a Casting Director who has really championed or supported you in your career journey?
My answer is threefold. Julie Ashton, CSA, was the first casting director who really vouched for me in the room. It was early on in my career, so I was an intimidated baby, but to have someone encourage and endorse me to the creative team really helped assure my place in this business. I haven’t seen her in years, but I’ll never forget that audition.
Shayna Markowitz, CSA, was the first casting director who went above and beyond to coach me in the room. She made sure I was comfortable and confident so we could get the best take. I remember the scene involved cookies, so she brought cookies to the audition. This ultimately led to my first series regular job-the cookies obviously.
Lastly, I worked with Steven Tylor O’Connor, CSA, on a movie and he’s just a good egg, a huge advocate for actors and you can tell loves the business and community as much as we do.
There are certain CDs who are not only passionate about what they do but they’ve found that balance of business and creating a space where actors can thrive and just do their thing. I’ve easily had over a thousand auditions in my career and certain experiences stand out. Also, special shoutout to theatrical casting directors who have to listen to us all sing Waitress for eight hours a day.
2) What is the project you're most proud of and why?
I did a spooky horror-comedy called Summoning Sylvia that I will never stop promoting. It’s about a bachelor party in a haunted house and it’s equal parts gay, thrilling, heartfelt and most importantly, stupid. We made it on a shoestring in an unventilated New Jersey house in the summer so I feel our 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes was fully earned. Alex Wyse & Wesley Taylor are genius writers and everyone should give them money.
3) What or who inspired you to pursue acting as a career?
My older brother forced me to audition for the Wizard of Oz in high school. He essentially said, “You have no friends, do this.” So I did, and I kept doing it, and here we are. I don’t think I ever thought of it as a dream or a goal as opposed to, “I enjoy this, and luckily I’m good at pretend. I can sing and I have a nice smile and good eyebrows, so that’s marketable.” I love this business and I love the people in it, so as long as they’ll have me, I’ll be here and happy to help. I will also complain and make fun of everything but hence be known I will show up on time and do the job very well.
4) What was your first IMDbPro credit, and how did you feel when you saw it?
My first one could have been me saying, “Do you mind?” on Orange Is the New Black (Netflix), but my scene got cut. It also could have been me saying, “Right this way.” on Time After Time (ABC), that also got cut. So, my first official credit wasn’t until my third TV spot, it was Quantico (ABC), I played Male Hostage, and I bear that cross proudly. I believe I said something along the lines of “There was a French guy next to me and now he’s gone.” I watched it with my sister in a Marriott. My face popped up and I went, “Finally!” and then we went and got pizza. The French guy was never found.
5) How has IMDbPro helped you either market yourself or connect with other industry professionals?
IMDbPro has truly saved me before a lot of general meetings; this business is vast, yet tiny and you truly never know who you have such small degrees of separation from. It’s very fun. I also love seeing what some of my favorite actors’ first jobs were, and seeing just how many people have been on an episode of Law & Order: SVU; I’m still banking on that dream.
6) Any funny or memorable casting room stories you can share?
I’ll attempt to make this brief. I got an email from a friend with an audition for a “Disney Channel Movie”. No script, it just said to bring a song as there was a musical element to the movie. Did I do any further reading or research? Absolutely not, I was 21 and stupid. I skip class and drive to the address; it’s a dance studio in a shopping mall. The audition’s being held in the front so everyone in the mall can just watch through the glass. I sing “Down” by Jay Sean for some reason and then I hear, “Okay, now we’re just going to play some music and you can freestyle hip-hop for a few minutes.” I took Beginners Jazz in 4th grade and that’s the extent of my dance training. I figured I’ve already sung “Down” by Jay Sean in a mall, so I may as well commit. I proceed to dance like Julia Stiles, threw in a box-step for flavor, and based on their pained faces I knew I would not be moving forward. I later found out from the friend who sent me said email that it wasn’t an audition for a Disney Channel movie. It was an audition for a short spec film to then pitch as a concept for a Disney Channel movie. I’m no longer friends with this person.
7) If you could play any character in any movie, past or present, who would it be and why?
Riley Poole in the National Treasure franchise, and I don’t think I’m the only person to have that fantasy. Justin Bartha embodied the most delicious balance of exasperated confusion, dry wit, and heartfelt loyalty, and it’s one of my favorite characters. This also feeds into my desire to be in an action/adventure piece, I want to run and scream with a gun.
8) What show or movie that you’re currently watching or have watched countless times could you nerd out about forever? What do you love about it?.
Father of the Bride. I watch it 2-3 times a year and simultaneously laugh and sob. It’s my favorite role Steve Martin’s played, he’s so earnest and gut-wrenchingly vulnerable in his paternal struggle watching his daughter grow and leave him while still giving us enough of the explosive zaniness we know and love him for. Diane Keaton, captivating. Martin Short, a masterclass in character work. BD Wong, stealing scenes and solidifying his place in my heart. And we must always thank Nancy Meyers for the textiles alone, she’s the reason I own a turtleneck sweater.
9) Tell us a fun fact about you outside of acting.
If I see a Jacuzzi, I’m getting in the Jacuzzi. I don’t care if I don’t have a suit, I’ll get in my underwear and tell people it’s a cotton speedo. I don’t care if the jacuzzi looks filthy and has bugs floating in it, I will remove the bugs and take a shower afterwards. If you ever can’t find me, I need you to ask yourself, “Is there a jacuzzi around?” That is where I will be. I’m getting in the jacuzzi, and you are welcome to join me.
Actor of the Month is a monthly collaboration between IMDbPro and Casting Society that celebrates the casting community and spotlights its members through a series of interviews between casting directors and actors about their acting journey, the casting process, and how IMDbPro helps them advance their careers.