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Due to its scale and cut-throat nature, the entertainment scene has proven overwhelming even for established personalities. One could just imagine how daunting it could feel for new entrants who are aiming to shine and stand out in a field figuratively filled with stars. Ultimately, they would have to deal with the harsh reality that, faced with this competition and the challenges inherent in the entertainment industry, it may take aspirants years – and even decades – to gain traction or, at the very least, make their names ring a bell. Given the arduous journey toward the limelight, it makes it all the more impressive that Idris Veliu, a seventeen-year-old up-and-coming Hollywood actor, has succeeded where many have failed. Veliu has been on the incline in one of the toughest industries.
Idris has not only appeared alongside Awkafina and 50 Cent in projects, but he has also garnered the attention of Steven Speilberg and Liam Neeson when he asked to audition for them. If this wasn’t enough, Veliu was recently asked by John Malkovich to personally audition for him. These accomplishments raise the young actor to celebrity status among those in Hollywood. Idris is among the small group of young celebrity actors the industry is grooming as being the next generation of megastars.
Like many of these stars, Idris has also bagged several major branding deals under his belt, including the honor of serving as the global face of Particle, a men’s skincare line and signed a deal with the NOA Collective, a couture swimsuit line. He has done deals with headphone brand Jabra and Armani. Veliu has walked the red carpets during NY, LA and Miami Vogue fashion weeks, sitting front row with other well-known celebrities. He recently walked the runway for NOA at DC and Arizona fashion weeks. In October, Idris received the Ally award from the Conference of Women in Literature for his support of women in the entertainment industry, which was presented to him on behalf of the conference by a friend of former First Lady Laura Bush and Politician Gigi Edwards Bryant.
- Idris caused Hollywood heads to turn when it was recently announced after a long search that the young celebrity had landed the starring role of Isaac Stecker in the long-anticipated and much-talked-about horror film called The Dead Place. David Howard Thornton, who plays Art the Clown in the Terrifier film series will play the villain to Idris’s character in the film. The all-star cast is rounded out by Robert Bless (Zoolander 2, Fast and Furious), Suziey Block (Dave, Masters of Sex), who horror writer Stephen King called his actor horror obsession, Oliver Robins who played Robbie Freeling, Carol Ann’s brother in Poltergeist and Beatrice Beopple (21 Jump Street, Stakeout) who played Freddy Krueger’s mother in Nightmare on Elm Street. This milestone is as memorable as it is surprising to the industry, considering that actors usually need a long list of credits attached to their names first before they are trusted with career-defining projects.
While it is undeniable that Idris has managed to reach incredible heights in such a short time, he attributes this to the guiding hand of his manager Craig Rogalski, the founder of international talent management agency CK Talent Management. It is also inarguable that it is his acting chops, passion for the craft, and determination that allowed this go-getter to capture the attention of Hollywood’s casting directors and producers. Composed and unperturbed even following rejections that would shake even the most seasoned actors. Idris possesses an all-out attitude that enables him to keep his head held high in front of veteran actors and high-profile figures.
The entertainment world will continue to be a land of opportunities and a minefield full of complexities. But with Idris’s admirable work ethic, humbleness and deep-seated love for acting, we expect him to successfully navigate all these waters and climb to the summit.
