I had the chance to sit down with professional skateboarder and actor Isiah Hilt to discuss his starring role in director Catherine Hardwicke's new film, Street Smart, following its premiere at the Bentonville Film Festival. Isiah plays Drex, a character that heavily draws from his own life story of growing up on his own around Venice Beach. He stepped into the role naturally, relying on his years of experience as a street performer to connect with the cast and handle the transition to the screen without letting the cameras phase him.

Beyond acting, Isiah spends much of his time teaching local kids to skate, a passion we talked about during the episode. He shared his perspective on how the constant falling in skateboarding teaches kids not to have a healthy view of fear, a mindset that has shaped his own life. We also discussed his music, specifically "BETTER DAYS?"—a track from his EP LET ME VENT that plays over the film's closing credits and reflects his journey through tough times. It was great catching up with him just as the movie rolls out to audiences.

Thanks for listening!

Kyler

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