Shydel James

Shydel James The Official Site

...BIO

“Shydel James… is appropriately smooth and charming.”
-Bob Rendell
Talkingbroadway.com

In 2004, Shydel James played Cory in the August Wilson, Pulitzer Prize winning drama, Fences. After the performance, he was approached by a man in the audience who had tears in his eyes as he walked up to him with his hand out looking for a shake. “I thought your performance was fantastic,” he said. “The chemistry between you and the man playing your Dad reminded me so much of me and my son’s constant struggle with maintaining a healthy relationship. Well done.” It was in that very moment Shydel realized he was born to be an actor.

Since graduating from The School for Film and Television in 2002, Shydel has starred in numerous commercials, films and plays. Some of his favorites include the aforementioned role in Fences with the Alliance Repertory Theatre Company and starring as Jesse in the Suzanne Bradbeer body image play, Full Bloom, with Dreamcatcher Repertory. Shydel is a member of 12 Miles West Theatre Company and New Jersey Rep. where he starred in their very first Theater Brut Festival, My Rifle, My Pony and Me. Shydel’s film credits include the indies Bloody Money, Lovestruck, Rap Quest and the Jennifer Lopez produced drama, Feel the Noise, which is available on DVD.

Shydel hopes to get his one-man show up and running and has teamed up with acclaimed writer, Lyn Halper to pen it. “I’m learning that I can’t just sit around and wait for the role of a lifetime to come to me. I’m a great writer. Why not write my own stuff,” Shydel asks matter-of-factly.

Looking even further ahead, Shydel dreams of running his own production company one day and would love to work with the likes of Queen Latifah, Julianne Moore, Mos Def and Morgan Freeman and play roles that showcase his versatility. “At this point I just want to work…period,” says Shydel. “But if given the opportunity, I’d love to go back and forth between comedy and drama on both stage and film. I love the immediacy of the theatre and that feeling of walking a tight rope. But I also love the technical advantages that come along with being a film actor.”

Whether it be on stage or on film, any role that allows Shydel to touch people, like the man who saw his relationship with his son while watching him in Fences, makes the struggle to get great parts, all worthwhile.

site created: T. Streets