James Jurdi, educated in the art of cinema, playwriting, and performance arts at UCLA and other leading institutes, honed his skills by playing in several short and independent films as well as long-running television programs like The Bold and the Beautiful, Melrose Place, and Night Shift: General Hospital. In tandem, Jurdi continued developing his love of motion pictures with shorts like Nocturnal Errands, a race against time thriller he acted in, co-wrote, and produced. It showed at the 2012 Cannes Short Film Corner. Making the leap into features, Jurdi’s creative journey found him juggling roles both behind and in front of the camera with several projects.
Reaper, a supernatural sci-fi horror film co-written, co-produced, and co-starring Jurdi alongside Danny Trejo, Vinnie Jones, and Jake Busey, was represented by prominent sales agency Highland Film Group and picked up for successful VOD distribution by Entertainment One. It eventually found its way to prime cable carrier Showtime, where it continues to play regularly. Jurdi’s next endeavor would be the stylish crime story Pocket Listing, an L.A. based satirical thriller featuring Rob Lowe, Burt Reyolds, Noel Gugliemi, Jessica Clark, and Jurdi (who wrote the script) as a real estate agent who experiences a reversal of fortune during the housing crash. It was picked up for distribution by MGM’s Orion Pictures and eOne’s Momentum Films and bowed in limited theatrical release and VOD platforms, where it performed well and built a following in the broker community. Jurdi’s most recent project is a darkly comic action thriller currently entitled Danger One, which he both produced and acts in. The film centers on a nightmarish night in the lives of a group of morally conflicted paramedics who come across some dirty money and decide to keep it, only to be hunted down by its very dangerous owners. Starring opposite co-leads Tom Everett Scot and Denis O’Hare, Jurdi plays a conscientious EMT who must make some tough life or death decisions in order to survive the night. Danger One was picked up for distribution by Entertainment Studios/Freestyle Releasing and is set to debut theatrically and across VOD platforms this fall. With several other projects and scripts in current development, Jurdi’s career is in full bloom. Join me for a very informative and motivating interview.