The Pilot and Podcast Host Encouraging People to Take Leap of Faith and Pursue Their Passions

As many people settle into careers in the middle of their lives, one airline pilot decided to give up his wings and start a new career as an actor – and he’s encouraging others to do the same.

Herb Jackson Jr, a successful pilot, captaining planes for a large American airline had worked for decades to achieve his success but wanted to try something different. This led him to take a massive leap of faith and start from the beginning again as an actor.

Despite flying airplanes being a lifelong dream of his, and dedicating over 20+ years of work, Herb had the nagging feeling that there had to be something else that he could do with his life. In 2019 he decided to take the first steps of a new acting career, something he hadn’t done since early memories of school plays.

Speaking on his decision, Herb Jackson Jr says, “You tell people you want to be an actor and people think you’re crazy. Most people don’t ever get out of their comfort zone, but I wanted to put myself out there and take on what comes with that – failure, ridicule and discomfort included. Learning something brand new is not the easiest thing, but soon enough you realize just how much you can challenge yourself.”

Since making his decision, Herb started taking night classes on the side, enrolled at the Arizona Acting Academy, and trained as a red-carpet host. As the pandemic derailed the entertainment industry, Herb took matters into his own hands and started up his own podcast, 5 Minutes with Herb.

Herb has now released two seasons of his podcast interviewing popular actors from hit TV shows and is preparing to launch his much-anticipated third season. From designing backdrops, organising guests, editing, and producing each episode, Herb has developed a range of skills that has helped further his acting career.

Now featuring in short films, local commercials and TV shows, Herb has advice for anyone else looking to change their life, “I think if you honestly have a burning passion inside of you to do something, you can only be stopped if you quit. Nothing happens overnight and it wasn’t a linear climb for me, you must lay the foundations first and work your way up. Once you take that first step, take another, and eventually you’ll get to where you want to be.”

To find out more about Herb Jackson Jr. and the projects he’s currently working on, visit https://www.herbjacksonjr.com/