Rev Up Your Engines! Days Heads to Motor City!

Days of our Lives is heading to Detroit Rock City to find undiscovered talent and the biggest fan. And James Reynolds thinks that's a great thing. "I've always lingered under the belief that, somewhere out there – you know, I'm from the middle of the country – but somewhere out there, between the oceans, are our greatest painters and our greatest actors and the best singers. They're undiscovered, for whatever that reason may be. This is yet another chance to turn over a leaf and find a little bit of gold under there. I'm really looking forward to that."

He also thinks it's important to head to a city like Detroit, which he visited recently with the Veteran's Administration. "It's a very depressed city," James tells us. "It's also a heavy minority city. With a lot of Days fans! This brings a little bit of hope into a city like Detroit. I always feel a certain sense of responsibility to help in that kind of situation. This is a way to do it." He continued, saying that "Detroit is a city that can use any glimmer that there's something a little bit more and a little bit better out there. To be part of that is really a wonderful thing. When I go into a city that has a great deal of poverty and all the results of poverty – bad education and crime – it just seems to, at least for that moment and for that little spot that we're standing in, bring a light and that's important."

James loves giving back to the community and to his fans through all of his charitable work, including his work with the Veteran's Administration. But what does he get in return? "For one thing," James tells us, "you can interact with people. I think it's great to get out and actually meet people who watch our show, who enjoy it for a variety of reasons. I've had the good fortune of getting out around the country a great deal so I meet people that we don't necessarily see as fans of the show, but they are. I love that. I love getting out there and letting those people know that they're not really forgotten as part of this big family that we have created around Days of our Lives around the world. I do enjoy that. Another part of it is being a part of something a little bit bigger, bringing the world into another area."

And where did James get his start in the business? In college. He started out as a journalism major, with plans to go on to law school. But a college friend's recommendation that they go to the theater department to meet girls changed all of that. James was fresh out of the Marine Corps and meeting girls was high on his to-do list, so he "went over to the theater department that night. They were auditioning for a play; I had never auditioned for a play in my life. I not only auditioned but got a key role. Then I met a fellow in town – there were several alumni in the play – and he had a professional group. He hired me off my first play to do the lead in a musical! Not only did I not know I could act; I didn't know I could sing! Within weeks, I was in my first play and also my first professional play. I just fell in love with it, actually. Truthfully, I fell in love with it. I love writing, but there's something about acting and the process of that that really got to me. My third play I actually produced and directed myself. So I jumped in without knowing I was jumping in. I think part of it was being young. There's a lot to be said for that."

He's also interested in going to events of this type to give people a little advice about acting, which is of particular importance at this upcoming talent search. James tells us that he runs "into a lot of fans, in particular people who say 'I want to be an actor; I want to work on Days of our Lives.' Or I want to be on soap operas. Of course, I tell them first you have to be an actor. An actor acts! Wherever that may be." He continues, telling us that "if you want to pursue this as a career – the first thing – this has to be something that you love deeply. You have to be completely committed to it. There are no half measures in this. Yes; it is always possible to walk into a drug store and be discovered on the stool there, but it isn't very likely. You have to be committed to it. Go to college or community college. I think that's important, too. Actually, for a reason that might be a surprise, I think it's important to go to college because I don't necessarily think they should cloister themselves in the world of an artist. They should know teachers and they need to know engineers and they need to know football players. They need to know people from all walks of life."

Still think you have what it takes to succeed in the acting life? Don't miss your chance! Head to Detroit, Michigan, on November 13 and 14 for the Days of our Lives talent search and fan contest. For more information on the event, please click here.