When George Thomas, 58, retired as a radiation protection engineer at TVA’s Watts Bar Nuclear Plant, he might have expected to fade quietly into the background. A modest man with a soft voice, he certainly would not have expected to be catapulted into the spotlight. But on a whim, and at the urging of his female friends, he decided to enter Chatter Magazine’s Scenic City Style Icons contest for best-dressed man.
His 2019 appearance in the winner’s circle has led him down a path he never expected, adding several titles to his now-continuing resume – titles like “Coming to America 2,” “Suicide Squad 2” and “Cobra Kai.”
Thomas now works as an extra on film and television sets, playing characters seen in the background of some of Hollywood’s biggest recent productions. Here, in his own words, he shares his journey, and how it’s rerouted the course of his personal life.
* This wasn’t anything I planned on. Even when I won the best-dressed contest, I wasn’t expecting that, either.
* I got a lot of Facebook votes (in the contest) – I’m a single guy. One of the ladies was like, “George, you’re handsome enough to be a model.” I thought, you know what, I’m going to look into that.
* I went down to Atlanta and did all the paperwork, and before I got back to Chattanooga I got a call: “Would you like to do [an audition]?” That film was “Coming to America 2.”
* Jamie Foxx is a great guy, super-friendly. Too friendly, almost. They’d have to pull him back: “OK, we’ve got to go to work now.”
* Since then I’ve done some stuff, and my cousin will call me from Florida and say, “Hey, I just saw you on TV!” A couple of days ago I filmed a commercial for Memorial (Hospital), which was cool.
* [The industry] is really starting to pick back up again. I expect a full rebound. People want to get out. When I leave [this interview] I’m going straight to Atlanta to take a COVID test for a shoot I’m doing Tuesday.
* The (COVID-19) testing process is so stringent. Collectively, background actors can be as valuable to a movie as the star. Due to COVID, this has led to some studios paying for background actors to be sequestered in hotels to avoid issues delaying filming.
* I’ve been on set where we were sequestered for a whole week. They pay for your hotel room, they pay for your food and test you every day, because they’ve got a $20 million bill from Jamie Foxx. They don’t want any delays caused by background personnel testing positive for COVID.
* It sounds like fun, but once you’re in a hotel room by yourself for a few days, it’s not that much fun anymore.
* It’s a paid hobby, more or less, is the way I look at it. You’re not going to get rich doing it. Background-movie work pays from $10-$20 hourly. The only “bonus” is that you typically work 12-hour days – i.e. overtime.
* But it doesn’t take any skill whatsoever. In fact, new is better. They’re always looking for new faces. The biggest thing you need is free time.
* In the older group there’s less roles, but there’s less competition.
* I’m eating better and working out better. Some of that pays off. When you do get picked for certain background roles, it’s based on how you look.
* I’m taking an acting class at Chattanooga Theatre Centre. I did three [plays] in Atlanta just before COVID hit. I’d like to earn my way onto the Chattanooga Theatre Centre stage.
* My family is like, “You, George? You couldn’t lead a silent prayer.” I can do it because I don’t know anyone there.
* I’ve even done karaoke now.
* I guess it could be a midlife crisis thing. I never got the Corvette I wanted.
* I’ve got these cool earrings I wear now. My family is like, “Who are you?”
* You can change your mindset. You can change your life. You’re not necessarily who you think you are.
* I still have to force myself to do some of it. Doing that stage play, I knew my lines but I was up there shaking like a leaf. It was not a big audience but they were all looking at me. It felt like everybody was more experienced; I was the weak link.
* Fake confidence. Pretend your way through it.