JUST a few years ago, Ben Harris was teaching at Thurrock and Basildon College and Aveley School but now he is in Hollywood and by the looks of the film attached, it looks like hell!
YourThurrock hopes to keep in touch with Ben in LA but we asked how he made the journey from Nethan Drive to the Hollywood Hills.
” During my last year as a PE teacher at Aveley school I got into stand up comedy (as you do!?) and made the final 20 of Jimmy Carr’s comedy idol competition.
“Also a young American guy started teaching at Aveley just before I left. We became friends. During my last summer I went to visit him and fell in love with a girl from Chicago who lived close by.We gave it a go back and forth her to Essex/East London and me going to Chicago to see if it would work out.
“After almost a year I decided to move to her. It was a tough decision. I had a lot going well for me at the time. I had an agent for comedy and I loved my family and friends so much. But I guess you have to go for it if you’re ever going to have a shot at love, right?
“OK fast forward to today. Ive been married for 2 1/2 years. We lived in Chicago for one. And there I was lucky enough to go to The Second City for that year. The most famous comedy theatre in America. Where the likes of Mike Myers, Bill Murray and John Belushi started (to name a few).
“We moved to LA at the end of 2007 so my wife could do her PhD at UCLA and I could pursue my dream of being a comedic actor full time (shes a bright lass, dunno what she see in me, ha ha)
“In little over a year I’ve managed to appear in a movie with Chevy Chase, Burt Reynolds and Michael Madsen. Ive just finished 2 episodes of a new hit comedy show for the E! channel and Ive just finished my first lead role in a dramatic movie which should hopefully be a good thing for me. Oh and Im also club captain of Vinnie Jones team.
“So much has gone on in a short space of time. And sometimes it freaks me out how my life has changed in only a few years. It wasnt so long ago I was going to the district Sports day with Aveley at Blackshots.”
