Aaron Marcus: Home Town Boy Does Good

Aaron R. Marcus and I went to high school together. I was on stage while he was always the one behind the scenes, mostly doing lights. He was one of those boys who is so skinny, if he didn’t wear loose clothing you’d never have been able to see him. He didn’t stand so much as slouch; he was arc-shaped, like a parenthesis ). He had long, straight, limp hair and and would eat green peppers like apples. His most outstanding feature was his nose. That’s pretty much what you saw when you looked at his face.

Well, time goes by and darned if he didn’t grow into that nose! Of course the long hair is gone and he’s filled out to a good – though still thin – weight and he has good, relaxed posture. In other words, he looks very normal.

Which has a lot to do with the biggest change I see in him: He is now in front of the camera! Aaron has become a very successful commercial model and actor. Has been for about 30 years. You know what an actor is, but the model bit might throw you. He’s not a fashion model, which is what you usually think of when you hear the word model.

You know those people you see in magazines, on billboards, and in online shots? Those are commercial models. And you notice how they tend to look like the folks in your neighborhood or your office? That’s the idea, to look like the kind of people you see every day, that everyone can relate to.

Aaron was coming off a music career – guitarist – and thought he’d go into physical therapy. In school, he met another student who did commercial modeling to help pay tuition. Aaron thought that sounded like a good idea, so he tried it. And the rest, as they say…

Between modeling, television, and film, he’s booked over 1,200 gigs, including Homicide: Life on the Street, The Wire, and a recurring role on House of Cards. If you look at his portfolio on his web site, you won’t even recognize him in all of his modeling shots.

But in addition to his on-camera work, he teaches modeling and acting seminars all around the world. And if you’re thinking of giving the profession a try, his book, How to Become a Successful Actor and Model, is an excellent resource. Think you don’t look like a model? Then it’s almost a sure thing that you do!

Even if you don’t want to follow in his footsteps, it should be inspiring to hear the story of a small town boy who did good.