Kaylon Hunt

Kaylon Hunt is an award-winning filmmaker and actor born and raised in Port Arthur, Texas. His work has been featured in national media outlets including IndieWire and Variety Magazine, which deemed him "One to Watch" in their Hollywood New Leaders issue. He was considered a late talker growing up, and viewed as overly shy by his elders and peers. From kindergarten through high school, Hunt excelled academically and graduated in the top of his class. He was voted "Mr. Quiet" by his classmates, a perception that for a time stifled his aspirations to enter the performing arts. As a result, he never set foot on a stage while in high school. It wasn't until he revealed his plans to set out for Los Angeles that he auditioned for and was cast as a lead in a local theater production. Hunt briefly studied mathematics before entering University of Southern California's prestigious film school where he produced a number of projects, including Turbo (2009) which won an Emmy Foundation's College Television Award. While at USC, Hunt took up intensive acting study at Milton Katselas' Beverly Hills Playhouse where he trained for several years. He became known for his strong presence and the nuanced emotional intensity brought to his stage and film work. In spite of readily denying any interest to direct, Hunt made his first directing effort with his comic book inspired short film, Hero Story (2012), that premiered at the Comic Con International Film Festival. It went on to gain press recognition for its impressive visual effects, original characters, and endearingly fun take on the superhero genre. After being introduced by his uncle, Hunt's talent and creative drive came to the attention of Viola Davis and Julius Tennon. He soon began working for their newly formed JuVee Productions where they became mentors to him, offering guidance through his career and encouraging him to maintain his own voice. He performed in the company's first produced stage endeavor, Camp Logan, with critics giving especially high marks for the strong performances of the ensemble cast; the production won three NAACP Theatre Awards. The company's award-winning short film The Brink (2015), which Hunt wrote and starred in, found acclaim among festival audiences and critics. Hunt continues to act, write, and produce alongside playing a key creative role within JuVee Productions to develop and produce inclusive, character-driven narratives.