Andre Kelly is a Jamaican-Canadian actor and screenwriter from Mississauga, Ontario. He is a graduate from the University of Alberta & Humber College’s Acting for Film & TV program. He started his journey writing over 100 episodes for The Gifted Gab in 2019 and later founded the House of Gretchen Inc., a production studio focused on crafting bold narratives through shorts, series and feature films. Kelly first made his mark with roles on CBC and as Jordie on We Three Queens S2 (available on Prime/Apple TV). Most recently, he wrote and starred in his debut short film Cycles, a drama selected to premiere at Edmonton’s 39th International Film Festival and Chilliwack Independent Film Festival. He is now in post-production on his sophomore short film “Letter of Intent”, a dramatic-thriller co-supported by SOCAN. Commercially, Kelly has also voiced national commercials for McDonald’s, Tangerine Bank and the Toronto Raptors.
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Which ’hood are you in?
Islington – City Centre West
What do you do?
I personalize characters in order to find the humanity in them, regardless of what they’ve done and try to bridge that gap between myself and them. Some stories can be more challenging than others, but that’s what excites me most about being an actor. I can design that bridge the way I want with what I want. When I write, I strive to take risks with my stories that reflect the human condition. I think it’s vital that all artistry continues to provoke and disrupt–not for disruption’s sake–but to help advance and make sense of the world we’re in. You’ll find my storytelling positions Black representation at the forefront. My identity as a Jamaican-Canadian paved the way for this and allows me to reclaim tired narratives while taking innovative risks through film.
What are you currently working on?
My debut short film “Cycles” (Dir. by Alex Eskandarkhah) has been selected to premiere at Edmonton’s 39th Int’l Film Festival. As that does its festival rounds, I’m also in post-production on my sophomore short film “Letter of Intent” (also Dir. by Alex Eskandarkhah) supported by SOCAN, featuring an array of established Canadian talent you all know and love. I’m also in development on my debut feature film alongside Toronto actor & writer Kat Khan–a story surrounding love, loss and what it means to grow up. I wish I could tell you more, but that’s what trailers are for..
Where can we find your work?
You can find more about what I do at andrekelly.ca and @andreckelly on all social platforms.
