Interview: Niki J. Borger “Breaking Out in Hollywood”

Niki J. Borger is a multi-award-winning actress, screenwriter, and producer who grew up in the German countryside and is fluent in English, French, Spanish, and German. She moved to the US in September of 2018 to pursue her passion of a career in the Hollywood entertainment industry.

“As a cosmopolitan, I believe that we live in one world and that every living being has a unique purpose within it. Through my work and how I live, I want to inspire others, I want to show that so much more is possible than some might think. For Everybody.” – Niki J. Borger

She is the co-founder of FireWolf Entertainment, a production company based in Oklahoma and Burbank, California. FireWolf Entertainment specializes in telling compelling stories in the fantasy and action genre, similar to Game of Thrones or the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The company is different in that they produce characters and story arcs that are a lot more authentic and relatable than most other films in the genre, as well as going deeper into the psychology, mindsets, beliefs, and driving factors of the characters to see what makes them human (or not). The storylines they work with at FireWolf Entertainment might be hard and dark along the way, but lead to uplifting and inspiring outcomes.

What led to the decision to start a production company?

My business partner Matt Coulson, a fellow actor, and I started working in Hollywood around the same time. We were quickly disappointed with the roles we had access to. They felt very stereotypical and flat, there was little authentic or new about them.

The roles that intrigued us to come to Hollywood in the first place went directly to the big casting agencies only. They never get published, so we couldn’t even apply to them. That was frustrating!

Then the pandemic hit, and we suddenly had a lot more time on our hands. So, we decided to develop the stories and the characters we’d want to see on screen and act in.

I love stories that are entertaining to watch without being superficial. I love seeing authentic characters going through deep transformations, rather than recreated stereotypes. I love seeing diverse characters in story arcs they wouldn’t traditionally have in Hollywood storytelling. And I just love seeing the range of stories being diversified, so everybody can watch movies and shows they resonate with. That’s what we’re trying to do with our projects.

What projects is your production company currently involved in?

FireWolf Entertainment is currently working on several projects in the fantasy and superhero genre, as well as a sitcom.

“The Marriage Deal”, a sitcom, is about a womanizing bartender and an astute accountant that have to get married – and convince everybody that they’re happily married – or they’d lose everything they’ve worked for. The story derived from the main advice given to me when I decided I wanted to build a career here in Hollywood: get married, so I don’t have to worry about the visa! For me that was never an option. I do things by the rule book or not at all. But it’s a fun setup for a sitcom, so we developed that.

The fantasy series we’ve created are all part of the Ascension franchise, a cinematic universe based on the assumption that all mythologies are real and interconnected. Three series are fully developed: “The Last Asgardian”, set in iron age Scandinavia, “Turn of Tides”, a story about two African-American sailors-turning-pirates set in 1798 America, And “Amazon Queen”, set in bronze age Turkey. More will be coming!

Do you have a favorite film genre, and if so, what is it and why?

I love good comedy! It’s so much fun and a great way to balance the daily grind. It helps me to put my struggles into perspective and be easy about it. I’m also a huge fan of fantasy and superhero movies. I love imagining myself living in these worlds, and doing things we can’t really do as humans. To me, there’s something very empowering and uplifting about using creativity in that way.

When acting and directing and writing your own films, what seems to be the biggest challenges that you have to overcome?

For me, acting and writing a character goes hand in hand very easily. First, because those two things happen in different stages of the production process. By creating the character myself, I understand very well what’s really going on with her, what drives her, and why she behaves the way she does.

Combining acting and directing is way harder, and I don’t particularly enjoy doing it. The points of view between the two could not be more different. An actor has to be in the moment, fully involved in the imagined reality of the story. When acting, everything else has to be off your mind. For a director it’s the exact opposite. Directors have to pull all the strings together and make sure the big picture works out as good as possible. For that reason, I try to avoid acting and directing at the same time. My acting definitely suffers when I do both. But sometimes, that’s still the best thing to do for the production.

If you could choose your own superpower, what would it be and why?

I’d love to be able to fly, I think that could be really fun!

Is there a moment that changed the whole trajectory of your life?

There were many defining moments in my life that lead to me being in Hollywood and pursuing acting. After all, this is so far away from where I come from, both physically and metaphorically, that a lot had to happen for me to be here.

One defining moment was in college. I was studying Political Science and Administration at the University of Constance in Germany. It’s considered an Ivy League program, but I only did it to make my family proud and fulfill the duty of getting a good college degree. I had to stop nearly all my artistic activities to keep up with the workload. Eventually, my back got infected and it turned out that I had a herniated disk. I couldn’t stand, walk or sit any more without being in severe pain. The doctors said it was so bad that I’d never be able to dance again. That was the moment! Never dance again – not an option! Lucky enough, I found an amazing therapist that opened my eyes to the connection between our bodies, our thoughts and our emotions. I figured that my primary goal should be to be happy. That was when I decided to pursue an artistic career as soon as I had finished my master’s degree. As my thoughts and emotions evolved, my body started healing. Today, I see my health as an indicator that I’m on the right track.

What drives you?

Joy, more than anything. I like being happy! I also like to inspire and empower others. So, I try to lead by example, walk my talk, you know. Most people I know are capable of so much more than they’re allowing themselves to be. I want to help them believe that they can be who they want to be. But to do that, I have to do it first.

Knowing everything that you know now, what advice would you give baby Niki?

Never leave the key to your happiness in someone else’s pocket.

Follow Niki J. Borger on the web:

Facebook Profile: https://www.facebook.com/NikiJBorger

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100069070134064

Instagram Profile: https://www.instagram.com/nikijborger/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO8kBxwCdcLCjttdZi3X12A

Niki J. Borger Official Website: https://nikijborger.com/

Instagram FireWolf Entertainment: https://www.instagram.com/firewolfentertainment/

FireWolf Entertainment Official Website: https://firewolfent.com/

Interview by Eileen Shapiro

SHARE ON FACEBOOK SHARE ON TWITTER