Actor Austin Janowsky, a 1989 graduate of New Hartford Senior High School, appears in the hit Netflix series, Stranger Things.
In Season 5, Episode 4: “Sorcerer,” which first aired on Nov. 26th, Janowsky plays the character, Alan Miller, the father of character, Debbie Miller, who he describes as “one of the new kids that are being snatched up by the government and Vecna, played by Jamie Campbell Bower.
“I am introducing my kid in the episode,” said Janowsky, “and Debbie has big significance for the rest of the series.”
Janowsky’s ‘backstory’ in Upstate NY
Janowsky was born in Buffalo, but grew up on Oxford Road in New Hartford, where he attended Oxford Road Elementary School, Perry, Middle School, and was voted “Most Theatrical” among his New Hartford Senior High School, Class of 1989 classmates.
Janowsky appeared in the New Hartford Senior High School Student Theater drama production Par for the Corpse.
Janowsky loved two things growing up, acting and comic books (reading and drawing). He acted locally in early elementary school in musicals including Mary Poppins and Sound of Music before his competing love of comic books and graphic storytelling took over.
“By the time I graduated, I was the “heavy metal long-haired guy,” said Janowsky. “I wasn’t going to cut my hair for theatrical roles.”
So, said Janowsky, “I delved into art.”
How to stream Stranger Things on Netflix
He attended Mohawk Valley Community College, majoring in commercial arts. From there he was able to find work in the Utica area in publishing for newspapers including The Penny Saver and the Utica Observer-Dispatch, where he worked from 1996-1997.
“I was pressing, punching plates, laying out pages, basically helping to design the newspaper pages,” recalled Janowsky, “before I moved to Florida for the warmer weather in 1998.”
Janowsky, still based in Tampa, Florida, landed a job there at Lockhead Martin, illustrating battle simulations. His artistic talent led him to work as a designer – the career “back-up plan” he prepared for at the behest of his parents – for the next 20 years, including roles at Walt Disney World in Creative Marketing and freelance work for clients including Universal Studios, Warner Bros., and NASCAR international Speedway Corporation.
About a decade ago, he had retired, when he shares that a buddy of his approached him about acting in an independent film he was working on.
“I knew nothing about independent filmmaking, but I gave it a shot,” said Janowsky. “Nine years later, here I am!”
Lights, camera, action!
Over the last decade, Janowsky has accumulated dozens of credits for acting, producing, and writing. He continues to integrate his graphic passions on Anime projects, including Stanley the Snowman and We’re Human Too.
When asked about his favorite projects among his body of film work, he noted Bad Monkey as his first big TV credit.
“I was able to work with Zach Braff and Rob Delaney, which was really just incredible,” effused Janowsky.
Janowsky also singled out The Soulmate Search, which he describes as a ‘Lifetime, Hallmark-eque” film that stands out because it legitimized his career to his in-laws.
“My mother-in-law was so excited when it came out,” he recalled.
He is currently working a feature length documentary film, Chico and the Coach, based upon the autobiography of the same title by Tampa area high school basketball and volleyball coach, Herman Valdez, who Janowsky describes as a “Hall of Fame caliber coach at Robinson High School and Bay Shore Christian School.
“He helped raise those schools to A+ status academically,” said Janowsky, “and in the process has helped hundreds of kids go on to bigger, better things.”
Janowsky is producing and directing the film.
Abiding in gratitude
“I’m lucky to be happily married with four amazing kids and an incredible eight-year-old granddaughter,” shared Janowsky before remarking on his Chapter 2 in the film business. “This whole thing is just absolutely insane.”
“Stranger Things was the pie in the sky. It was “it,” said Janowsky of his role in the series. “It’s pretty incredible and I’m very thankful.”
The first four episodes of the series, including Episode 4, in which Janowsky appears, are currently available for streaming. Fans can follow Janowsky on Facebook and Instagram
To family, friends, and neighbors back in his hometown in the Mohawk Valley, Janowsky had this message to share.
“Regardless of how warm it is here in Florida,” said Janowsky, “there’s always a warm place in my heart for New Hartford.”
How to stream Stranger Things on Netflix
How to watch Season 5 of ‘Stranger Things’
Part one of “Stranger Things” Season 5 premiered Nov. 26 on Netflix This release includes the first four episodes of Season 5. The next three episodes release at 8 p.m. Dec. 25 and the two-hour finale releases at 8 p.m. Dec. 31.
Fans can also catch the finale at more than 350 theaters in the United States and Canada. Tickets became available on Dec. 2. According to Fandango, the closest theater for Mohawk Valley fans showing the finale is at Destiny USA in Syracuse.
This article originally appeared on Observer-Dispatch: New Hartford native appears in Netflix hit series ‘Stranger Things’
Reporting by Cara Dolan Berry, Utica Observer Dispatch / Observer-Dispatch
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