None of those “qualities” tend to fit the personality of a young Becker man eager to break into acting.

 

Josten Rositas, 21 and a 2011 graduate of Becker High School, hopes to be one of those rare talents who makes the business of acting a success without compromising who he is and what principles he stands for.

 

 

Rositas remembers growing up at his family’s home in Becker role-playing movies he saw on VHS tapes his parents owned. James Bond was one of his favorites and he’d re-create scenes from the movies in his backyard as part of a private life he thought he’d never be able to express in the real world.

 

Rositas didn’t partake in drama in high school - though the desire was there - but instead got involved in sports, thinking his parents would be more acceptable of that route of expressionism as compared to joining the theater.

 

In sports, Rositas excelled, quickly becoming a star on his soccer team as well as track and field. Rositas even breaking the school record in the 800m race in 2011. Rositas ran the event in 1:59.70, bettering the previous mark of 2:00.8 set by D. McClain in 1986.

Graduation

 

Just before graduating from BHS, Rositas pacified his desire to get into acting and/or modeling by signing with a talent agency out of Minneapolis. With the thought his passion would not lead to any relevant opportunities, Rositas began looking into joining the military to set himself up for a successful career outside of show business. He even had the papers in front of him to sign to enlist and schedule a date for boot camp, but the timeline wasn’t working in his favor, so he put the decision on hold.

 

That, Rositas said, must have been a divine intervention.

 

“That decision put the military thing on the back burner for a little while,” said Josten. “It wasn’t too long after that I got a call to take an acting class that sort of changed my mind about everything.”

 

 

Rositas took that class that was led by Michelle Hutchinson of Lynne Blumenthal Casting and “learned a lot”. Following the classes, Hutchinson pulled Rositas aside and asked him what he plans to do with his future. Josten told her about his idea of joining the military and Hutchinson explained she noticed he had serious talent  and encouraged him to pursue the dramatic arts.

 

“She inspired me and put a fire in my heart,” Rositas said.

 

From there, Rositas started taking more acting classes, each time getting more and more comfortable in front of the camera and with himself.

 

“I remember telling my parents about this dream and they were really hesitant and unsure about where I was going with this but eventually they all got on board,” he said.

 

Rositas has a brother, Max, who is in the fourth grade, a sister Jada in ninth and his parents are Lynnie and Mario. He also proudly mentions his biggest cheerleader, grandpa Malcolm, who always showed up for Josten’s practices and games in high school and beams with pride in his grandson’s success.

 

Rositas also is thankful for the friendship he has received from best friend Cameron Cox, another Becker HS graduate.

 

“Cameron motivates me, encourages me, pushes me and keeps me in check on my path towards success,” said Rositas. “I cant think of anyone else that I’d be more proud of to call my best friend.” 

 

 

Rositas currently works for Wells Fargo Bank in Minneapolis and is saving up all he can for his big move to Los Angeles in the near future. He said he wants to be financially secure before he sets one foot on Hollywood soil on pursuit of his dreams.

 

Rositas joined forces with another Minneapolis-area actor, Nam Garsinii, and the two are working on  creating opportunities for fresh area talent and new faces who want to get started in this industry around the local minneapolis market. The thought is Nam and Josten would act as liaisons between potential actors and agencies, all the while guiding “newbies” to be better prepared for their creative ambitions.

 

Rositas knows the acting and modeling industry doesn’t have the greatest reputation of amassing people of good character.

 

“We want to go out and help people interested in this industry to get their feet in the doors in a safe way,” said Rositas. “We would be available to offer advice and point them in a direction that best suits their talents.”

 

Rositas says his goal is not to necessarily become world famous or make “a ton of money”, but that all he really wants to enjoy his craft for as long as he possibly can.

 

“I want to be a positive figure in this industry and influence people by showing kids that not all people in the acting business are bad people,” he said. “I want people to look at me and say, ‘Hmm, there’s something different about that guy,".

 

Rositas was very much influenced by the speech given by actor Ashton Kutcher at the 2013 Teen Choice Awards in which Kutcher told teenagers they should build their own lives and find opportunities. Those opportunities, he said, don’t just fall in your lap but come to you through hard work.

“He seems smart, thoughtful and generous,” said Rositas of Kutcher. “That’s how I want people to think of me.”

 

Rositas has been working alongside another Becker student, Ashley Graaf, whose modeling career seems to be taking off like a rocket as she lands gig after gig, both local and national.

 

 

As stated earlier, Rositas plans to work his “normal” job at Wells Fargo, field small, local acting and modeling jobs on the side, and save up enough money so he can go to L.A. and be ready to hit the ground running. 

 

Currently, he is living in St. Paul but rumor has it he is thinking about moving back to Becker in the very near future to be closer to the family that never discouraged or tried to quell his dreams.

 

“Deep down, I’m a momma’s boy and I love my family so much for the way they raised me and the way they’ve supported me these last few years,” Josten said. “Plus, it’d be good to be around them and some friends just before I decide to change my permanent address to California.”

 

For those interested in talking with Josten about the possibility of pursuing acting or modeling, he can be contacted at 612-998-5348 or by email at jos10rositas@gmail.com.