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Cayman Cardiff: Vertical Drama “Under the Hood” star
- Markos Papadatos
- 2 hours ago
- 4 min read
Markos Papadatos interviewed actor Cayman Cardiff about his inspirations in acting, his latest endeavors in the digital age, and his work in the vertical drama space. Cardiff has appeared as a lead actor in over 25 vertical dramas.
Emmy winner Kristos Andrews of “The Bay” once said: “Acting is the art of being human. If one genuinely connects, it expedites their growth rate of understanding and wisdom gained through life experience.” This quote applies to actor and storyteller Cayman Cardiff.
A native of Lexington, Kentucky, Cardiff is also a director, producer, and writer, currently based in Los Angeles, California. On his daily motivations, Cardiff shared, “Honestly, I want to tell stories that motivate, that inspire, and that bring change to the world. I want to be able to tell good stories.”
“I want to tell heart-wrenching stories,” he noted. “I want to tell stories that can push our generation and future generations into a better life. I want people to know that empathy matters. I want people to know that love is not just an idea about religion or God, but love is something inherent to all humans.”
“I want to be able to tell those things and help people self-actualize in ways where I’m not just explaining, but where they get to come to the conclusions themselves,” he elaborated.
On being an actor in the digital age, at a time when streaming and social media are so prevalent, Cardiff said, “It’s interesting! I just don’t see the verticals as soap operas, but the vertical format. It’s just mobile television, and that’s all it is. It’s just another technology-driven way to consume media.”
“I’m so excited to be a part of it because the options are limitless and it’s scalable,” he noted. “I am thrilled to be able to do this, but also bridge the gap between older types of media such as film, TV, and streaming, and this new type of media… the vertical microdramas.”
On joining the vertical drama world, Cardiff remarked, “This was not something I ever knew existed but also not something that I really thought about until I was in it. Presently, I definitely love it. I think it’s phenomenal to be able to create something that is so new because it’s in its nascency right now.”
“It feels like I’m a part of something that just started. Who knows where it’s going to be in a few months, years, or even decades,” he added.
Cardiff shared that he enjoyed being a part of the Vigloo vertical drama mini-series “Under the Hood,” where he stars opposite Quincey Szymeczek. “That was one of my favorite projects so far, along with ‘The Cost of Touch’,” he admitted.
He also revealed a new project launching on DramaBox titled 3, 2, 1, Farewell Forever, in which he plays the anti-hero. “It’s cool because I’m just not a good guy in this one,” he teased.
On working with the streaming app Vigloo, Cardiff remarked, “Vigloo has been awesome. Their executive producers are some of my favorite people. I am actually really close friends with a few of them. It’s exciting because I actually haven’t worked with them since I did the military projectwith Rebecca Stoughton.”
For young and aspiring actors, Cardiff offered some wisdom: “Honestly, I would say the biggest thing you can do as an actor is know thyself. Acting is just a reflection of the amount of depth you’ve been able to uncover within your own soul, within your own subconscious, and your own psyche.”
“The deeper you go, the harder things you deal with, the more you’re able to come in contact with your body and know thyself; the more you’re going to be able to draw upon as an actor,” he explained. “You can really see the people who may have a lot of acting experience, but not a lot of body or life experience. They can’t draw on their emotions and they’re just using their head to fabricate emotions versus using their emotions. It is all about authenticity.”
When asked about the title of the current chapter of his life, Cardiff revealed: “Growth.”
“I am just expanding in my own self, my own ideas of self-ideation, who I am, who I can be, who I should be. Growing exponentially in my career, growth in my personal life and connections. Expansion, I think, is another good title.”
If he were to have any superpower, it would be “perfect empathy,” allowing him to truly understand people, their backgrounds, and their hardships. “As a storyteller, knowing what other people went through is important when it comes to writing, directing, and what to draw from, in order to understand the human experience,” he explained. “This is why I will always choose empathy.”
Cardiff also spoke highly of Tina Randolph Contogenis and Eris Talent Agency. “Tina is the most loving person. When I first met her, we instantly felt mutual respect, admiration, and love for each other. The amount of love that Tina has for the entertainment industry is infectious,” he said.
On his definition of success, Cardiff noted, “Success, to me, means leaving the world better than you found it. I truly believe that’s why I’m here. I know that success for me will come with the ability to influence. I know I will have succeeded when I can visibly see that I have put more good in and created more love than I have maybe rejected or turned away. I think that’s ultimately what this life is about… creating opportunities of love, and expressing kindness.”
To his fans and supporters, Cardiff expressed deep gratitude. “I have been inundated with beautiful human souls that just come and rejoice with every release and with everything that I do or say, and they are so kind and so loving. The fans give me so much strength to continue to be strong on my own. I am just so grateful.”