At Seven24 Collective, ThespyHouse hosted a Q&A with William Catlett, an artist whose presence immediately signals intention, clarity, and creative purpose. Best known for Love Is, Black Lightning, A Thousand and One, Never Let Go, Constellations, and now the upcoming A24 prequel series Crystal Lake set within the Friday the 13th universe, Catlett brought a perspective that felt less like a traditional Q&A session and more like a guided conversation on vision and becoming.

Catlett’s journey is often described through the lens of rising talent, but hearing him speak makes it clear he is not simply an emerging voice. He is an artist moving from “not yet” to “never forgotten,” someone who understands that every chapter on the road, whether quiet or celebrated, is part of a larger becoming.

He began the evening by sharing how he initially imagined sports to be his path, never expecting that storytelling would call him into a different arena. After moving to Los Angeles in 2002, he found himself discovering his artistic identity in unexpected places: a small apartment, late night shifts, long commutes, and moments of reflection that revealed creativity as something he could not ignore. His first self–generated short film, Stages, came from that period, a project he wrote, executive produced, and starred in simply because the story was his to tell.

What defined the night was his honesty about the business behind the art. Catlett explained how truly stepping into his career meant learning contracts, negotiation, and money management. He described being taught how to budget for the first time and using that structure to survive the unpredictable stretches of Hollywood. He told stories of looking at his account balance and seeing $4,000 despite working on major shows, moments where he still chose to turn down roles that did not align with his purpose. “The fire gets hot,” he said. “That is why most people do not make it. When things get tough, they quit. There is no backup plan. Either you are doing the thing or you are not doing the thing.”

He spoke about faith and timing with the same conviction. “Most people do not stick around long enough to meet the opportunity,” he said. “The opportunity is not outside of you. It is within you.” Those words set the tone for a night centered on endurance, spiritual intuition, and understanding that the real work is internal long before it shows up in your career.

Catlett also shared stories from recent projects, including Never Let Go with Halle Berry. At the premiere, Berry told an audience she had been waiting to work with him, and later admitted she did not think he would take the role because it was so small for someone of his ability. “You do not think people see you,” he said. “But they do. What matters is that you see you.”

His new A24 series Crystal Lake, a prequel to Friday the 13th, came with its own lessons. He walked the audience through audition rounds, chemistry reads with Linda Cardellini, and navigating studio hesitation. Ultimately he landed the role as number two on the call sheet, a reminder that there are rooms where your name is already being spoken of before you ever walk in.

Throughout the Q&A, he emphasized the importance of choosing which dream to follow first. As a creative multihyphenate, he said the key is to identify what is burning and committing to it fully. “Everything has a time and place,” he said. “You cannot do every dream at once. You have to know what dream is burning.” For him, right now, that dream is becoming a movie star. The rest will follow when the time is right.

He also spoke about his craft with humility and purpose. He believes he has not yet played his favorite role, but every character he takes on is chosen with intention. He gravitates toward roles that give something back to the audience. He referenced Lucky in A Thousand and One, a character he hoped would become a father figure for viewers who grew up without one. He spoke about Oprah’s definition of legacy, a lesson she shared with him directly. “Legacy is what you deposit into the hearts of humanity.” He carries that into every project.

Some of the night’s most memorable lines came during moments when he drifted naturally into philosophy. Among them:
“Grace can be transferred. You just have to be in the vicinity to collect it.”
“When the real thing shows up, everybody knows.”
“If you are chasing it, it is outrunning you.”
“You have to see you. There will never be another you.”

By the end, his message was unmistakable. Trust yourself. Trust your intuition. Do not abandon the quiet knowing you already have.

The Q&A closed with people lining up not to meet an actor, but to thank someone who had given them permission to believe in their own dreams with new conviction. William Catlett did what great artists do- he left the room different than he found it.

ThespyHouse continues to host intimate, inspiring gatherings for the creative community. Stay connected for news on future events here.

Photo Credits: Andrew Gonzalez