Actor / Writer / Producer

A Vimeo link is available upon request

Synopsis

By day, Riley crunches numbers, sips overpriced lattes and survives on four hours of sleep as an investment banker. By night, he fights evil villains, heads up the mafia and tames the wild west–at least in his fantasies. But even imaginations have plot holes. You see, Riley’s true calling is to be an artist, a passion buried under the expectation to "get rich or die tryin’.” His journey takes us through the jungle of corporate America, mental health, relationships on the rocks, and the pursuit for something more than a hefty paycheck—like a People’s Choice Award! It’s a story that asks: is success about the money in your account—or the dreams you refuse to let go?

Writer’s Statement

What kind of 26-year-old leaves a high-paying investment banking job to become an actor? Well, the name is Henriksen. Justin Henriksen. The idea for Playing the Protagonist was born at 5 a.m. on a Wednesday, about six years ago. Exhausted from another 19-hour day of being berated at work, I decided to listen to the voice in my head. It wasn’t just the hours, the stress and the abuse; it was the nagging feeling that I was living someone else’s life. There comes a moment when you realize that the safest bet is the one you place on yourself. Playing the Protagonist is for the dreamers—the ones who refuse to live a life that truly isn’t theirs.