For actor Josh Margulies, some roles feel less like something he has to become and more like something he already understands.
With his own roots as a surfer from Hawaii, Josh brings a deeply personal connection to his role as a Hawaiian surfer in Eddie Would Go, the story inspired by legendary big-wave surfer and lifeguard Eddie Aikau. Set in 1970s Hawaii, the project allows him to return to a world that has been part of his identity long before he stepped in front of a camera. When asked what drew him to the role, he shared:
“While growing up in Hawaii became a big part of my identity and this Eddie character really speaks to me because that was my father’s name first off, and the Hawaiian legends and the boldness of that character is compelling. Playing a big wave surfer in the 1970s in my homeland of Hawaii is a natural fit for me”
That connection goes beyond simply knowing how to surf. For Josh, Hawaii itself becomes part of the acting process — something he can see, feel and immediately understand.
“When I see Hawaii and Hawaiian stories written well,” he says, “I can visualize everything around the story and being there is the most crucial & fun part of the acting world for me. It’s what makes the story come to life … being there.”
It is a perspective that reveals something central to his approach to acting: authenticity comes from experience. Rather than simply portraying a surfer, he is able to draw from a lifetime of understanding the ocean, Hawaii and the culture surrounding it.
“Surfing’s the Source”
Josh’s personal relationship with surfing has also shaped the way he approaches characters connected to the ocean.
Asked how his own experience as a surfer influenced his portrayal of a surfer from the 1970s, he immediately referenced one of cinema’s most memorable surfing films, Point Break (1992), quoting Patrick Swayze’s character Bodhi:
“Well, as Bodhi (played by the late Patrick Swayze) says in ‘Point Break’ (1992): ‘Surfing’s the source’ … I try to live by this and no matter where I am in my life I will always connect to the ocean and ground myself with blue.”
For him, that philosophy extends far beyond a movie reference. The ocean represents a kind of grounding force — a constant that remains with him regardless of where his career or life takes him.
And lately, that journey has taken him far beyond Hawaii.
Josh has continued expanding his work internationally, including a role in a Netflix romantic comedy that came together in an unexpectedly serendipitous way.
He recalls applying for the project and then essentially letting it go, without obsessively checking for an answer. While on vacation in Italy, the unexpected call came: the director wanted him for the part.
“It was really a matter of a lot of things coming together! I saw the casting & applied as I have many others and left it be. Not checking my emails and the next thing you know I’m on vacation in Italy and the casting director says the director wants me for the part. This was where trust and letting go of the sense of control played a huge part.”
The project carried another unexpected personal connection. The filmmaking team and cast were Filipino — a detail that resonated strongly because of his family history.
“Turns out the filmmaking team and cast were Filipino. My grandfather lived and fought there during the 2nd World War — he was interned in a POW camp there where he met my grandma — so it’s about the source. Once again.”
From Hawaii to Paris — A New Chapter
That idea of following the signs and allowing unexpected opportunities to unfold seems particularly fitting for where Josh is headed next.
The actor has recently taken on new projects that continue to broaden his range and place him in very different worlds.
Among his upcoming work is a 1930s biopic centered around legendary jazz musician Miles Davis, with Josh portraying a wealthy businessman and traveler. The production was shot entirely in Paris, giving him another opportunity to step into a period setting and explore a character worlds away from the Hawaiian surfer audiences may know him for.
The Paris production represents another fascinating turn in his growing international career — from the Pacific Ocean to the streets of 1930s Paris, and from contemporary romantic comedy to historical cinema.
Yet despite the changing locations and characters, Josh seems to approach each opportunity through the same philosophy: stay open, trust the process and find meaning in the unexpected.
As he puts it:
“It may sound too spiritual to base your hopes on abstraction but I really do believe that in this business with how sporadic it is we have to find deeper meaning to the path and signs. It’s the only way to stay sane — and stay in the game ;)”
Perhaps that is what makes Josh’s journey particularly compelling. His career is not defined by one type of character, one location or one genre. It is a journey that moves between worlds — Hawaii, Italy, the Philippines, Paris and beyond — while remaining grounded in the experiences and instincts that first shaped him.
For an actor whose philosophy is to “connect to the ocean and ground myself with blue,” the next wave is already taking him somewhere new.
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IMDB: Josh Margulies | Actor, Producer, Writer
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FEATURE FILM: « THE LOST TREASURE «
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Josh Margulies
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https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3246920
Josh Margulies | Actor, Producer, Writer
Professional Photo Credit – James Christopher
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