Meet Eric Guilmette: The Actor Rewriting the Rules of Hollywood One vertical At a Time

Meet Eric Guilmette: The Actor Rewriting the Rules of Hollywood One vertical At a Time Hosts Sarah J. Halstead and Rich Chassler sit down with Los Angeles-based actor, producer, and poet Eric Guilmette one of the most prolific and buzzed-about names in the exploding world of vertical drama. A Massachusetts native who traded a math and economics degree and a likely Wall Street career for a one-way ticket to Australia, Eric's path to Hollywood is anything but conventional. He went from fitness coaching on a laptop while globe-trotting, to modeling, to commercial acting, to becoming a bona fide star of the vertical series format  leading 45+ micro-drama series on platforms including ReelShort, Pocket FM, Vigloo, DramaBox, and ShortMax.  In this episode, Eric breaks down what vertical films actually are, why they're changing the entertainment industry, what it's like to produce your own content, and how he manages to also be a #1 Amazon bestselling poet. A genuinely fascinating conversation about creativity, reinvention, and seizing the future of media  one phone screen at a time. Guest Bio Eric Taylor Guilmette is an American actor, producer, and poet based in Los Angeles, CA. Originally from the suburbs of Boston, Massachusetts, Eric studied mathematics and economics before catching the travel bug and ultimately finding his way to Long Beach, California where a spontaneous modeling test shoot ignited a career that has grown far beyond anything he imagined. Best known as one of the most successful actors in the vertical drama space, Eric has led 44 vertical series for all of the major micro-drama platforms. His standout titles include You Belong With Me (ReelShort), Chosen By Fate (Pocket FM), Campus Rivals (Vigloo  which he also produced and which won Best Love Story at the Vertical Shorts Festival and Best Pinnacle Ensemble Story at the 2025 Vertical Awards), and Love & Blood (ReelShort which he co-created and produced). His most notable feature film, Tails of Christmas, premiered on Great American Family and Amazon Prime in December 2024. He also appeared in Dungeons of Ecstasy (Full Moon Features & Prime) and Sabotaging the Squad (Lifetime). Eric was voted the 2024 Vertical Legend and Best Actor in a Drama at the Vertical Drama Love Fan Awards, and won the Sapphire Vision Award at the 2025 Vertical Awards. He has also appeared on 200+ romance novel covers, including titles by J.T. Geissinger, Liz Tomforde, and Lexi C. Foss. His debut poetry book, sex and oatmeal, was released in August 2025 and debuted at #1 on Amazon New Releases for Poetry, with the audiobook and Kindle editions also hitting #1 in Poetry for several weeks. He has ranked as high as #75 overall on Cameo thanks to his devoted fanbase. "I've created a much bigger brand for myself than I thought I ever would. Being a successful poet has opened a lot of doors for me." Connect with Eric 🔗 Instagram: @erictaylorguilmette | https://www.instagram.com/erictaylorguilmette/ 🔗 Website eric-guilmette.com | https://eric-guilmette.com/   🍹 Featured Beverage Drinking During Business Hours style raises a glass to the future of entertainment!   Chapters   00:00 Introduction to Vertical Films and the Guest   02:58 The Evolution of Vertical Films   05:36 The Role of SAG in Vertical Films   08:43 Producing and Writing in the Vertical Space   11:17 Cultural Influences on Vertical Films   14:02 The Power of Poetry and Personal Expression   16:49 The Journey of an Actor and Poet   19:31 Community and Connection through Art   22:33 Future Projects and Upcoming Events 📣 Calls to Action 📱 Watch Eric's vertical series on ReelShort, Pocket FM, Vigloo, DramaBox & ShortMax 🎄 Stream Tails of Christmas on Great American Family or Amazon Prime 📖 Read sex and oatmeal — available on Amazon (paperback, Kindle & Audible) 🎥 Follow Eric on Instagram @erictaylorguilmette 🌐 Visit his official site at eric-guilmette.com 🎬 Book a Cameo from Eric for a personal video message   #DrinkingDuringBusinessHours #EricGuilmette #VerticalDrama #VerticalFilms #ReelShort #PocketFM #Vigloo #MicroDrama #SexAndOatmeal #Poetry #TailsOfChristmas #LoveAndBlood #EntertainmentIndustry #FutureOfFilm #VerticalLegend