When you first meet 24-year-old Calgary actor Griffin Cork, one of the things you notice immediately is the energy and excitement he brings into any space he inhabits. From one-man shows to ensemble casts, period pieces to modern stories, and extensive film set experiences both on-screen and off, Griffin’s professional resume is in a word, impressive. Equally noteworthy is who he is as a person – someone quick to give praise and recognition to the people, schools and theatres that helped him develop his skills as an artist, and someone for whom kindness and building inclusive welcoming communities are paramount.

#OnceUponASpark
As we ate breakfast on a late 2018 December morning at the Blackfoot Diner, I asked Griffin how he got his start in the industry and what his #OnceUponASpark moment was that started his passion for the arts. “When I was six years old, I saw A Christmas Carol at Theatre Calgary” Cork told me. “In that moment there were two things – the larger more heartwarming one is that I really fell in love with Stephen Hair as the show went on, and at the moment Scrooge has all been but transformed, I turned to my Mom and said I want to do that! The other was about half-way through the show during the Christmas party scene. My buddy Sam Duke was on stage, and I thought I love Sam, I want to get up there.”

Awards, Breakfast and Abracadavers
Fast forwarding a few years to the Spring after our breakfast, Griffin graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting from the University of Alberta and was awarded the 2020 Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Emerging Artist Award. During the pandemic, Griffin and his Mother, the ever fabulous Karen Johnson-Diamond started the Breakfast Dish Podcast as a space for artists to come together for get-to-know-you conversations and to tell stories of their work. As I write this, Griffin is three-weeks into filming the second season of Abracadavers, an award winning web-series that explores the experience of youth growing up in today’s world. Though the characters, including Chris, who is played by Cork have superpowers, the focus of the show is more about the everyday things that matter. Season 2 was green-lit by the Canadian Media Fund.

Learning and The PowerPuff Secret Ingredient
As Griffin has built his career, he’s done so as someone super excited by learning. On just some of these experiences, he comments: “Whenever a new opportunity has come up – whether dance or fight choreography, sound design, stage management, play development, props, costumes – these have each given me a taste and appreciation for every department.” For Cork, this forms part of his philosophy that creating great stories on stage and screen is a collaboration within the tapestry of community.

I also asked Griffin about his recipe for success, and after a thoughtful pause, he answered: “Being a person that people want to work with. That’s something I always try to emulate, on set, in theatre, whatever. There’s no room for ego anywhere. You can be proud of your work, and you can talk about it with pride, but no one’s on a different level.” This was something I got to see in action right before the pandemic hit, when I had the chance to be an extra in Restless Sleep, shot by Cork and his fellow Numera Films production team. From crew to the main cast and extras, Griffin made everyone feel welcomed, and that same energy I felt at our breakfast was palpable on set. As I wrote this story, I also went to some of the people Griffin has worked with and been mentored by, and asked two questions: 1) When you think about Griffin, what are 3-4 words you would use to describe him? and 2) Why is Griffin someone you want to work with, and what do you appreciate most about him?

In answer to the first, these were the words they chose:
In answer to the second question, on Griffin’s artistry, Haysam Kadri, Artistic Producer of The Shakespeare Company comments: “Griffin is a dynamic artist. He continues to grow as an artist and is ambitious about developing new skills and diving into different disciplines.” Chris Stockton, Artistic Director of Birnton Theatricals adds: “Griffin is not only an incredibly talented performer but he is someone that has taken the time and energy to learn about all aspects of the performing arts world making himself an asset to any organization that he works with. His flexibility and generosity overflow to lift others up, set himself up for success and put what’s best for the show first. I appreciate most the way he is approachable, generous with his time, committed to any project with incredible focus and incredibly creative.”

As Alberta Filmmaker Katrina Beatty explains: “Griffin is a delight. He's incredibly talented, so that's reason enough, but he truly understands what it means to be "standing by" - he's always ready to work. And his mind never stops. He jumps at every opportunity and somehow has the most stamina of anyone I've ever met.” Calgary director and actor Shari Wattling adds: “Along with his many creative talents, Griffin brings joy and infectious enthusiasm to any project. You can't help but feel upbeat and inspired when he is in your company.”

Griffin’s SPARK
As we came to the end of our conversation that December day, I asked Griffin about his SPARK and the motivating factor that drives him to do his work today. Without missing a beat, he said: “My SPARK is making this industry less daunting for myself and for others, and that plays into doing a whole bunch of different positions, finding the appreciation for each faction, and the accessibility of community. But the largest thing is really really building that sense of community, and I have vowed to be like all the established artists who have helped me as I was growing, because I will never never turn down somebody when they ask me for help.”  

We could all definitely learn a lot from Griffin’s example.